one so。 Victoria； outraged and injured； felt that she was misunderstood。 She was profoundly unhappy。 After Lord Ellenborough's speech； General Grey declared that he 〃had never seen the Queen so completely upset。〃 〃Oh； how fearful it is；〃 she herself wrote to Lord Granville； 〃to be suspecteduncheered unguided and unadvisedand how alone the poor Queen feels！ 〃 Nevertheless； suffer as she might； she was as resolute as ever； she would not move by a hair's breadth from the course that a supreme obligation marked out for her； she would be faithful to the end。
And so； when Schleswig…Holstein was forgotten； and even the image of the Prince had begun to grow dim in the fickle memories of men； the solitary watcher remained immutably concentrated at her peculiar task。 The world's hostility； steadily increasing； was confronted and outfaced by the impenetrable weeds of Victoria。 Would the world never understand？ It was not mere sorrow that kept her so strangely sequestered； it was devotion； it was self…immolation； it was the laborious legacy of love。 Unceasingly the pen moved over the black…edged paper。 The flesh might be weak； but that vast burden must be borne。 And fortunately； if the world would not understand； there were faithful friends who did。 There was Lord Granville； and there was kind Mr。 Theodore Martin。 Perhaps Mr。 Martin； who was so clever； would find means to make people realise the facts。 She would send him a letter； pointing out her arduous labours and the difficulties under which she struggled； and then he might write an article for one of the magazines。 〃It is not；〃 she told him in 1863； 〃the Queen's SORROW that keeps her secluded。 It is her OVERWHELMING WORK and her health； which is greatly shaken by her sorrow； and the totally overwhelming amount of work and responsibilitywork which she feels really wears her out。 Alice Helps was wonderfully struck at the Queen's room； and if Mrs。 Martin will look at it； she can tell Mr。 Martin what surrounds her。 From the hour she gets out of bed till she gets into it again there is work； work； work；letter…boxes； questions； etc。； which are dreadfully exhaustingand if she had not comparative rest and quiet in the evening she would most likely not be ALIVE。 Her brain is constantly overtaxed。〃 It was too true。
III
To carry on Albert's workthat was her first duty； but there was another； second only to that； and yet nearer； if possible； to her heartto impress the true nature of his genius and character upon the minds of her subjects。 She realised that during his life he had not been properly appreciated； the full extent of his powers； the supreme quality of his goodness； had been necessarily concealed； but death had removed the need of barriers； and now her husband； in his magnificent entirety； should stand revealed to all。 She set to work methodically。 She directed Sir Arthur Helps to bring out a collection of the Prince's speeches and addresses； and the weighty tome appeared in 1862。 Then she commanded General Grey to write an account of the Prince's early yearsfrom his birth to his marriage； she herself laid down the design of the book； contributed a number of confidential documents； and added numerous notes； General Grey obeyed； and the work was completed in 1866。 But the principal part of the story was still untold； and Mr。 Martin was forthwith instructed to write a complete biography of the Prince Consort。 Mr。 Martin laboured for fourteen years。 The mass of material with which he had to deal was almost incredible； but he was extremely industrious； and he enjoyed throughout the gracious assistance of Her Majesty。 The first bulky volume was published in 1874； four others slowly followed； so that it was not until 1880 that the monumental work was finished。
Mr。 Martin was rewarded by a knighthood； and yet it was sadly evident that neither Sir Theodore nor his predecessors had achieved the purpose which the Queen had in view。 Perhaps she was unfortunate in her coadjutors； but； in reality； the responsibility for the failure must lie with Victoria herself。 Sir Theodore and the others faithfully carried out the task which she had set themfaithfully put before the public the very image of Albert that filled her own mind。 The fatal drawback was that the public did not find that image attractive。 Victoria's emotional nature； far more remarkable for vigour than for subtlety； rejecting utterly the qualifications which perspicuity； or humour； might suggest； could be satisfied with nothing but the absolute and the categorical。 When she disliked she did so with an unequivocal emphasis which swept the object of her repugnance at once and finally outside the pale of consideration； and her feelings of affection were equally unmitigated。 In the case of Albert her passion for superlatives reached its height。 To have conceived of him as anything short of perfectperfect in virtue； in wisdom； in beauty； in all the glories and graces of manwould have been an unthinkable blasphemy： perfect he was； and perfect he must be shown to have been。 And so； Sir Arthur； Sir Theodore； and the General painted him。 In the circumstances； and under such supervision； to have done anything else would have required talents considerably more distinguished than any that those gentlemen possessed。 But that was not all。 By a curious mischance Victoria was also able to press into her service another writer； the distinction of whose talents was this time beyond a doubt。 The Poet Laureate； adopting； either from complaisance or conviction； the tone of his sovereign； joined in the chorus； and endowed the royal formula with the magical resonance of verse。 This settled the matter。 Henceforward it was impossible to forget that Albert had worn the white flower of a blameless life。
