. . . Inform their minds, refine their habits, and you form
and refine their designs; but keep them illiterate, uncomfortable,
and in the midst of unbeautiful things, and whatever they do will
still be spurious, vulgar, and valueless."
At the time, however, the Exhibition proved a great success, and the
Duke of Coburg carried most favourable impressions away with him.
He says: "The Queen and her husband were at the zenith of their
fame. . . . Prince Albert was not satisfied to guide the whole affair
only from above; he was, in the fullest sense of the word, the soul
of everything. Even his bitterest enemies, with unusual unreserve,
acknowledged the completeness of the execution of the scheme."
So far from there being a loss upon the undertaking there was actually
half a million of profit. The proceeds were devoted to securing
ground at South Kensington upon which a great National Institute
might be built. This undertaking (the purchase of the ground) was
not carried through without great difficulty and anxiety. The
Queen's sympathy and encouragement were, as always, of the greatest
help to her husband, and he quoted a verse from a German song, to
illustrate how much he felt and appreciated it:
When man has well nigh lost his hope in life,
Upwards in trust and love still looks the wife,
Towards the starry world all bright with cheer,
Faint not nor fear, thus speaks her shining tear.
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