Full text of "The letters of Queen Victoria : a selection from Her Majesty's correspondence between the years 1837 and 1861 : published by authority of His Majesty the king"

See other formats

JJ>

941.081 V

Victoriat Queen of

The letters of Queen

Victoria :

1717393

3 VOL SET

NY PUBLIC LIBRARY THE BRANCH LIBRAR ES

3 3333 160739963

The New York

Public Library

Astot, Lenox and Tilden Foundations

The Branch Libraries MM

MID-MANHATTAN LIBRARY
History & Social Sciences Depart.

455 Fifth Avenue
New York, N.Y. 10016

Rooks and non-nrint media may be

York

THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

Reference use only

DO NOT REMOVE FROM THE

LIBRARY

stdate
3d for

irm«0697

CO.

THE

LETTERS OF QUEEN VICTORIA

VOL. I

THE LETTERS OF
QUEEN VICTORIA

A SELECTION FROM HER MAJESTY'S

CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN THE

YEARS 1837 AND 1861

PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY OF
HIS MAJESTY THE KING

EDITED BY ARTHUR CHRISTOPHER BENSON, M.A.
AND VISCOUNT ESHER, G.C.V.O., K.C.B.

IN THREE VOLUMES

VOL. I.
1837-1843

NEW YORK
LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO.

1907

THE UNIVERSITY PRESS, CAMBRIDGE, U. S. A.

PREFACE

ENTRUSTED by His Majesty the King with the duty
of making a selection from Queen Victoria's corre-
spondence, we think it well to describe briefly the
nature of the documents which we have been privileged
to examine, as well as to indicate the principles which
have guided us throughout. It has been a task of no
ordinary difficulty. Her Majesty Queen Victoria dealt
with her papers, from the first, in a most methodical
manner ; she formed the habit in early days of preserv-
ing her private letters, and after her accession to the
Throne all her official papers were similarly treated, and
bound in volumes. The Prince Consort instituted
an elaborate system of classification, annotating and
even indexing many of the documents with his own
hand. The result is that the collected papers form
what is probably the most extraordinary series of
State documents in the world. The papers which deal
with the Queen's life up to the year 1861 have been
bound in chronological order, and comprise between
five and six hundred volumes. They consist, in great
part, of letters from Ministers detailing the proceed-
ings of Parliament, and of various political memoranda
dealing with home, foreign, and colonial policy ; among

vi PREFACE

these are a few drafts of Her Majesty's replies.
There are volumes concerned with the affairs of
almost every European country ; with the history of
India, the British Army, the Civil List, the Royal
Estates, and all the complicated machinery of the
Monarchy and the Constitution. There are letters from
monarchs and royal personages, and there is further
a whole series of volumes dealing with matters in
which the Prince Consort took a special interest.
Some of them are arranged chronologically, some by
subjects. Among the most interesting volumes are
those containing the letters written by Her Majesty
to her uncle Leopold, King of the Belgians, and his
replies.1 The collection of letters from and to Lord
Melbourne forms another hardly less interesting series.
In many places Queen Victoria caused extracts, copied
from her own private Diaries, dealing with important
political events or describing momentous interviews, to
be inserted in the volumes, with the evident intention
of illustrating and completing the record.

It became obvious at once that it was impossible
to deal with these papers exhaustively. They would
provide material for a historical series extending to
several hundred volumes. Moreover, on the other
hand, there are many gaps, as a great deal of the busi-
ness of State was transacted by interviews of which no
official record is preserved.

1 A set of volumes containing the Queen's letters to Lord John Russell came
into our hands too late to be made use of for the present publication

PREFACE vii

His Majesty the King having decided that no
attempt should be made to publish these papers in
extenso, it was necessary to determine upon some
definite principle of selection. It became clear that the
only satisfactory plan was to publish specimens of such
documents as would serve to bring out the develop-
ment of the Queen's character and disposition, and
to give typical instances of her methods in dealing
with political and social matters — to produce, in fact,
a book for British citizens and British subjects, rather
than a book for students of political history. That
the inner working of the unwritten constitution of the
country, that some of the unrealised checks and bal-
ances, that the delicate equipoise of the component
parts of our executive machinery, should stand revealed,
was inevitable. We thought it best, throughout, to
abstain from unnecessary comment and illustration.
The period is so recent, and has been so often traversed
by historians and biographers, that it appeared to us a
waste of valuable space to attempt to reconstruct the
history of the years from which this correspondence has
been selected, especially as Sir Theodore Martin, under
the auspices of the Queen herself, has dealt so minutely
and exhaustively with the relations of the Queen's inner-
most circle to the political and social life of the time.
It is tempting, of course, to add illustrative anecdotes
from the abundant Biographies and Memoirs of the
period ; but our aim has been to infringe as little as
possible upon the space available for the documents

