Life of Her Most Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria, vol 1 | Page 5

have glimpses from Baron Stockmar, a
shrewd observer, who was no flatterer.
The Duke of Clarence, at fifty-three years of age, was the "smallest and
least good-looking of the brothers, decidedly like his mother, as
talkative as the rest;" and we may add that he was also endowed with a
sailor-like frankness, cordiality, and good humour, which did not,
however, prevent stormy ebullitions of temper, that recommended him
to the nation of that day as a specimen of a princely blue-jacket. Since
the navy was not considered a school of manners, he was excused for
the absence of much culture or refinement.
"The Duke of Kent, at fifty-one, was a tall, stately man, of soldierlike
bearing, already inclined to great corpulence.... He had seen much of
the world, and of men. His manner in society was pleasant and easy. He
was not without ability and culture, and he possessed great activity. His
dependents complained of his strictness and pedantic love of order....
The Duke was well aware that his influence was but small, but this did
not prevent him from forwarding the petitions he received whenever it
was possible, with his own recommendation, to the public
departments.... Liberal political principles were at that time in the
minority in England, and as the Duke professed them, it can be
imagined how he was hated by the powerful party then dominant. He
was on most unfriendly terms with his brothers.... The Duke proved an
amiable and courteous, even chivalrous, husband."
Judiciously, in the circumstances, neither of the brides was in her first
youth, the future Queen Adelaide having been, at twenty-six, the
younger of the two. The Duchess of Kent, a little over thirty, had been

already married, in 1803, when she was seventeen, to Prince Emich
Charles of Leiningen. Eleven years afterwards, in 1814, she was left a
widow with a son and daughter. Four years later she married the Duke
of Kent. The brides were very different in looks and outward attractions.
The Duchess of Clarence, with hair of a peculiar colour approaching to
a lemon tint, weak eyes, and a bad complexion, was plain. She was also
quiet, reserved, and a little stiff, while she appears to have had no
special accomplishments, beyond a great capacity for carpet-work. The
Duchess of Kent, with a fine figure, good features, brown hair and eyes,
a pretty pink colour, winning manners, and graceful
accomplishments--particularly music, formed a handsome, agreeable
woman, "altogether most charming and attractive."
But both Duchesses were possessed of qualities in comparison with
which beauty is deceitful and favour is vain--qualities which are
calculated to wear well. Queen Adelaide's goodness and kindness, her
unselfish, unassuming womanliness and devout resignation to sorrow
and suffering, did more than gain and keep the heart of her bluff,
eccentric sailor-prince. They secured for her the respectful regard of the
nation among whom she dwelt, whether as Queen or Queen-dowager.
The Archbishop of Canterbury could say of her, after her husband's
death, "For three weeks prior to his (King William's) dissolution, the
Queen sat by his bedside, performing for him every office which a sick
man could require, and depriving herself of all manner of rest and
refection. She underwent labours which I thought no ordinary woman
could endure. No language can do justice to the meekness and to the
calmness of mind which she sought to keep up before the King, while
sorrow was pressing on her heart. Such constancy of affection, I think,
was one of the most interesting spectacles that could be presented to a
mind desirous of being gratified with the sight of human excellence."
[Footnote: Dr. Doran] Such graces, great enough to resist the
temptations of the highest rank, might well be singled out as worthy of
all imitation.
The Duchess of Kent proved herself the best of mothers--as she was the
best of wives, during her short time of wedlock--in the
self-renunciation and self-devotion with which, through all difficulties,
and in spite of every opposition and misconception, she pursued the
even tenor of her way. Not for two or ten, but for well-nigh twenty

years, she gave herself up unreservedly, turning her back on her
country with all its strong early ties, to rearing a good queen, worthy of
her high destiny. England owes much to the memories of Queen
Adelaide and the Duchess of Kent, who succeeded Queen Charlotte,
the one as Queen Consort, the other as mother of the future sovereign,
and not only served as the salt to savour their royal circles, but kept up
nobly the tradition of honourable women among the queens and
princesses of England, handing down the high obligation to younger
generations.
The Duke and Duchess of Kent withdrew to Germany after their
re-marriage, and resided at the castle of Amorbach, in Bavaria, part