During 1896 the Queen received an immense number of congratulatory
messages on entering upon the sixtieth year of her reign; and on 23d
September she exceeded the limit attained by any previous English
sovereign. Many proposals were made to publicly mark this happy event. One
scheme, supported by the Prince of Wales, had for its object the freeing
of certain London hospitals of debt; but at the Queen's personal request
the celebration of the Diamond Jubilee was reserved until the completion
of the sixtieth year of her reign in June 1897.
CHAPTER IX.
The Queen as an Artist and Author--In her Holiday Haunts--Side-lights on
the Queen--Norman Macleod--The Queen's appreciation of Tennyson, Dickens,
and Livingstone--Letter to Mr Peabody--The Queen's Drawing-room--Her pet
Animals--A Model Mistress--Mr Jeaffreson's Tribute--Baron Stockmar--A
golden Reign.
The Prince-Consort, as we have seen, was accomplished in music and
painting, and knew much about many subjects. The Queen is not only an
author, but an artist, and takes a great interest in art. To an exhibition
under the auspices of the Royal Anglo-Australian Society of Artists, the
Queen contributed five water-colour drawings, and a set of proof-etchings
by the Prince-Consort. The subjects were the Duke of Connaught at the age
of three; the princesses Alice and Victoria of Hesse (1875); portraits of
the Princess Royal, now Dowager Empress of Germany, and Prince Alfred.
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