The result was doubly unfortunate。 Victoria； disappointed and chagrined； bore a grudge against her people for their refusal； in spite of all her efforts； to rate her husband at his true worth。 She did not understand that the picture of an embodied perfection is distasteful to the majority of mankind。 The cause of this is not so much an envy of the perfect being as a suspicion that he must be inhuman； and thus it happened that the public； when it saw displayed for its admiration a figure resembling the sugary hero of a moral story…book rather than a fellow man of flesh and blood； turned away with a shrug； a smile； and a flippant ejaculation。 But in this the public was the loser as well as Victoria。 For in truth Albert was a far more interesting personage than the public dreamed。 By a curious irony an impeccable waxwork had been fixed by the Queen's love in the popular imagination； while the creature whom it representedthe real creature； so full of energy and stress and torment； so mysterious and so unhappy； and so fallible and so very humanhad altogether disappeared。
IV
Words and books may be ambiguous memorials； but who can misinterpret the visible solidity of bronze and stone？ At Frogmore； near Windsor； where her mother was buried； Victoria constructed； at the cost of L200；000； a vast and elaborate mausoleum for herself and her husband。 But that was a private and domestic monument； and the Queen desired that wherever her subjects might be gathered together they should be reminded of the Prince。 Her desire was gratified； all over the countryat Aberdeen； at Perth； and at Wolverhamptonstatues of the Prince were erected； and the Queen； making an exception to her rule of retirement； unveiled them herself。 Nor did the capital lag behind。 A month after the Prince's death a meeting was called together at the Mansion House to discuss schemes for honouring his memory。 Opinions； however； were divided upon the subject。 Was a statue or an institution to be preferred？ Meanwhile a subscription was opened； an influential committee was appointed； and the Queen was consulted as to her wishes in the matter。 Her Majesty replied that she would prefer a granite obelisk； with sculptures at the base； to an institution。 But the committee hesitated： an obelisk； to be worthy of the name； must clearly be a monolith； and where was the quarry in England capable of furnishing a granite block of the required size？ It was true that there was granite in Russian Finland； but the committee were advised that it was not adapted to resist exposure to the open air。 On the whole； therefore； they suggested that a Memorial Hall should be erected； together with a statue of the Prince。 Her Majesty assented； but then another difficulty arose。 It was found that not more than L60；000 had been subscribeda sum insufficient to defray the double expense。 The Hall； therefore； was abandoned； a statue alone was to be erected； and certain eminent architects were asked to prepare designs。 Eventually the committee had at their disposal a total sum of L120；000； since the public subscribed another L10；000； while L50；000 was voted by Parliament。 Some years later a joint stock company was formed and built； as a private speculation； the Albert Hall。
The architect whose design was selected； both by the committee and by the Queen； was Mr。 Gilbert Scott； whose industry； conscientiousness； and genuine piety had brought him to the head of his profession。 His lifelong zeal for the Gothic style having given him a special prominence； his handiwork was strikingly visible； not only in a multitude of original buildings； but in most of the cathedrals of England。 Protests； indeed； were occasionally raised against his renovations； but Mr。 Scott replied with such vigour and unction in articles and pamphlets that not a Dean was unconvinced； and he was permitted to continue his labours without interruption。 On one occasion； however； his devotion to Gothic had placed him in an unpleasant situation。 The Government offices in Whitehall were to be rebuilt； Mr。 Scott competed； and his designs were successful。 Naturally； they were in the Gothic style； combining 〃a certain squareness and horizontality of outline〃 with pillar…mullions； gables； high…pitched roofs； and dormers； and the drawings； as Mr。 Scott himself observed； 〃were； perhaps； the best ever sent in to a competition； or nearly so。〃 After the usual difficulties and delays the work was at last to be put in hand； when there was a change of Government and Lord Palmerston became Prime