DIGITISED MANUSCRIPTS

( Mu ) which she cultivated for the use and comfort of the poor. After her marriage her first. act was to found in Bedfordshire an asylum for the daughters of decayed gentlemen. With almost incredulous eyes society beheld the young Queen preferring simplicity to splendour, and domestic duties to a round of vanity and pleasure. Even her magnificent jewels had little fascination for her. ‘I thought at first,’ she said, ‘I should always choose to wear my jewels ; but from the fatigue and trouble of putting them on, the care they required, and my fear of losing them, after a fortnight’s time I longed again for my earlier dress, and wished never to see them any more.’ The greater portion of these jewels, on the succession of our Queen to the throne, passed to the representative of the male line of Hanover. The Queen had a taste for literature, and estab- lished a private printing-press in her palace, from which, however, only a couple of complete works were issued ; one being of a religious character, and the other a small volume of miscellaneous poems. When her Majesty was informed that she should get this press registered, ‘I shall do so,’ she said; ‘ but there is little fear, I think, of our being sent to Reading jail for printing libels.’ The Royal wedding and coronation were per- formed with equal splendour. The coach used