LIFE AT FRIEDRICHSHOF
For many interesting details and anecdotes in the following chapter, we
are indebted to a valuable pamphlet entitled, "Reminiscences of Victoria
Empress Frederick," by Professor G. A. Leinhaas, her honorary librarian.
During the building of Friedrichshof the Empress took up her residence
at Homburg and drove over every day, being on the friendliest terms, not
only with the architect and builder, but also with the masons and the
other workmen. One might say that she watched the laying of nearly every
stone, and she must have felt sorry when the work was done. Still, there
was plenty of occupation left for her, when the building was finished,
in superintending the furnishing and other arrangements. At this time
she showed not the least sign of failing health or strength--indeed, for
her age she was remarkably strong and even robust.
There is no need to enlarge upon the details of the drawing-rooms and
other apartments of the castle, but some of the pictures and sculpture
were of particular interest. For instance, there were many curious
portraits of members of the House of Hanover; a sketch, by Titian, of
the Emperor Charles V of Germany; a fine portrait of Frederick the
Great; and many busts and statues of the Empress's relatives, including
a beautiful marble bust of her son, little Prince Waldemar.
The fireplace in the library deserves mention, being of Istrian stone in
the Venetian style--indeed, all through the castle the fireplaces were
of remarkable artistic beauty. Thus, that in the great dining-room was
of marble supported on columns, and surmounted by a bust of the Emperor
Frederick.
In the library was placed a replica of the altarpiece in Cologne
Cathedral, representing the Adorations of the Magi. The bookcases,
running nearly all round the room, contained the Empress's collection of
some thirty years. One case was devoted entirely to books dedicated to
her, and the authors of many of them had been admitted to her personal
friendship. Another section contained all the books written on the
subject of the English Royal family, and many of these were gifts with
inscriptions in Queen Victoria's large, clear handwriting.
Every book in the library had been examined by the Empress, and many of
them had been read and re-read. This was notably the case in the section
devoted to political economy, a subject in which she was intensely
interested. Here were to be seen all the works of Jeremy Bentham, a gift
from Dean Stanley; here, too, were kept the Empress's marvellous
collection of autographs, begun when she was twelve years old, and
containing the handwriting, not only of practically all the Royal
personages of Europe, but also of statesmen, artists, and literary and
scientific men, who had all made their mark in their several callings.
The Empress was indeed a collector. Her possessions afforded her intense
pleasure; to use her own expressive phrase: "One loves one's own things
so much; one strokes them with one's eyes."
There was arranged in glass cases her collection of coins and medals,
which contained some particularly fine and rare examples from the
Brandenburg-Prussian, English, French, and Vatican mints. One case was
devoted to a numismatic portrait-gallery of her own relations.
Her collection of photographs, each properly titled, took up 300
portfolios. When going over these the Empress would wax enthusiastic
over the views of the places where she had herself stayed, particularly
those in Italy, such as Rapallo, S. Margherita, Baveno, and Portofino. A
favourite city of hers was Triest, of which she seemed to know every
stock and stone.
In the library, too, there was much to recall the Emperor Frederick.
Every word that her husband had ever written, however trivial, the
Empress carefully preserved. All his marginal notes were treated with
fixative, and one of her chief cares when sending any books to
institutions was to make sure that there was nothing written in her
husband's own hand in them.
[Illustration: THE LATE EMPRESS FREDERICK]
The Empress was fond of collecting curiosities,--bits of old oak, old
sculpture, and silver--and she amused herself from time to time in
bargaining for these things in cottages and dealers' shops. Nor was she
superior to the familiar pride of the collector in displaying her
treasures afterwards and explaining what bargains she had secured. The
Empress, especially as a young woman, did not care very much for
reading, though she was fond of being read aloud to, as are most Royal
personages. She was, however, passionately interested in books, and it
is recorded that in her tenth year she spent all her pocket-money on
them. As she grew older, she read more, but she read in order to
instruct herself rather than for pleasure. As a matter of course she
always read all those books published in her native country which made
any stir, whether they were memoirs, books of exploration, essays, or
novels.
