not to be reminded of the fact first by me."

Their message delivered, the messengers returned to London, and the next
arrival was that of the Prime Minister, Lord Melbourne, who appeared at
nine o'clock, had an interview with the Queen, which lasted for half an
hour, when he also took his leave to issue summonses for a Privy Council,
to he held in the course of the next two hours at Kensington Palace, and
not at St. James's, as had been anticipated.

The little town of Kensington must now have been up and about, for,
perhaps, never had there been such a day in its annals, as far transcending
the birthday celebration as a great reality surpasses the brightest
promise; and Kensington might hug the day with all its might, for it was to
be nearly the last of its kingly, queenly experience. The temporary Court
was to pass away presently, never to come back. No more kings and queens
were likely to be born or to die at the quiet spot, soon to become a great
noisy suburb of great London. No later Sovereign would quit the red-brick
palace of Mary and Anne, and the First George, to reign at Buckingham or
Windsor; no other Council be held in the low-browed, white-pillared room to
dispute the interests of the unique Council which was to be held there this
day.

The first Council of any Sovereign must awaken many speculations, while the
bearing of the principal figure in the assumption of new powers and duties
is sure to be watched with critical curiosity; but in the case of Queen
Victoria the natural interest reached its utmost bounds. The public
imagination was impressed in the most lively manner by the strong contrast
between the tender youth and utter inexperience of the maiden Queen and the
weighty and serious functions she was about to assume--an anomaly best
indicated by the characteristic speech of Carlyle, that a girl at an age