viii PHEFACE

themselves, and to provide just sufficient comment to
enable an ordinary reader, without special knowledge
of the period, to follow the course of events, and to
realise the circumstances under which the Queen's
childhood was passed, the position of affairs at the
time of her accession, and the personalities of those
who had influenced her in early years, or by whom
she was surrounded.

The development of the Queen's character is
clearly indicated in the papers, and it possesses an
extraordinary interest. We see one of highly vigorous
and active temperament, of strong affections, and with
a deep sense of responsibility, placed at an early age,
and after a quiet girlhood, in a position the greatness
of which it is impossible to exaggerate. We see her
character expand and deepen, schooled by mighty
experience into patience and sagacity and wisdom,
and yet never losing a particle of the strength, the
decision, and the devotion with which she had been
originally endowed. Up to the year 1861 the Queen's
career was one of unexampled prosperity. She was
happy in her temperament, in her health, in her
education, in her wedded life, in her children. She
saw a great Empire grow through troubled times in
liberty and power and greatness ; yet this prosperity
brought with it no shadow of complacency, because
the Queen felt with an increasing depth the anxieties
and responsibilities inseparable from her great position.
Her happiness, instead of making her self-absorbed,

PREFACE ix

only quickened her beneficence, and her womanly
desire that her subjects should be enabled to enjoy
a similar happiness based upon the same simple
virtues. Nothing comes out more strongly in these
documents than the laborious patience with which the
Queen kept herself informed of the minutest details of
political and social movements both in her own and
other countries.

It is a deeply inspiring spectacle to see one sur-
rounded by every temptation which worldly greatness
can present, living from day to day so simple, vivid,
and laborious a life ; and it is impossible to conceive
a more fruitful example of duty and affection and
energy, displayed on so august a scale, and in the
midst of such magnificent surroundings. We would
venture to believe that nothing could so deepen the
personal devotion of the Empire to the memory of
that great Queen who ruled it so wisely and so long,
and its deeply-rooted attachment to the principle of
constitutional monarchy, as the gracious act of His
Majesty the King in allowing the inner side of that
noble life and career to be more clearly revealed to
a nation whose devotion to their ancient liberties is
inseparably connected with their loyalty to the Throne.

EDITORIAL NOTE

OUR special thanks, for aid in the preparation of these volumes,
are due to the Right Hon. John Morley, M.P., who has read and
criticised the book in its final form ; to Mr. J. W. Headlam, of
the Board of Education, and formerly Fellow of King's College,
Cambridge, for much valuable assistance in preparing the prefa-
tory historical memoranda ; to Mr. W. F. Reddaway, of King's
College, Cambridge, for revision and advice throughout in con-
nection with the introductions and annotations ; to Lord Knollys,
for criticism of selected materials ; to Lord Stanmore, for the loan
of valuable documents ; to Dr. Eugene Oswald, for assistance in
translation ; to Mr. C. C. Perry and M. G. Hua, for verification of
French and German documents ; to Miss Bertha Williams, for
unremitting care and diligence in preparing the volumes for press ;
to Mr. John Murray, for his unfailing patience and helpfulness ;
and especially to Mr. Hugh Childers, for his ungrudging help in
the preparation of the Introductory-annual Summaries, and in the
political and historical annotation, as well as for his invaluable
co-operation at every stage of the work.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER I

PAGE

Ancestry of Queen Victoria — Houses of Brunswick,
Hanover, and Coburg — Family connections —
The English Royal Family — The Royal Dukes

— Duke of Cumberland — Family of George III.

