nce Consort the case was somewhat different. As Mr.
Burnand and Mr. Arthur a Beckett have written[21]:--

"It is strange to note that, until the hour of his death, the man
whose memory is now universally respected was highly unpopular with
the general public. The Democritus of Fleet Street was, and is,
essentially representative, and the popular opinion of the merits
or demerits of H.R.H. is constantly shown. Only a few weeks after
the cartoon" [of the Prince Consort tying up his door-knocker on
the occasion of the birth of the Princess Beatrice] "Mr. Punch is
drawn looking at the portrait of the Prince Consort at a review at
the Royal Academy, and saying, "No. 24. A field-marshal; h'm--very
good indeed. What sanguinary engagement can it be?" That these
satirical observations were made simply at Prince Albert's expense,
and were not intended to reflect upon the Queen or the rest of the
Royal Family, is shown by the extremely hearty manner in which the
marriage of the Princess Royal was welcomed by Mr. Punch as
representing the English feeling. John Bull is heard saying, as he
hands over to the Imperial Princess of Germany her dowry, 'There,
my child! God bless you! And may you make as good a wife as your
mother.'"

It is probable that the real source of the Prince Consort's unpopularity
was his foreign nationality, added to the ignorance of the people of his
enthusiasm and indefatigable efforts for the public weal. His rapid
promotion in military rank, already referred to, was not appreciated in
the country, and was mercilessly lampooned in _Punch_; and attention was
attracted to the fact that from that time forward the Duke of Wellington
always prefixed the initials "F.M." in his short, brusque third-person
letters. "H.R.H. F.M. Paterfamilias" was for some time one of the chief
of _Punch's_ stock jests. The Prince was pursued into his private
apartments, and shown as a _pere de famille_ in not the most respectful
spirit. In one picture he is represented in his dressing-gown conferring
upon "P--pps the Fortunate" the Knighthood of the Shower Bath; in
others, the effect of Time upon his head and figure are dwelt upon with
real sardonic relish. The misapprehensions of the public were not
unnaturally reflected by _Punch_, and a cut was much applauded in which
the Prince was shown stopped by a policeman in Trafalgar Square when in
the