QUEEN VICTORIA'S LETTER.

when the silence was broken by the king, who asked in a pleasant Yoice " If we had seen him ? " To this inquiry we were enabled, without any deviation from the truth, to reply that we certainly had. After this preliminary we were each of us introduced by name to the king, who caused a good deal of amusement to all present by his attempts to repeat the outlandish words by which Mr. Mackay designated us. I was always subsequently called " Doctor! " by the king, a word which he could easily remember.

After a good many questions the Queen's letter, of which we were the honoured bearers, was presented and read to the king. He was much pleased with it, and said that he was very anxious to remain friends with our Queen, adding the extraordinary remark that Her Majesty and himself were the only monarchs in the world worth the slightest consideration. To this, of course, we listened with all due gravity, and then read to him the letter from the Church Missionary Society. He listened to this with evident interest, and stated that it gave him the liveliest satisfaction to find that people were willing to come so far for a sight of his gracious person — a sight, however, which he considered worth any sacrifice and trouble. He seemed anxious to know the state of public opinion in Earope with regard to himself and his realm ; and inquired if much talk about his