— Political position of the Queen . . . 1-10

CHAPTER II

Queen Victoria's early years — Duke and Duchess of
Kent — Parliamentary grant to Duchess of Kent

— The Queen of Wiirtemberg — George IV. and
the Princess — Visits to Windsor — Duchess of
Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld — Education of the Prin-
cess — The Duchess of Kent's letter to the
Bishops — Religious instruction — Result of ex-
amination — Speech by Duchess of Kent — The
Princess's reminiscences of Claremont — William
rV. and the Princess — The accession — Queen
Victoria's character and temperament — Her
sympathy with the middle classes . . . 11—28

CHAPTER III

Queen Victoria's relations and friends — King Leo-
pold's influence — Queen Adelaide — Baroness
Lehzen — Baron Stockmar .... 29—35

CHAPTER IV
1821-1835

Observations on the correspondence with King Leo-
pold and others — First letter received by Queen
Victoria — Her first letter to Prince Leopold —

xii CONTENTS

PAGE

Birthday letters — King Leopold's description
of his Queen — His valuable advice - - The Prin-
cess's visit to Hever Castle - - King Leopold's ad-
vice as to reading, and the Princess's reply —
New Year greeting - - On autographs - - The
Princess's confirmation — King Leopold's advice
as to honesty and sincerity .... 36— 54

CHAPTER V

1836

Visit of Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg — Invita-
tion to the Prince of Orange — Arrival of Princes
Ernest and Albert — The Princess's apprecia-
tion of Prince Albert — King Leopold's advice
as to conversation — Crisis in Spain - - Farewell
letter — The Princess and the Church — Death
of Charles X. — Abuse of King Leopold - - Revo-
lution at Lisbon — The Princess's name — News-
paper attacks on King Leopold . . . 55-71

CHAPTER VI

1837

Spain and Portugal — Music with Princes Ernest and
Albert — Parliamentary language and political
passion — The throne of Greece - - Queen of
the Belgians' dowry — The English Press — The
Princess's establishment — Young Belgian cousins

— Irish Municipal Bill — "Whig Ministers —
Birthday rejoicings — King Leopold's advice
and encouragement — Accession imminent —
Condition of the King — Reliance on Lord Mel-
bourne — The Princess and the Church - The
Accession — The Queen's Journal - - Interview
with Lord Melbourne — The Queen's first Council

— Letter from the King of the French — Con-
gratulations from King Leopold — Nationality
of the Queen — The Queen and her Ministers —
Reflection advised - - Baron Stockmar — Impor-
tant subjects for study — Sister Queens -- Letter
from Queen Adelaide — Buckingham Palace —

CONTENTS

Madame de Lieven — Parliament prorogued —
England and Russia — Discretion advised —
Singing lessons — The elections — Prevalence of
bribery — End of King Leopold's visit — Recep-
tion at Brighton — Security of letters — Eng-
land and France — France and the Peninsula —
Count Mole — The French in Africa — Close of
the session — Prince Albert's education — Can-
ada — Army estimates — Secretaries of State .

CHAPTER VII

1838

Lord Melbourne — Canada — Influence of the Crown

— Daniel O'Connell — Position of Ministers of
State in England and abroad — New Poor Law

— Pressure of business — Prince Albert's educa-
tion — Favourite horses — Deaths of old ser-
vants — The coronation — Address from Bishops

— Ball at Buckingham Palace — Independence
and progress of Belgium — Anglo-Belgian rela-
tions - - Foreign policy — Holland and Belgium

— Coronation day — Westminster Abbey — The
enthronement — Receiving homage — Popular
enthusiasm — Coronation incidents — Pages of
honour — Extra holidays for schools - - Review
in Hyde Park — Lord Durham and Canada —
Government of Canada — Ireland and O'Connell

— Death of Lady John Russell — The Queen's
sympathy with Lord John Russell — Belgium
and English Government — Belgium and Hol-
land — Canada — Resignation of the Earl of
Durham — English Church for Malta — Disap-
pointment of Duke of Sussex — Brighton .

