e
ceremony, during which the Prince made two brief speeches, he attended
in the evening a ball at the Mansion House given by the Lord Mayor.
Meanwhile the city was brilliantly illuminated. In the morning he
reviewed a number of troops in Phoenix Park and was received with much
enthusiasm by the enormous crowds gathered around the scene.

A little later, on May 19th, the Prince attended the opening of an
International Reformatory Exhibition at Islington and received and
answered an address from its President, Lord Shaftesbury. Three days
afterwards he opened the Sailors' Home in the East End of London and was
greeted by great crowds of cheering people. On June 5th, he marked his
liking for the Drama by inaugurating the Royal Dramatic College at
Woking and six days later received a banquet at the hands of the
Fishmongers' Company in London. On July 3rd he was distributing prizes
at Wellington College attended by the Bishop of Oxford, the Earl of
Derby, Earl Stanhope, Lord Eversley and others.

CHAPTER V.

Early Home Life and Varied Duties

During the years immediately succeeding his marriage the career of the
Prince of Wales was one of initiation into the responsibilities of home
life and the duties of public life. It was a period of moulding
influences and a round of functions--some perfunctory, some pleasant. It
was a time of trial for a very young man placed in a very high position,
and with temptations which might easily have led him into temporary and
even permanent forgetfulness of the responsibilities of the future.
Several causes, apart from his own natural strength of character,
combined to avert such a result. The sympathetic and gracious character
of his wife and the perfection of management and detail which she
introduced into the home life of Sandringham and the more public and
social life of Marlborough House, were factors of importance. The
recollection of his father's teachings and high ideals and the knowledge
of his Royal mother's character and devotion to principle were important
influences. The growth of family ties had its effect, and, finally, the
shock of a sickness in 1871, which brought him to the verge of death and
showed him the loving affection of the nation, completed the process of
education in that difficult and dangerous road which the youthful Heir
to a great Throne must always travel.

Of the Princess of Wales in these years it is hard to speak too highly.
Fond of domestic l