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HIS BIRTH AND EARLY CHILDHOOD.

MANY years ago a charming little boy was born in a pretty German country house called the Rosenau, about four miles from Coburg, the capital city of the State of Saxe-Coburg. This little boy, whose childhood, boyhood, and manhood we are going to hear about, was afterwards to make a great difference to England, for he became the husband of our own Queen Victoria, who at this time was a little baby just three months old. Little Albert had a brother only fourteen months older than himself, so that when they could run about they became con

stant playfellows, and the older they grew the more they loved each other. Ernest, the elder boy, was a lively child with bright black eyes; while Albert, who was gentle and winning in his ways, had fair curly hair and very blue eyes, and was every one's darling and pet. He would perhaps have been spoiled and become a cross, troublesome child, but his father and mother loved him too dearly to allow him to be spoiled, or he would not have grown up the good and great man he afterwards became.

His father and mother were the Duke and Duchess of Saxe-Coburg; they were much loved by all who knew them. The Duke's youngest sister, Victoria Marie Louise, had married the Duke of Kent, and was the mother of our Queen Victoria. So you see that Albert and Victoria were cousins.

Albert had a number of kind friends who took a great interest in him. Some of the letters they wrote about the little prince have been kept to show us that kings and queens, princes and dukes, take as much interest in their little sons and daughters as our Own fathers and mothers do. Very often they have not the same time to spend with their children

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