CHAPTER VIH

1839

Murder of Lord Norbury — Holland and Belgium —
Dissension in the Cabinet — The Duke of Lucca

— Portugal — Ireland and the Government —

xni
PAGE

72-130

131-177

xiv CONTENTS

PAGE

England and Belgium — Prince Albert's tour in
Italy - - Jamaica - - Change of Ministry immi-
nent - - The Queen's distress — Interviews with
the Duke of Wellington and Sir Robert Peel —
Lord Melbourne on Sir Robert Peel - - The House-
hold — Proposed new Cabinet — Interview with
Lord Melbourne — The Ladies of the Household
and Sir Robert Peel — Reply to Sir Robert Peel

— Resignation of Sir Robert Peel — The Queen's
journal — Cabinet minute — Whigs resume office

- Ball at Buckingham Palace — Lord John Rus-
sell and Sir Robert Peel — The Queen on the crisis

— King Leopold's approval — The penny postage

— The Queen and Prince Albert — Syria — Eng-
land and the Sultan — Proposed visit of King Louis
Philippe — Preparing the Queen's speech — King
Leopold's feeling for the Queen — Coming visit of
Prince Albert — Arrival of Princes Ernest and Al-
bert - - The Queen's engagement to Prince Albert
— Lord Melbourne's congratulations — King Leo-
pold's satisfaction — Austria and the Porte — The
Queen's happiness — Queen Louise's congratula-
tions - - The Queen's letters to the Royal Family

— The Prince's religion — Announcement to the
Council — Marriage treaty — Question of a peer-
age — English susceptibilities — Letter from
Donna Maria — Household appointments —
Mayor of Newport knighted — The word " Prot-
estant " The Prince's coat-of-arms — The
Prince and Mr Anson — Appointment of Treas-
urer — The Prince and Lord Melbourne . . 178-263

CHAPTER IX

1840

Letters to Prince Albert — Opening of Parliament —
The Prince's grant — The Prince at Brussels —
Marriage of the Queen and Prince - - Public
enthusiasm — Plays in Lent — Debate on the
Corn Laws — England and China — Disturbance

CONTENTS xv

PAGE

at the Opera — Murder of Lord William Russell

— Mrs Norton — Character of Princess Char-
lotte — English manners — Oxford's attempt on
the Queen's life — Egypt and the Four Powers —
Prince Louis Napoleon — King Leopold at Wies-
baden — A threatened crisis — France and the
East — A difficult question — Serious measures

— Palmerston and France — Views of King Louis
Philippe — Propositions for settlement — Atti-
tude of France — Pacific instructions — The
Porte and Mehemet Ali — Bombardment of Bey-
rout — Guizot and Thiers — Differing views —
The Queen's influence — An anxious time — At-
tempt on life of King Louis Philippe — Negotia-
tion with France advised — Thiers more moderate

— Death of Lord Holland — Change of Ministry
in France — Importance of conciliation — The"
Prince's name in the Prayer-book — King Leo-
pold on Lord Palmerston — Birth of the Princess

Royal - - Settlement of Eastern Question . . 264-318

CHAPTER X
1841

Letter to King Leopold — The Prince and literature

— The speech from the throne — Domestic hap-
piness— Duke of Wellington's illness — England
and the United States — Operations in China —
Lord Cardigan — Army discipline — The Not-
tingham election — The Budget — Irish Regis-
tration Bill — Sugar duties — Ministerial crisis

— Lord Melbourne's advice — Dissolution or
resignation — The Household question — Sir
Robert Peel — Mr Anson's intervention — Inter-
view with Lord Melbourne — King Leopold's
sympathy — The Corn Laws — The Queen's
journal' — The Prince's support — Further in-
terviews — Resignation postponed — The Queen
and the Church — King Leopold's advice — The
Queen's impartiality — Difficulties removed —
Vote of want of confidence — The country quiet

xvi CONTENTS

PAGE

— King Leopold's views --Fiscal Policy — Mar-
riage of Lord John Russell - - Visit to Nuneham

— Archbishop Harcourt — The Prince visits Ox-
ford — Letter from Lord Brougham - - Visit to
Woburn Abbey - - Lord Melbourne and the Garter

— A dreaded moment — Debate on the Speech — •
Overwhelming majority - - Resignation - - New
arrangements — Parting with Lord Melbourne —
The Prince in a new position — The Queen and
Sir Robert Peel — Lord Melbourne's opinion of
the Prince — The Household question - - New
Cabinet — Lord Melbourne's official farewell —
Sir Robert Peel's reception — New appointments

