Signed Dedication by Queen Victoria, Empress of India.
       [VICTORIA, Queen] HELPS, Arthur, Editor.. Leaves From The Journal of Our Life in The Highlands, from 1848 to 1861.    London: Smith, Elder, and Co., ca.1865   [29214]

One of 63 privately distributed pre-publication copies in green cloth, decorated in gilt over heavy bevelled boards. 145pp. Top edge gilt. Brown endpapers. This copy sharp and bright with minor edgewear and some light internal foxing. Eleven original albumen photographic prints and four steel engravings.  Two years prior to the first published edition this extremely scarce production (only four appear in auction records for the last thirty-odd years) contains a lovely inscription from the Empress to her most intimate and trusted friend and companion; John Brown.

The story of Queen Victoria’s relationship with Prince Albert, The Highlands and John Brown is a matter of historical record (and considerable private speculation, some of which is decidedly salacious and exactly what one would expect from a bunch of rather damp and disgruntled townie courtiers with too much time on their hands), but it is undoubtedly true that Brown was a faithful friend to Victoria and the source of considerable comfort after the death of her beloved Royal Consort. Her affection for him is certainly not in dispute; a fact to which the inscription in this volume holds testament:

“To John Brown who so faithfully and devotedly serves his brokenhearted Queen.
This account of happy times forever past in which he took much part, is given by VR”

The inscription is dated Aug.21st 1865, one of the earliest signatures of this private edition suggesting that John Brown was one of the earliest recipients.
Their relationship was more recently depicted in movie form starring Billy Connolly as John Brown and Dame Judi Dench as the redoubtable Empress.

Accompanied by a first edition volume of "Further Leaves..." this time inscribed to Hugh Brown, brother and successor as servant to Her Majesty, after the event of John Brown's death.

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