He established model farms at Osborne and
Windsor, introduced different and better breeds of cattle, and even
made a profit on the undertaking. He persuaded his wife to give up
the late hours which were still usual, and gradually, by kindness
and sympathy, won the household staff over to his way of thinking.
The Prince's life was an extremely full one. Soon after six o'clock
was his time for rising. Until nine he read and answered letters.
He then looked through all the principal newspapers and gave the
Queen a summary of the most important news. He found time also to
work and play with his children during his short intervals of leisure.
Consultations with ministers, reading and writing dispatches
followed, and then a short time was devoted to open-air exercise.
After lunch he often accompanied the Queen on a drive. More reading
and writing took up his time until dinner, after which there was
either a social evening or a visit to a theatre. He was "complete
master in his house, and the active centre of an Empire whose power
extends to every quarter of the globe. . . . No British Cabinet
minister has ever worked so hard during the session of Parliament,
and that is saying a good deal, as the Prince Consort did for 21
years. . . . The Prince had no holidays at all, he was always in
harness."[1]
[Footnote 1: Miss C.M. Yonge, _Life of H.R.H. the Prince Consort_.]
Louis Philippe, the first French king who had ever visited this
country, except King John, wrote of him: "Oh, he will do wonders;
he is so wise; he is not in a hurry; he gains so much by being known.
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