queen victoria-第39部分

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s　at　last　to　be　put　in　hand；　when　there　was　a　change　of　Government　and　Lord　Palmerston　became　Prime　Minister。　Lord　Palmerston　at　once　sent　for　Mr。　Scott。　〃Well；　Mr。　Scott；〃　he　said；　in　his　jaunty　way；　〃I　can't　have　anything　to　do　with　this　Gothic　style。　I　must　insist　on　your　making　a　design　in　the　Italian　manner；　which　I　am　sure　you　can　do　very　cleverly。〃　Mr。　Scott　was　appalled；　the　style　of　the　Italian　renaissance　was　not　only　unsightly；　it　was　positively　immoral；　and　he　sternly　refused　to　have　anything　to　do　with　it。　Thereupon　Lord　Palmerston　assumed　a　fatherly　tone。　〃Quite　true；　a　Gothic　architect　can't　be　expected　to　put　up　a　Classical　building；　I　must　find　someone　else。〃　This　was　intolerable；　and　Mr。　Scott；　on　his　return　home；　addressed　to　the　Prime　Minister　a　strongly…worded　letter；　in　which　he　dwelt　upon　his　position　as　an　architect；　upon　his　having　won　two　European　competitions；　his　being　an　A。R。A。；　a　gold　medallist　of　the　Institute；　and　a　lecturer　on　architecture　at　the　Royal　Academy；　but　it　was　uselessLord　Palmerston　did　not　even　reply。　It　then　occurred　to　Mr。　Scott　that；　by　a　judicious　mixture；　he　might；　while　preserving　the　essential　character　of　the　Gothic；　produce　a　design　which　would　give　a　superficial　impression　of　the　Classical　style。　He　did　so；　but　no　effect　was　produced　upon　Lord　Palmerston。　The　new　design；　he　said；　was　〃neither　one　thing　nor　'tothera　regular　mongrel　affairand　he　would　have　nothing　to　do　with　it　either。〃　After　that　Mr。　Scott　found　it　necessary　to　recruit　for　two　months　at　Scarborough；　〃with　a　course　of　quinine。〃　He　recovered　his　tone　at　last；　but　only　at　the　cost　of　his　convictions。　For　the　sake　of　his　family　he　felt　that　it　was　his　unfortunate　duty　to　obey　the　Prime　Minister；　and；　shuddering　with　horror；　he　constructed　the　Government　offices　in　a　strictly　Renaissance　style。

Shortly　afterwards　Mr。　Scott　found　some　consolation　in　building　the　St。　Pancras　Hotel　in　a　style　of　his　own。

And　now　another　and　yet　more　satisfactory　task　was　his。　〃My　idea　in　designing　the　Memorial；〃　he　wrote；　〃was　to　erect　a　kind　of　ciborium　to　protect　a　statue　of　the　Prince；　and　its　special　characteristic　was　that　the　ciborium　was　designed　in　some　degree　on　the　principles　of　the　ancient　shrines。　These　shrines　were　models　of　imaginary　buildings；　such　as　had　never　in　reality　been　erected；　and　my　idea　was　to　realise　one　of　these　imaginary　structures　with　its　precious　materials；　its　inlaying；　its　enamels；　etc。　etc。〃　His　idea　was　particularly　appropriate　since　it　chanced　that　a　similar　conception；　though　in　the　reverse　order　of　magnitude；　had　occurred　to　the　Prince　himself；　who　had　designed　and　executed　several　silver　cruet…stands　upon　the　same　model。　At　the　Queen's　request　a　site　was　chosen　in　Kensington　Gardens　as　near　as　possible　to　that　of　the　Great　Exhibition；　and　in　May；　1864；　the　first　sod　was　turned。　The　work　was　long；　complicated；　and　difficult；　a　great　number　of　workmen　were　employed；　besides　several　subsidiary　sculptors　and　metalworkers　under　Mr。　Scott's　direction；　while　at　every　stage　sketches　and　models　were　submitted　to　Her　Majesty；　who　criticised　all　the　details　with　minute　care；　and　constantly　suggested　improvements。　The　frieze；　which　encircled　the　base　of　the　monument；　was　in　itself　a　very　serious　piece　of　work。　〃This；〃　said　Mr。　Scott；　〃taken　as　a　whole；　is　perhaps　one　of　the　most　laborious　works　of　sculpture　ever　undertaken；　consisting；　as　it　does；　of　a　continuous　range　of　figure…sculpture　of　the　most　elaborate　description；　in　the　highest　alto…relievo　of　life…size；　of　more　than　200　feet　in　length；　containing　about　170　figures；　and　executed　in　the　hardest　marble　which　could　be　procured。〃　After　three　years　of　toil　the　memorial　was　still　far　from　completion；　and　Mr。　Scott　thought　it　advisable　to　give　a　dinner　to　the　workmen；　〃as　a　substantial　recognition　of　his　appreciation　of　their　skill　and　energy。〃　〃Two　long　tables；〃　we　are　told；　〃constructed　of　scaffold　planks；　were　arranged　in　the　workshops；　and　covered　with　newspapers；　for　want　of　table…cloths。　Upwards　of　eighty　men　sat　down。　Beef　and　mutton；　plum　pudding　and　cheese　were　supplied　in　abundance；　and　each　man　who　desired　it　had　three　pints　of　beer；　gingerbeer　and　lemonade　being　provided　for　the　teetotalers；　who　formed　a　very　considerable　proportion。。。　Several　toasts　were　given　and　many　of　the　workmen　spoke；　almost　all　of　them　commencing　by　〃Thanking　God　that　they　enjoyed　good　health；〃　some　alluded　to　the　temperance　that　prevailed　amongst　them；　others　observed　how　little　swearing　was　ever　heard；　whilst　all　said　how　pleased　and　proud　they　were　to　be　engaged　on　so　great　a　work。〃