At half-past ten every morning (Sundays excepted) the Empress went into
her library to work. She was an extremely rapid reader, and if her
intellectual interests--science, theology, philosophy, history,
literature, archæology, art, economics, hygiene--may have seemed too
discursive there is abundant evidence to acquit her of dilettanteism.
She possessed in all these different branches a solid foundation of
knowledge, which enabled her to understand and appreciate the
discussions of experts. Like her brother, King Edward, she possessed in
a high degree the truly Royal gift of assimilating knowledge from
conversation, and she had been so well "grounded," so to speak, that
whenever she talked with a specialist in any subject she knew just what
questions to ask.
When reading a book, the Empress almost always made notes in the margin.
This is interesting as showing how restlessly alive, and in a sense
over-stimulated, her brain must always have been. It is perhaps a
fortunate thing during her long illness, for even then she never felt
any wish to be idle, or to sit alone and think of herself.
In the grounds of Friedrichshof her Majesty was able to indulge to the
full her love of gardening. Not only did she know the Latin names of
every plant and flower, but she was a really practical gardener, able to
design landscape schemes.
The rosery, for instance, was her creation. About half an acre in
extent, it resembled the rosery at Birkhall, on the Balmoral estate. It
sloped gently upwards, divided into numerous little terraces, bearing
double rows of half-standard roses, and it was bounded partly by a
creeper-clad wall, and partly by trelliswork over which roses were
trained. In the flower-beds of her ordinary garden her Majesty showed
her strong preference for old-fashioned English flowers--indeed,
throughout she evidently aimed at reproducing the mingled beauty and
repose so characteristic of English gardens. All kinds of trees, too,
she planted, and many have the added interest of an iron tablet
recording that it was planted by some Royal or distinguished visitor.
The Empress certainly had no lack of occupation and interest at
Cronberg. She had always been fascinated by restoration and excavation
work, and fortunately Cronberg possessed both an old castle and an old
church, which she eagerly set herself to preserve for future
generations. At the old Burg she found many ancient remains, such as
arrowheads, keys, &c., and, most important of all, several Gothic iron
"Ofenplatten." She was interested in every detail. Once she spent a long
time hunting for a passage-way which she knew must be there because of
the "pechnaze," or slit in the wall through which boiling lead used to
be poured in mediæval sieges. When out riding she always kept a keen
look-out for survivals of the past. Thus she was much interested in the
iron crosses to be found in the Taunus, and she proposed to draw all the
different kinds and publish a book about them.
To the restoration of Cronberg Church the Empress devoted an immense
amount of personal trouble. Two Ministers and some important officials
had to be approached before the order from the Cabinet was obtained
granting the necessary financial help. When it was at last issued, the
Empress herself brought it to Cronberg, and, arriving there in the
evening, carried it the first thing in the morning to the pastor. Hardly
a nail was put in the church without her knowledge. She studied and
re-studied for months the details of windows, doors, hinges, &c. Her
delight was great when under the whitewash she discovered some frescoes
of the fifteenth century.
A tablet was put up in the choir setting forth what the Empress had done
for the restoration of the church, but here the truly modest nature of
the woman showed itself. She had the tablet removed from the choir, and
refixed in a place high up where it is practically unseen.
It is pleasant to look back on these comparatively happy years at
Friedrichshof. The Empress as a rule dressed very simply in black. Her
only jewellery were two gold rings, one with a sapphire and two
diamonds, and the other a smooth ruby, while a miniature of the Emperor
Frederick hung round her neck. She was up early every morning. She liked
to see everything bright and gleaming in the Castle, and not a speck of
dust was allowed. At eight o'clock it was her habit to go out riding for
two hours. She was an excellent horsewoman and full of daring; even when
nearing sixty she still jumped difficult ditches and obstacles, and she
always rode young and spirited animals. Once she was pushed against a
wall by a frisky horse, and later she had the more serious accident
which some think brought about her final illness. But even in the worst
weather she never gave up her morning ride.