— Council at Claremont - - The Lord Chamber-
lain's department — The French ambassador —
Confidential communications — The diplomatic
corps — Governor-General of Canada - - India
and Afghanistan — Lord Ellenborough-- Russia
and Central Asia — Indian finances — The Span-
ish mission — Correspondence with Lord Mel-
bourne — Fine Arts commission — Peers and
audiences — Lord Radnor's claim — The Chinese
campaign — English and foreign artists - - Lord
Melbourne and the Court — The Queen and her
Government - - Baron Stockmar's opinion — Lord
Melbourne's influence — Baron Stockmar and Sir
Robert Peel — Professor Whewell — Queen Chris-
tina— Queen Isabella — French influence in Spain

— Holland and Belgium — Dispute with United
States - - Portugal - - The English Constitution

- The " Prime Minister " - - The " Secretaries
of State * - Baron Stockmar expostulates with
Lord Melbourne — Birth of heir-apparent -
Created Prince of Wales - - The Royal children . 319-464

CHAPTER XI

1842

Letter from Queen Adelaide - - Disasters in Afghan-
istan- -The Oxford movement — Church matters

— The Duke of Wellington and the christening

CONTENTS xvii

PAGE

— Lord Melbourne ill — A favourite dog — The
King of Prussia — Marriage of Prince Ernest —
Christening of the Prince of Wales — The Corn
Laws — Marine excursion — Fall of Cabul —
Candidates for the Garter — The Earl of Mun-
ster — The Queen and Income Tax — Lambeth
Palace — Sale at Strawberry Hill — Selection of
a governess — Party politics — A brilliant ball

— The Prince and the Army — Lady Lyttelton's
appointment — Goethe and Schiller — Edwin
Landseer — The Mensdorff family — Attack on
the Queen by Francis — Letters from Queen
Adelaide and Lord Melbourne — Successes in Af-
ghanistan — Sir R. Sale and General Pollock —
Debate on Income Tax — The Queen's first rail-
way journey — Conviction of Francis — Presents
for the Queen — Another attack on the Queen by
Bean — Death of Duke of Orleans — Grief of the
Queen — Letters from the King and Queen of the
French — Leigh Hunt — Lord Melbourne on mar-
riages — Resignation of Lord Hill — Appoint-
ment of Duke of Wellington — Manchester riots

— Military assistance — Parliament prorogued

— Causes of discontent — Mob in Lincoln's Inn
Fields — Trouble at the Cape — Tour in Scot-
land — Visit to Lord Breadalbane — Return to
Windsor — Royal visitors — A steam yacht for
the Queen — Future of Queen Isabella — The
Princess Lichtenstein — Historical works — Wal-
mer Castle — Lord Melbourne's illness — The
Crown jewels — Provision for Princess Augusta

— Success in China — A treaty signed — Vic-
tories in Afghanistan — Honours for the army

— The gates of Somnauth — France and Spain

— Major Malcolm — The Scottish Church — A
serious crisis — Letter from Lord Melbourne —
Esteem for Baron Stockmar . . . 465-563

VOL. i. — b

xviii CONTENTS

CHAPTER XII

1843

PAGE

Recollections of Claremont — Historical writers —
Governor-Generalship of Canada - - Mr Drum-
mond shot — Mistaken for Sir Robert Peel —
Death of Mr Drummond — Demeanour of Mac-
Naghten — Letter from Lord Melbourne — Prep-
arations for the trial - - The Royal Family and
politics — King Leopold and Sir Robert Peel —
The American treaty - - Position of the Prince of
Wales — Good wishes from Queen Adelaide —
Proposed exchange of visits — Mr Cobden's
speech — The new chapel — Fanny Burney's
diary - - MacNaghten acquitted — Question of
criminal insanity — Princess Mary of Baden —
The Prince and the Levees — Sir Robert Peel's
suggestions — Police arrangements — Looking
for the comet - - Flowers from Lord Melbourne

— The Royal children — The toast of the Prince

— King of Hanover's proposed visit — Gates of
Somnauth restored — Death of Duke of Sussex

— Birth and christening of Princess Alice —
Irish agitation — Rebecca riots — Duchess of
Norfolk's resignation — Duelling in the army —
Out-pensioners of Chelsea — Crown jewels — Ob-
struction of business — Lord Melbourne on
matrimonial affairs — Visit to Chateau d'Eu —
Increased troubles in Wales — Royal visitors

- England and Spain — Arrest of O'Connell -
Dwc de Bordeaux not received at Court - - Due
de Nemours expected - - Visit to Cambridge -
Due d'Aumale's engagement — Indian affairs

