at Gotha, in their step-maternal godmother, the Duchess of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, second wife of Duke Augustus, father, by his first wife, of the Prince's mother." She was a very sensible woman, with the kindest heart, and of the most genuine and unaffected goodness. Charming evidence of these qualities will be found in her letters, quoted in this volume; whether she gives expression to her maternal solicitude for the welfare of the people over whom her husband had so long reigned, or to the devoted love she felt for her grandchildren, in whom, from their earliest infancy, she took an affectionate interest, not surpassed by that of their own grandmother at Coburg. Indeed their two grand

mothers seemed to vie with each other as to which should show them the most love and kindness; and it is from the letters, now of one, now of the other, that we get the best account of the childhood and youth of the young Princes.

In the spring of 1822 the Duke and Duchess of Coburg were absent from Coburg, and the Dowager Duchess being also away for a short time, the children were alone at Coburg. The Duchess of Gotha therefore invited them to

14 See note, p. 7.

go to her in the following letter to their father, and the invitation was at once accepted:

66

"Gotha, May 2, 1822.

"As your dear mother will not return for some time to Coburg, and the dear children will consequently be left alone, I venture to "make a proposal, in which my husband joins, that you should entrust the darlings to our care. "I need not tell you, my dearest son, that while

they are with me, dear to me as they are, they "would be the object of my life: nor can I say "how much such a mark of your confidence would "touch me. However, I leave it for your consideration, and only beg you will consider the "proposal as a proof of my motherly affection."

The visit was paid-and on the 26th of June, the young Princes returned to Coburg, as mentioned by the Duchess of Coburg in the following letter:

66

27 June 1822. "Yesterday morning my dear little boys "came back from Gotha, and I was overjoyed. "Ernest is very much grown. He is not as

"handsome as his father, but he will have his "good figure. Albert is much smaller than "his brother, and lovely as a little angel with his fair curls."

66

At the beginning of the following year, the Dowager Duchess of Coburg again writes: "14th February 1823.

"The little boys have interrupted me, for "you know how little one can do during such a "visit. A couple of boys always find means to "be noisy, which, and the loud talking, calls for many a scolding from grandmama. They are

66

very good boys on the whole, very obedient, "and easy to manage. Albert used to rebel a "little sometimes, but a grave face brings the "little fellow to submit. Now he obeys me at "a look. Some weeks ago he alarmed us by an "attack of croup, but leeches and a blister "quickly relieved it. If anybody complains "now, he says, very wisely, 'You must put on "' a blister.'

66 6

M. Florschütz, the tutor, to whose care it will be seen the boys were removed in the course of this year, says that Prince Albert at this time was very subject to attacks of croup. Again on the 10th of March, of the same year, the Duchess writes:

"Ernest's boys have got a picture-book. "One of the pictures represents the carrying off "of the Saxon Princes. This interests them "greatly, and Albert makes wonderful eyes in

telling that one was called Albert, like him"self."

It has been already mentioned that the young Princes bore the same names as Ernest and Albert the sons of the Elector Frederic the Mild, who gave their names to the two branches into which the Saxon family was thenceforward divided. The story represented in the picture above mentioned was, that these Princes were stolen in infancy from the Schloss of Altenburg, by one Kunz of Kauffungen, Chamberlain to the Elector, in revenge for having been compelled to restore property that, during some disturbances, had been entrusted to his care.

"The boys are very wild "-the Dowager Duchess writes on the 9th of May-" and Ernest "flies about like a swallow. One need not, therefore, be astonished at his catching cold. "during these few warm days, with the wind getting up in the evening.

Florschütz, who has been with Mensdorff's "boys, will come now to those of Ernest, of "which I am glad. Do not yet tease your little She is so young still." The Princess Victoria, who is thus alluded

66

puss with learning.

to, would not be four years old till the 24th of that month.

CHAPTER II.

1823-1826.

THE PRINCES REMOVED TO THE CARE OF A TUTOR-PRINCE ALBERT'S FIRST JOURNAL AND LETTERS-VISITS TO GOTHA -LETTERS FROM DOWAGER DUCHESS OF GOTHA.

PRINCE ERNEST was barely five years old, and Prince Albert not yet four, when the change alluded to at the end of the last chapter took place, and the young Princes were removed from the care of the nurse to whom they had been hitherto entrusted, to that of Herr Florschütz of Coburg.

It is generally a severe trial to a child to be separated for the first time from the nurse by whom it has been hitherto tended and cared for ; but the Prince, even as a child, showed a great dislike to being in the charge of women, and rejoiced instead of sorrowing over the contemplated change.1 His gentle and docile

1 Memorandum by the Queen.