Gradually　the　edifice　approached　completion。　The　one　hundred　and　seventieth　life…size　figure　in　the　frieze　was　chiselled；　the　granite　pillars　arose；　the　mosaics　were　inserted　in　the　allegorical　pediments；　the　four　colossal　statues　representing　the　greater　Christian　virtues；　the　four　other　colossal　statues　representing　the　greater　moral　virtues；　were　hoisted　into　their　positions；　the　eight　bronzes　representing　the　greater　sciencesAstronomy；　Chemistry；　Geology；　Geometry；　Rhetoric；　Medicine；　Philosophy；　and　Physiologywere　fixed　on　their　glittering　pinnacles；　high　in　air。　The　statue　of　Physiology　was　particularly　admired。　〃On　her　left　arm；〃　the　official　description　informs　us；　〃she　bears　a　new…born　infant；　as　a　representation　of　the　development　of　the　highest　and　most　perfect　of　physiological　forms；　her　hand　points　towards　a　microscope；　the　instrument　which　lends　its　assistance　for　the　investigation　of　the　minuter　forms　of　animal　and　vegetable　organisms。〃　At　last　the　gilded　cross　crowned　the　dwindling　galaxies　of　superimposed　angels；　the　four　continents　in　white　marble　stood　at　the　four　corners　of　the　base；　and；　seven　years　after　its　inception；　in　July；　1872；　the　monument　was　thrown　open　to　the　public。

But　four　more　years　were　to　elapse　before　the　central　figure　was　ready　to　be　placed　under　its　starry　canopy。　It　was　designed　by　Mr。　Foley；　though　in　one　particular　the　sculptor's　freedom　was　restricted　by　Mr。　Scott。　〃I　have　chosen　the　sitting　posture；〃　Mr。　Scott　said；　〃as　best　conveying　the　idea　of　dignity　befitting　a　royal　personage。〃　Mr。　Foley　ably　carried　out　the　conception　of　his　principal。　〃In　the　attitude　and　expression；〃　he　said；　〃the　aim　has　been；　with　the　individuality　of　portraiture；　to　embody　rank；　character；　and　enlightenment；　and　to　convey　a　sense　of　that　responsive　intelligence　indicating　an　active；　rather　than　a　passive；　interest　in　those　pursuits　of　civilisation　illustrated　in　the　surrounding　figures；　groups；　and　relievos。。。　To　identify　the　figure　with　one　of　the　most　memorable　undertakings　of　the　public　life　of　the　Princethe　International　Exhibition　of　1851a　catalogue　of　the　works　collected　in　that　first　gathering　of　the　industry　of　all　nations；　is　placed　in　the　right　hand。〃　The　statue　was　of　bronze　gilt　and　weighed　nearly　ten　tons。　It　was　rightly　supposed　that　the　simple　word　〃Albert；〃　cast　on　the　base；　would　be　a　sufficient　means　of　identification。