— Loyalty at Cambridge - - Proposed visit to
Drayton Manor - - Travelling arrangements —
Duchesse de Nemours — Birmingham — Cana-
dian seat of government — Chatsworth — Ameri-
can view of monarchy — Prince Metternich and

Spain ......... 564-641

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

QUEEN VICTORIA RECEIVING THE NEWS OF HER ACCESSION TO THE
THRONE, 20ra JUNE 1837. From the picture by H. T. Wells,
R.A., at Buckingham Palace ..... Frontispiece

T.R.H. THE DUCHESS OF KENT AND PRINCESS VICTORIA.
From the miniature by II. Bone, after Sir W . Beechey, at Wind-
sor Castle ....... To face p. 14

H.R.H. PRINCESS VICTORIA, 1827. By Plant, after Stewart. From

the miniature at Buckingham Palace . . . . „ 24

H.R.H. PRINCESS VICTORIA, 1833. From the picture after Sir

G. Hayter at Windsor Castle . . . . . „ 48

H.M. KING WILLIAM IV. From a miniature at Windsor Castle . „ 88

H.R.H. THE DUKE OF KENT. From a miniature at Windsor

Castle .... 134

H.R.H. THE PRINCE CONSORT, 1840. From the portrait by John

Partridge at Buckingham Palace ...... 224

H.M. QUEEN VICTORIA, 1840. From the portrait by John Par-
tridge at Buckingham Palace ...... 274

H.M. QUEEN VICTORIA, 1841. From the drawing by E. F. T.,

after H. E. Davce, at Buckingham Palace . . . „ 338

H.R.H. THE DUCHESS OF KENT, 1841. From the Portrait by

John Lucas at Windsor Castle ...... 424

H.M. QUEEN VICTORIA, 1842. By Essex, after Winterhalter.

From the miniature at Buckingham Palace . . . „ 498

H.M. QUEEN ADELAIDE, 1832. From the miniature by H. P. Bone

at Windsor Castle ........ 548

VISCOUNT MELBOURNE. After Sir T. Lawrence, P.R.A. . . „ 612

CHAPTER I

THE ANCESTRY OF THE QUEEN — HOUSES OF
BRUNSWICK, HANOVER, AND COBURG1

QUEEN VICTORIA, on her father's side, belonged to
the House of Brunswick, which was undoubtedly one
of the oldest, and claimed to be actually the oldest, of
German princely families. At the time of her birth it
existed in two branches, of which the one ruled over
what was called the Duchy of Brunswick, the other over
the Electorate (since 1815 the Kingdom) of Hanover,
and had since 1714 occupied the throne of England.
As will be seen, there had been frequent intermarriages
between the two branches. The Dukes of Brunswick
were now, however, represented only by two young
princes, who were the sons of the celebrated Duke
who fell at Quatre Bras. Between them and the
English Court there was little intercourse. The elder,
Charles, had quarrelled with his uncle and guardian,
George IV., and had in 1830 been expelled from his
dominions. The obvious faults of his character made
it impossible for the other German princes to insist
on his being restored, and he had been succeeded

1 The accompanying Tables are constructed to show the more important of
the widespread family connections of Queen Victoria, and may enable the
reader to identify the various royal and princely personages mentioned in the
letters.

VOL. i. — 1

2 THE HOUSE OF SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA [CHAP, i

by his younger brother William, who ruled till his
death in 1884. Both died unmarried, and with them
the Ducal family came to an end. One Princess of
Brunswick had been the wife of George IV., and
another, Augusta, was the first wife of Frederick L,
King of Wiirtemberg, who, after her death, married
a daughter of George III. The King of Wiirtemberg
was also, by his descent from Frederick Prince of
Wales, first cousin once removed of the Queen. We
need only notice, in passing, the distant connection
with the royal families of Prussia, the Netherlands,
and Denmark. The Prince of Orange, who was one
of the possible suitors for the young Queen's hand,
was her third cousin once removed.

