seems to enjoy himself much in the floating castle, as it may be
termed in a wider sense than that of its appellation on the
register. The weather has been variable with a heavy roll from the
Atlantic at the points not sheltered; but the stormy North Sea has
on the whole behaved extremely well as regards its two besetting
liabilities to storm and fog.

_Ship __"__Pembroke Castle,__"__ Mouth of the Thames. Sept. 20,
1883._--Mr. Gladstone with his humble duty reports to your Majesty
his return this evening from Copenhagen to London. The passage was
very rapid, and the weather favourable. He had the honour, with
his wife and daughter and other companions of his voyage, to
receive an invitation to dine at Fredensborg on Monday. He found
there the entire circle of illustrious personages who have been
gathered for some time in a family party, with a very few
exceptions. The singularly domestic character of this remarkable
assemblage, and the affectionate intimacy which appeared to
pervade it, made an impression upon him not less deep than the
demeanour of all its members, which was so kindly and so simple,
that even the word condescending could hardly be applied to it.
Nor must Mr. Gladstone allow himself to omit another striking
feature of the remarkable picture, in the unrestrained and
unbounded happiness of the royal children, nineteen in number, who
appeared like a single family reared under a single roof.

[_The royal party, forty in number, visit the ship._]

The Emperor of Russia proposed the health of your Majesty. Mr.
Gladstone by arrangement with your Majesty's minister at this
court, Mr. Vivian, proposed the health of the King and Queen of
Denmark, and the Emperor and Empress of Russia, and the King and
Queen of the Hellenes. The King of Denmark did Mr. Gladstone the
honour to propose his health; and Mr. Gladstone in acknowledging
this toast, thought he could not do otherwise, though no speeches
had been made, than express the friendly feeling of Great Britain
towards Denmark, and the satisfaction with which the British
people recognised the tie of race which unites them with the
inhabitants of the Scandinavian countries. Perhaps the most
vigorous and remarkable portion of the British nation had, Mr.
Gladstone said, been drawn from these countries. After luncheon,
th