CHAPTER　VIII。　GLADSTONE　AND　LORD　BEACONSFIELD

I

Lord　Palmerston's　laugha　queer　metallic　〃Ha！　ha！　ha！〃　with　reverberations　in　it　from　the　days　of　Pitt　and　the　Congress　of　Viennawas　heard　no　more　in　Piccadilly；　Lord　John　Russell　dwindled　into　senility；　Lord　Derby　tottered　from　the　stage。　A　new　scene　opened；　and　new　protagonistsMr。　Gladstone　and　Mr。　Disraelistruggled　together　in　the　limelight。　Victoria；　from　her　post　of　vantage；　watched　these　developments　with　that　passionate　and　personal　interest　which　she　invariably　imported　into　politics。　Her　prepossessions　were　of　an　unexpected　kind。　Mr。　Gladstone　had　been　the　disciple　of　her　revered　Peel；　and　had　won　the　approval　of　Albert；　Mr。　Disraeli　had　hounded　Sir　Robert　to　his　fall　with　hideous　virulence；　and　the　Prince　had　pronounced　that　he　〃had　not　one　single　element　of　a　gentleman　in　his　composition。〃　Yet　she　regarded　Mr。　Gladstone　with　a　distrust　and　dislike　which　steadily　deepened；　while　upon　his　rival　she　lavished　an　abundance　of　confidence；　esteem；　and　affection　such　as　Lord　Melbourne　himself　had　hardly　known。

Her　attitude　towards　the　Tory　Minister　had　suddenly　changed　when　she　found　that　he　alone　among　public　men　had　divined　her　feelings　at　Albert's　death。　Of　the　others　she　might　have　said　〃they　pity　me　and　not　my　grief；〃　but　Mr。　Disraeli　had　understood；　and　all　his　condolences　had　taken　the　form　of　reverential　eulogies　of　the　departed。　The　Queen　declared　that　he　was　〃the　only　person　who　appreciated　the　Prince。〃　She　began　to　show　him　special　favour；　gave　him　and　his　wife　two　of　the　coveted　seats　in　St。　George's　Chapel　at　the　Prince　of　Wales's　wedding；　and　invited　him　to　stay　a　night　at　Windsor。　When　the　grant　for　the　Albert　Memorial　came　before　the　House　of　Commons；　Disraeli；　as　leader　of　the　Opposition；　eloquently　supported　the　project。　He　was　rewarded　by　a　copy　of　the　Prince's　speeches；　bound　in　white　morocco；　with　an　inscription　in　the　royal　hand。　In　his　letter　of　thanks　he　〃ventured　to　touch　upon　a　sacred　theme；〃　and；　in　a　strain　which　re…echoed　with　masterly　fidelity　the　sentiments　of　his　correspondent；　dwelt　at　length　upon　the　absolute　perfection　of　Albert。　〃The　Prince；〃　he　said；　〃is　the　only　person　whom　Mr。　Disraeli　has　ever　known　who　realised　the　Ideal。　None　with　whom　he　is　acquainted　have　ever　approached　it。　There　was　in　him　a　union　of　the　manly　grace　and　sublime　simplicity；　of　chivalry　with　the　intellectual　splendour　of　the　Attic　Academe。　The　only　character　in　English　history　that　would；　in　some　respects；　draw　near　to　him　is　Sir　Philip　Sidney：　the　same　high　tone；　the　same　universal　accomplishments；　the　same　blended　tenderness　and　vigour；　the　same　rare　combination　of　romantic　energy　and　classic　repose。〃　As　for　his　own　acquaintance　with　the　Prince；　it　had　been；　he　said；　〃one　of　the　most　satisfactory　incidents　of　his　life：　full　of　refined　and　beautiful　memories；　and　exercising；　as　he　hopes；　over　his　remaining　existence；　a　soothing　and　exalting　influence。〃　Victoria　was　much　affected　by　〃the　depth　and　delicacy　of　these　touches；〃　and　henceforward　Disraeli's　place　in　her　affections　was　assured。　When；　in　1866；　the　Conservatives　came　into　office；　Disraeli's　position　as　Chancellor　of　the　Exchequer　and　leader　of　the　House　necessarily　brought　him　into　a　closer　relat