The House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, to which the
Queen belonged on her mother's side, and with which
she was to be even more intimately connected by her
marriage, was one of the numerous branches into
which the ancient and celebrated House of Wettin
had broken up. Since the llth century they had
ruled over Meissen and the adjoining districts. To
these had been added Upper Saxony and Thuringia.
In the 15th century the whole possessions of the
House had been divided between the two great
branches which still exist. The Albertine branch
retained Meissen and the Saxon possessions. They
held the title of Elector, which in 1806 was exchanged
for the title of King. Though the Saxon House
had been the chief protectors of the Reformation,
Frederick Augustus I. had, on being elected to the
throne of Poland, become a Roman Catholic ; and
thereby the connection between the two branches
of the House had to a great extent ceased. The
second line, that of the Ernestines, ruled over Thuringia,
but, according to the common German custom, had
again broken up into numerous branches, among which
the Duchies of Thuringia were parcelled out. At the
time of the Queen's birth there were five of these,
viz., Gotha - Altenburg, Coburg - Saalfeld, Weimar-
Eisenach, Meiningen, and Hildburghausen. On the

CHAP, i] THE HOUSE OF COBURG 3

extinction of the Gotha line, in 1825, there was a
rearrangement of the family property, by which the
Duke of Hildburghausen received Altenburg, Gotha
was given to the Duke of Coburg, and Saalfeld
with Hildburghausen added to Meiningen. These
four lines still exist.

The Ernestine princes had, by this constant division
and sub-division, deprived themselves of the opportunity
of exercising any predominant influence, or pursuing
any independent policy in German affairs ; and though
they had the good fortune to emerge from the revolu-
tion with their possessions unimpaired, their real power
was not increased. Like all the other princes they
had, however, at the Congress of Vienna, received the
recognition of their full status as sovereign princes
of the Germanic Confederation. Together they sent
a single representative to the Diet of Frankfort, the
total population of the five principalities being only
about 300,000 inhabitants.

It was owing to this territorial sub-division and
lack of cohesion that these princes could not attach
to their independence the same political importance
that fell to the share of the larger principalities, such
as Hanover and Bavaria, and they were consequently
more ready than the other German princes to
welcome proposals which would lead to a unification
of Germany.

It is notable that the line has produced many of the
most enlightened of the German princes ; and nowhere
in the whole of Germany were the advantages of the
division into numerous small States so clearly seen,
and the disadvantages so little felt, as at Weimar,
Meiningen, Gotha, and Coburg.

The House of Coburg had gained a highly con-
spicuous and influential position, owing, partly, to
the high reputation for sagacity and character which
the princes of that House had won, and partly to the
marriage connections which were entered into about
this time by members of the Coburg House with the
leading Royal families of Europe. Within ten years,

4 MEDIATISED PRINCES [CHAP, i

Princes of Coburg were established, one upon the throne
of Belgium, and two others next to the throne in
Portugal and England, as Consorts of their respective
Queens.

By the first marriage of the Duchess of Kent, the
Queen was also connected with a third class of German
princes — the mediatised, as those were called who
during the revolution had lost their sovereign power.
Many of these were of as ancient lineage and had
possessed as large estates as some of the regnant
princes, who, though not always more deserving, had
been fortunate enough to retain their privileges, and
had emerged from the revolution ranking among the
ruling Houses of Europe. The mediatised princes,
though they had ceased to rule, still held important
privileges, which were guaranteed at the Congress
of Vienna. First, and most important, they were
reckoned as " ebenburtig" which means that they could
contract equal marriages with the Royal Houses, and
these marriages were recognised as valid for the trans-
mission of rights of inheritance. Many of them had
vast private estates, and though they were subjected to
the sovereignty of the princes in whose dominions they
lay, they enjoyed very important privileges, such as
exemption from military service, and from many forms
of taxation ; they also could exercise minor forms of
jurisdiction. They formed, therefore, an intermediate
class. Since Germany, as a whole, afforded them no
proper sphere of political activity, the more ambitious
did not disdain to take service with Austria or
Prussia, and, to a less extent, even with the smaller
States. It was possible, therefore, for the Queen's
mother, a Princess of Saxe - Coburg, to marry the
Prince of Leiningen without losing caste. Her
daughter, the Princess Feodore, the Queen's half-sister,
married Ernest, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, and
thus established an interesting connection with perhaps
the most widely-spread and most distinguished of
all these families. The House of Hohenlohe would
probably still have been a reigning family, had not the

CHAP, i] FAMILY CONNECTIONS 5

Prince of Hohenlohe preferred to fight in the Prussian
army against Napoleon, rather than receive gifts from
him. His lands were consequently confiscated and
passed to other princes who were less scrupulous. The
family has given two Ministers President to Prussia, a
General in chief command of the Prussian army, a
Chancellor to the German Empire, and one of the most
distinguished of modern military writers. They held,
besides their extensive possessions in Wiirtemberg and
Bavaria, the County of Gleichen in Saxe-Coburg.

