who were most concerned in the relations of the couple, that, to give time
for matters to settle down, for the young Queen to know her own mind--above
all, to dissipate the premature rumour of a formal engagement between the
cousins which had taken persistent hold of the public mind ever since the
visit of the Saxe-Coburg princes to Kensington Palace in the previous year,
Prince Albert should travel for several months. Accordingly, he set out, in
company with his brother, to make an enjoyable tour, on foot, through
Switzerland and the north of Italy. To a nature like his, such an
experience was full of keen delight; but in the midst of his intoxication
he never forgot his cousin. The correspondence between them had been
suffered to drop, but that she continued present to his thoughts was
sufficiently indicated by the souvenirs he collected specially for her: the
views of the scenes he visited, the _Alpenrosen_ he gathered for her
in its native home, Voltaire's autograph.

The Queen left Kensington, within a month of her uncle's death, we do not
need to be told "greatly to the regret of the inhabitants." She went on the
13th of July to take up her residence at Buckingham Palace. "Shortly after
one o'clock an escort of Lancers took up a position on the Palace Green,
long previous to which an immense concourse of respectable persons had
thronged the avenue and every open space near the Palace." About half-past
one an open carriage drawn by four greys, preceded by two outriders, and
followed by an open barouche, drawn by four bays, drove up from her
Majesty's mews, Pimlico, and stopped before the grand entrance to the
Duchess of Kent's apartments. The Queen, accompanied by the Duchess of
Kent and Baroness Lehzen, almost immediately got into the first carriage.
There was a tumult of cheering, frankly acknowledged. It is said the young
Queen looked "pale and a little sad" at the parting moment. Then with a
dash the carriages vanished in a cloud of July dust, and the familiar
Palace Green, with its spreading trees and the red chimneys beyond--the