Queen Victoria's Father

The Düke of Kent was the fourth son of thiit narrow, bigoted, and stub borQ monarch, Georgo III., and was born in 1767. His great failing wae a fatal faoility oí fallíng into debt and the more ho was allowod for his support the deeper he ran into dabt. ïhis made hirn odious in the sigbt of his father. He was a brave and firm offieer, and in 1794 receivod the thanks of the British House of Commons und of the Irish Parliament tor his gallant oonduct and meritorious service at the capture of G-audiilonpo. At the end of his eampaign in the West Indies he went to Canada, as cominander-in-chiei of the forces iu British America. In 1852 he was appointed Governor of Gibraltar, and by his energy and firmness suooeedod in suppressiny; a very formidable mutiny in the garrison. He then returned to England, and remained there in retireuient uatil his debts had so increased thst he found it necessary to seok seclusion on the continent, taking up his residence in Brussels. This was ia 1816. In 1818 he ,narried at Coburg the Princesa Leiningen, a widow, who was ns poor as himself. They made out to live pretty happily in a very humble ntyle at Amoibach, the pretty capital of tbe small Principality of Leiningen. In due course of time it be 'ame evident that tho Duchessof Kent was pregnant, and the Duke regarded it as of the first importanoe that the chüd 6hould be born in England. But tho united resources of the paronts were not sufficient to meot the expenses of crossing the channel. Not a rnember of the Royal family, when applied to, would aid them. and it was only by the contribution of a few obscure and ' untitled friends of the Duke oi Kent in London that the money was raised. The impoverished couple reached KeDsington Palaco but n few days before thuir danghter Victoria - the. present sovorcign of Great Britain- was born, May 24, 1819. They returned to Arnorbach within a few months, and there, in January, 1820, tho Duke died of inflammation of the lungs. In politics the Duke was Kteady on the liberal 6de, and to this fact the hoBtility of his father and brothers is attribüted, rather than to his improvidiuice. Such being the history of hur a cestor, it is but natural that the Queen should desire that her oldest son should visit some of' the scènes of her fathers exi!e. The treat ment he receivad seoms to separate him ft-om the ignoble raca of the " four Georges."