During her widowhood the Empress had at last the joy of knowing that she
was really loved and understood by her neighbours, both gentle and
simple. She was regarded at Cronberg much as Queen Victoria was regarded
in the neighbourhood of Balmoral. She made herself acquainted with
practically the whole population, not only with the poor, on whom she
was able to shower intelligent gifts and much practical good advice, but
also with that difficult intermediate class who, all the world over,
generally remain out of touch with the great house of the village.
People of this class dwelt in little châlets which began to spring up
over that healthy and beautiful neighbourhood, but even their thorny
pride was not proof against the Empress's friendliness, in which there
was never any touch of condescension or patronage. There were not a few
artists living in the neighbourhood, and with some of these the Empress
was on specially intimate terms. She was fond of dropping in and finding
them at work. The Empress was full of quaint conceits and ideas; thus,
when she was going to see an artist or anyone in whom she took a special
interest, she liked to choose his birthday for the visit. Her energy was
extraordinary. One observer who saw a great deal of her in her widowhood
declares that she used to go upstairs and downstairs like a young girl,
and when she greeted the company assembled at table every compulsion of
etiquette seemed to be instantly removed.
Naturally Cronberg benefited by her great knowledge of hygiene. To the
elaborately equipped hospital which she founded there, she gave the most
punctilious care. She often cut her roses herself and took them to the
sick. The Empress also built a poorhouse, a Victoria school, and a
library for the people, and she arranged the Victoria and Kaiser
Friedrich public park. She hated leaving Cronberg every autumn: "The
departure is dreadful to me," she said on one occasion: "when I am
travelling I feel like a mussel without its shell."
Professor Nippold, in his book on the first two German Emperors, has
drawn a very sympathetic and understanding picture of the Empress
Frederick.
She had, he says, a most cheerful temperament, and a rapid eye for the
humorous, in spite of so many terrible blows of fate. She always saw
everything from the good side and quickly forgave people their faults;
no one was allowed to speak ill of anyone in her presence. She was often
misunderstood and unjustly accused, and when she saw things written
against her in the papers she was terribly wounded. For instance, it was
said that she had prevented the building of a tower on the "Altkönig"
for the public to enjoy the view, but the fact was that she had never
heard anything about the proposal. Sometimes she could hardly be
restrained from answering some of these base accusations. She was also
accused of parsimony, and her income was enormously exaggerated. The
claims on her purse were innumerable. She had forty-two philanthropic
institutions which she had to help, and in one year there were
thirty-seven bazaars, to each of which she had to send gifts. Altogether
her expenses were enormously heavy.
When the Empress is blamed for being a thorough Englishwoman, let it be
said at once, exclaims Professor Nippold, that everything good and
praiseworthy in England she tried to introduce into her own adopted
country. She was always vexed and pained when things were said against
England, more especially in the case of England's colonies. "The
English," she would say, "arrange everything in the Colonies most
beautifully,--roads, railways, post, telegraphs, hospitals, schools, and
police, and then everyone, to whichever nation he belongs, can trade
undisturbed. And I cannot think that for that England should be thanked
in such an evil way!" Many people regarded it as an injustice to Germany
that she should have had such warm sympathies with England. She was
through and through an Englishwoman, if not by descent, yet by every
impression received in childhood and by education.
The professor goes on to express the opinion that no Englishman or
Englishwoman, of whatever age, ever gives up his or her nationality and
love of country, in whatever circumstances they may find themselves, "a
contrast to so many Germans, who are far less faithful to their
nationality. The Empress Frederick, as eldest child of Queen Victoria of
England, had the title of Princess Royal, and she could not help feeling
herself the first princess of a wonderful Empire of very old culture,
and this proud feeling never left her."
