Book excerpt: In the mid-nineteenth century Joseph Lowe, dancing master of Edinburgh, taught at Queen Victoria's Court, in autumn at Balmoral and Christmas time at Windsor. The Journal is an account of these visits - of Queen Victoria practicing her Scotch steps for the Reel, of Princess Alice who danced a fetching Spanish solo, of Prince Alfred who was talented on the violin, of the Princess who turned her foot inwards while dancing, of the spirited Lady-in-Waiting who begged for extra lessons, of the children's chest expander exercises, and of how many trout Mr. Lowe caught when he took the Prince of Wales fishing. Concerts are held, balls last far into the night; the musical and dance life of the court is glimpsed through a myriad of Lowe's comments (always discreet), and a cheerful family life is portrayed. After the Prince Consort's untimely death, Mr. Lowe no longer attends the court. Archives at Windsor Castle reveal that two of his daughters continued to teach there for a decade but no journal of the period has been traced to the family collection which contains the original Lowe manuscript.