he　was　kind　to　him；　writing　him　long　letters；　and　always　remembering　his　birthday；　but　it　was　kindness　at　a　distance；　and　he　knew　it。　He　had　become　〃poor　Lord　Melbourne。〃　A　profound　disquietude　devoured　him。　He　tried　to　fix　his　mind　on　the　condition　of　Agriculture　and　the　Oxford　Movement。　He　wrote　long　memoranda　in　utterly　undecipherable　handwriting。　He　was　convinced　that　he　had　lost　all　his　money；　and　could　not　possibly　afford　to　be　a　Knight　of　the　Garter。　He　had　run　through　everything；　and　yetif　Peel　went　out；　he　might　be　sent　forwhy　not？　He　was　never　sent　for。　The　Whigs　ignored　him　in　their　consultations；　and　the　leadership　of　the　party　passed　to　Lord　John　Russell。　When　Lord　John　became　Prime　Minister；　there　was　much　politeness；　but　Lord　Melbourne　was　not　asked　to　join　the　Cabinet。　He　bore　the　blow　with　perfect　amenity；　but　he　understood；　at　last；　that　that　was　the　end。
  For　two　years　more　he　lingered；　sinking　slowly　into　unconsciousness　and　imbecility。　Sometimes；　propped　up　in　his　chair；　he　would　be　heard　to　murmur；　with　unexpected　appositeness；　the　words　of　Samson：
  〃So　much　I　feel　my　general　spirit　droop；　　　　　My　hopes　all　flat；　nature　within　me　seems；　　　　　In　all　her　functions　weary　of　herself；　　　　　My　race　of　glory　run；　and　race　of　shame；　　　　　And　I　shall　shortly　be　with　them　that　rest。〃
  A　few　days　before　his　death；　Victoria；　learning　that　there　was　no　hope　of　his　recovery；　turned　her　mind　for　a　little　towards　that　which　had　once　been　Lord　M。　〃You　will　grieve　to　hear；〃　she　told　King　Leopold；　〃that　our　good；　dear；　old　friend　Melbourne　is　dying。。。　One　cannot　forget　how　good　and　kind　and　amiable　he　was；　and　it　brings　back　so　many　recollections　to　my　mind；　though；　God　knows！　I　never　wish　that　time　back　again。〃
  She　was　in　little　danger。　The　tide　of　circumstance　was　flowing　now　with　irresistible　fullness　towards　a　very　different　consummation。　The　seriousness　of　Albert；　the　claims　of　her　children；　her　own　inmost　inclinations；　and　the　movement　of　the　whole　surrounding　world；　combined　to　urge　her　forward　along　the　narrow　way　of　public　and　domestic　duty。　Her　family　steadily　increased。　Within　eighteen　months　of　the　birth　of　the　Prince　of　Wales　the　Princess　Alice　appeared；　and　a　year　later　the　Prince　Alfred；　and　then　the　Princess　Helena；　and；　two　years　afterwards；　the　Princess　Louise；　and　still　there　were　signs　that　the　pretty　row　of　royal　infants　was　not　complete。　The　parents；　more　and　more　involved　in　family　cares　and　family　happiness；　found　the　pomp　of　Windsor　galling；　and　longed　for　some　more　intimate　and　remote　retreat。　On　the　advice　of　Peel　they　purchased　the　estate　of　Osborne；　in　the　Isle　of　Wight。　Their　skill　and　economy　in　financial　matters　had　enabled　them　to　lay　aside　a　substantial　sum　of　money；　and　they　could　afford；　out　of　their　savings；　not　merely　to　buy　the　property　but　to　build　a　new　house　for　themselves　and　to　furnish　it　at　a　cost　of　L200；000。　At　Osborne；　by　the　sea…shore；　and　among　the　woods；　which　Albert；　with　memories　of　Rosenau　in　his　mind；　had　so　carefully　planted；　the　royal　family　spent　every　hour　that　could　be　snatched　from　Windsor　and　Londondelightful　hours　of　deep　retirement　and　peaceful　work。　The　public　looked　on　with　approval。　A　few　aristocrats　might　sniff　or　titter；　but　with　the　nation　at　large　the　Queen　was　now　once　more　extremely　popular。　The　middle…classes；　in　particular；　were　pleased。　They　liked　a　love…match；　they　liked　a　household　which　combined　the　advantages　of　royalty　and　virtue；　and　in　which　they　seemed　to　see；　reflected　as　in　some　resplendent　looking…glass；　the　ideal　image　of　the　very　lives　they　led　themselves。　Their　own　existences；　less　exalted；　but　oh！　so　soothingly　similar；　acquired　an　added　excellence；　an　added　succulence；　from　the　early　hours；　the　regularity；　the　plain　tuckers；　the　round　games；　the　roast　beef　and　Yorkshire　pudding　oft　Osborne。　It　was　indeed　a　model　Court。　Not　only　were　its　central　personages　the　patterns　of　propriety；　but　no　breath　of　scandal；　no　shadow　of　indecorum；　might　approach　its　utmost　boundaries。　For　Victoria；　with　all　the　zeal　of　a　convert；　upheld　now　the　standard　of　moral　purity　with　an　inflexibility　surpassing；　if　that　were　possible；　Albert's　own。　She　blushed　to　think　how　she　had　once　believedhow　she　had　once　actually　told　HIMthat　one　might　be　too　strict　and　particular　in　such　matters；　and　that　one　ought　to　be　indulgent　towards　other　people's　dreadful　sins。　But　she　was　no　longer　Lord　M's　pupil：　she　was　Albert's　wife。　She　was　morethe　embodiment；　the　living　apex　of　a　new　era　in　the　generations　of　mankind。　The　last　vestige　of　the　eighteenth　century　had　disappeared；　cynicism　and　subtlety　were　shrivelled　into　powder；　and　duty；　industry；　morality；　and　domesticity　triumphed　over　them。　Even　the　very　chairs　and　tables　had　assumed；　with　a　singular　responsiveness；　the　forms　of　prim　solidity。　The　Victorian　Age　was　in　full　swing。