This estimate and defence of the Empress is particularly valuable as
coming from a man of shrewd intelligence and observation, who was
himself a German.
On another occasion Nippold wrote of the Empress with clear insight:
"One thing this distinguished woman never understood--to hide her
feelings. She never posed; everything was sincere in her in the true
sense of the word."
In her will the Empress left Professor Nippold a letter-weight, which
she had used every day, as a souvenir of a conversation they had had one
evening in her study. This letter-weight, which always lay on her table,
was composed of an old Roman bronze--a broken Sphinx figure--on a marble
slab. A ring bound this figure to the slab, and the inscription engraved
was: "This stone was picked up by H.R.H. Princess Elizabeth on the walk
of Frogmore, 1808."
Professor Nippold goes on to say that while the Empress was talking to
him one evening a telegram arrived which obviously had to do with the
crisis which led to the Greco-Turkish War. As Nippold saw that she was
much preoccupied with the telegram and had to think of the answer, and
yet did not want to send him away, he delicately asked to be allowed to
wait and look at the pictures. When the Empress resumed the
conversation, the professor asked about a picture which hung in the
study. She named the different figures in the group, among them being
that young Princess Elizabeth who had found the stone.
That she should have left Nippold the letter-weight showed, as he truly
says, the wonderful memory and kindly attention in which consists _la
politesse des Princes_.
The Princess Elizabeth married one of the last Counts of Hesse-Homburg.
Since then a monument to that Royal house has been erected in Homburg,
and in the Emperor's speech at the unveiling on August 17, 1906,
occurred these words: "I commemorate the Landgräfin Elizabeth, a
daughter of George III of England. She was a real mother to this country
and worked and cared for her adopted fatherland. The Homburgers to this
day think of her with real thankfulness and reverence."
Professor Nippold gives a characteristic letter which he received from
the Empress, evidently on the subject of those historical studies of
the House of Hohenzollern to which, as we have already mentioned, the
Emperor Frederick at one time devoted himself with ardour. The letter is
so interesting, especially in the views which it expresses on the
subject of royal biography, that to quote it in full needs no apology:
"DEAR PROFESSOR,--Many thanks for sending the separate pages from
the _Deutsche Revue_ of February, and for your excellent report,
which has so much in it that does my heart good. You mean well and
truly, not only as regards history, but also with the noble men who
now lie in their graves, and whose deeds and influence should be
properly appreciated in wide circles and through the proper medium.
"The work grows, however, even as you work upon it; the subject
becomes more and more important, and one should ask oneself whether
the time has come thus to lift the veil. Would it not be wiser and
more cautious to close these papers for the _Revue_, and then to
continue your labours, so that later a book could appear for which
we could utilise this material, but not lightly or too soon? The
letter of which you send me a copy--from our Kaiser Friedrich
Wilhelm IV--should not, for instance, appear without the letter
from my father, but that would arouse a fearful storm of
discussion. In the political world there is so much tinder ready
that one must do all one can to avoid bringing in anything
exciting.
"As long as Bismarck is alive, it is very difficult! Also these
things affect my mother, so that I should like very much to have a
serious talk with you before the publication continues in the
_Deutsche Revue_. Professor Ranke has handled the life of Friedrich
Wilhelm IV as the Court here wished it to be treated. Similar books
have now appeared, with authorisation, with regard to the Kaiser
Wilhelm, and in Weimar, I believe, someone is writing a book on the
Kaiserin Augusta. All these writers, however, are strictly
conservative and orthodox in religion (therefore one-sided), and of
all those currents which flowed into the lives of the dead, no word
is spoken, in the sense that I mean. It is impossible thus to omit
and yet give the public a true picture of the persons, of their
time, and of the parts they played. You will see for yourself the
consequences of such publication. You have more experience than I,
and perhaps you can reassure me."