The death of Mr. John Brown, the Queen's personal servant,
has created some interest in society. He has for years been a conspicuous figure in the Royal Household, and at one time the most absurd stories of his influence with the Queen were greedily 'believed. The truth is, that he was a confidential servant, so trustworthy and devoted that theQueen treated him, as he deserved, as a humble friend,. and in particular relied more upon his vigilant watchful- ness than upon any police or guards. Kings value devotion like Mr. Brown's with a feeling compounded of true gratitude and of a master's kindness for a great dog, and naturally con- sider service to themselves service also to the State. In this light,. there is nothing unusual in the strong expressions with which her Majesty, in the Court Circular, records the "grievous shock" she has felt at the "irreparable loss" of "an honest, faith-- ful, and devoted follower ; a trustworthy, discreet, and straight- forward man," whose unceasing care in the performance of his- duties "had secured for himself the real friendship of the Queen." There is a ring of true and most creditable feeling in the whole official notice. Mr. Brown died of erysipelas, super- vening on a cold caught while inquiring, at the Queen's desire,. into the reported attack on Lady Florence Dixie.
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