  VII
  Only　one　thing　more　was　needed：　material　expression　must　be　given　to　the　new　ideals　and　the　new　forces　so　that　they　might　stand　revealed；　in　visible　glory；　before　the　eyes　of　an　astonished　world。　It　was　for　Albert　to　supply　this　want。　He　mused；　and　was　inspired：　the　Great　Exhibition　came　into　his　head。
  Without　consulting　anyone；　he　thought　out　the　details　of　his　conception　with　the　minutest　care。　There　had　been　exhibitions　before　in　the　world；　but　this　should　surpass　them　all。　It　should　contain　specimens　of　what　every　country　could　produce　in　raw　materials；　in　machinery　and　mechanical　inventions；　in　manufactures；　and　in　the　applied　and　plastic　arts。　It　should　not　be　merely　useful　and　ornamental；　it　should　teach　a　high　moral　lesson。　It　should　be　an　international　monument　to　those　supreme　blessings　of　civilisationpeace；　progress；　and　prosperity。　For　some　time　past　the　Prince　had　been　devoting　much　of　his　attention　to　the　problems　of　commerce　and　industry。　He　had　a　taste　for　machinery　of　every　kind；　and　his　sharp　eye　had　more　than　once　detected；　with　the　precision　of　an　expert；　a　missing　cog…wheel　in　some　vast　and　complicated　engine。　A　visit　to　Liverpool；　where　he　opened　the　Albert　Dock；　impressed　upon　his　mind　the　immensity　of　modern　industrial　forces；　though　in　a　letter　to　Victoria　describing　his　experiences；　he　was　careful　to　retain　his　customary　lightness　of　touch。　〃As　I　write；〃　he　playfully　remarked；　〃you　will　be　making　your　evening　toilette；　and　not　be　ready　in　time　for　dinner。　I　must　set　about　the　same　task；　and　not；　let　me　hope；　with　the　same　result。。。　The　loyalty　and　enthusiasm　of　the　inhabitants　are　great；　but　the　heat　is　greater　still。　I　am　satisfied　that　if　the　population　of　Liverpool　had　been　weighed　this　morning；　and　were　to　be　weighed　again　now；　they　would　be　found　many　degrees　lighter。　The　docks　are　wonderful；　and　the　mass　of　shipping　incredible。　In　art　and　science　he　had　been　deeply　interested　since　boyhood；　his　reform　of　the　household　had　put　his　talent　for　organisation　beyond　a　doubt；　and　thus　from　every　point　of　view　the　Prince　was　well　qualified　for　his　task。　Having　matured　his　plans；　he　summoned　a　small　committee　and　laid　an　outline　of　his　scheme　before　it。　The　committee　approved；　and　the　great　undertaking　was　set　on　foot　without　delay。
  Two　years；　however；　passed　before　it　was　completed。　For　two　years　the　Prince　laboured　with　extraordinary　and　incessant　energy。　At　first　all　went　smoothly。　The　leading　manufacturers　warmly　took　up　the　idea；　the　colonies　and　the　East　India　Company　were　sympathetic；　the　great　foreign　nations　were　eager　to　send　in　their　contributions；　the　powerful　support　of　Sir　Robert　Peel　was　obtained；　and　the　use　of　a　site　in　Hyde　Park；　selected　by　the　Prince；　was　sanctioned　by　the　Government。　Out　of　234　plans　for　the　exhibition　building；　the　Prince　chose　that　of　Joseph　Paxton；　famous　as　a　designer　of　gigantic　conservatories；　and　the　work　was　on　the　point　of　being　put　in　hand　when　a　series　of　unexpected　difficulties　arose。　Opposition　to　the　whole　scheme；　which　had　long　been　smouldering　in　various　quarters；　suddenly　burst　forth。　There　was　an　outcry；　headed　by　The　Times；　against　the　use　of　the　park　for　the　exhibition；　for　a　moment　it　seemed　as　if　the　building　would　be　relegated　to　a　suburb；　but；　after　a　fierce　debate　in　the　House；　the　supporters　of　the　site　in　the　Park　won　the　day。　Then　it　appeared　that　the　project　lacked　a　sufficient　financial　backing；　but　this　obstacle；　too；　was　surmounted；　and　eventually　L200；000　was　subscribed　as　a　guarantee　fund。　The　enormous　glass　edifice　rose　higher　and　higher；　covering　acres　and　enclosing　towering　elm　trees　beneath　its　roof：　and　then　the　fury　of　its　enemies　reached　a　climax。　The　fashionable；　the　cautious；　the　Protectionists；　the　pious；　all　joined　in　the　hue　and　cry。　It　was　pointed　out　that　the　Exhibition　would　serve　as　a　rallying　point　for　all　the　ruffians　in　England；　for　all　the　malcontents　in　Europe；　and　that　on　the　day　of　its　opening　there　would　certainly　be　a　riot　and　probably　a　revolution。　It　was　asserted　that　the　glass　roof　was　porous；　and　that　the　droppings　of　fifty　million　sparrows　would　utterly　destroy　every　object　beneath　it。　Agitated　nonconformists　declared　that　the　Exhibition　was　an　arrogant　and　wicked　enterprise　which　would　infallibly　bring　down　God's　punishment　upon　the　nation。　Colonel　Sibthorpe；　in　the　debate　on　the　Address；　prayed　that　hail　and　l