It will be seen therefore that the Queen was
intimately connected with all classes that are to be
found among the ruling families of Germany, though
naturally with the Catholic families, which looked
to Austria and Bavaria for guidance, she had no
close ties. But it must be borne in mind that her
connection with Germany always remained a personal
and family matter, and not a political one ; this
was the fortunate result of the predominance of
the Coburg influence. Had that of the House of
Hanover been supreme, it could hardly have been
possible for the Queen not to have been drawn into
the opposition to the unification of Germany by Prussia,
in which the House of Hanover was bound to take
a leading part, in virtue of its position, wealth, and
dignity.

It will be as weh1 here to mention the principal
reigning families of Europe to which Queen Victoria
was closely allied through her mother.

The Duchess of Kent's eldest brother Ernest,
Duke of Saxe-Coburg, was the father of Albert,
Prince Consort. Her sister was the wife of
Alexander, Duke of Wiirtemberg. The Duchess
of Kent's nephew, Ferdinand (son of Ferdinand,
the Duchess's brother), married Maria da Gloria,
Queen of Portugal, and was father of Pedro V. and
Luis, both subsequently Kings of Portugal.

The Duchess's third brother, Leopold (afterwards
King of the Belgians), married first the Princess
Charlotte, daughter of George IV., and afterwards

6 THE ENGLISH ROYAL FAMILY [CHAP, i

the Princess Louise Marie, eldest daughter of King
Louis Philippe. Prince Augustus (son of Ferdinand,
the Duchess of Kent's brother) married another
daughter of Louis Philippe, the Princess Clementine,
while Prince Augustus' sister, Victoria, married the
Due de Nemours, a son of Louis Philippe. Another
nephew, Duke Friederich Wilhelm Alexander, son of
the Duchess of Wiirtemberg, married the Princess
Marie, another daughter of Louis Philippe.

Thus Queen Victoria was closely allied with the
royal families of France, Portugal, Belgium, Saxe-
Coburg and Wiirtemberg.

On turning to the immediate Royal Family of
England, it will be seen that the male line at the
time of the Queen's Accession was limited to the sons,
both named George, of two of the younger brothers of
George IV., the Dukes of Cumberland and Cambridge.
The sons of George III. played their part in the national
life, shared the strong interest in military matters,
and showed the great personal courage which was a
tradition of the family.

It must be borne in mind that abstention from
active political life had been in no sense required, or
even thought desirable, in members of the Royal
House. George III. himself had waged a lifelong
struggle with the Whig party, that powerful oligarchy
that since the accession of the House of Hanover had
virtually ruled the country ; but he did not carry on
the conflict so much by encouraging the opponents of
the Whigs, as by placing himself at the head of a
monarchical faction. He was in fact the leader of
a third party in the State. George IV. was at first a
strong Whig, and lived on terms of the greatest intimacy
with Charles James Fox ; but by the time that he
was thirty he had severed the connection with his
former political friends, which had indeed originally
arisen more out of his personal opposition to his father
than from any political convictions. After this date
he became, with intervals of vacillation, an advanced
Tory of an illiberal type. William IV. had lived

CHAP, i] THE ROYAL DUKES 7

so much aloof from politics before his accession, that
he had had then no very pronounced opinions, though
he was believed to be in favour of the Reform Bill ;
during his reign his Tory sympathies became more
pronounced, and the position of the Whig Ministry
was almost an intolerable one. His other brothers
were men of decided ability, and for the most part of
high social gifts. They not only attended debates
in the House of Peers, but spoke with emotion and
vigour ; they held political interviews with leading
statesmen, and considered themselves entitled, not to
over-rule political movements, but to take the part in
them to which their strong convictions prompted them.
They were particularly prominent in the debates on
the Catholic question, and did not hesitate to express
their views with an energy that was often embar-
rassing. The Duke of York and the Duke of
Cumberland had used all their influence to encourage
the King in his opposition to Catholic Emancipation,
while the Duke of Cambridge had supported that
policy, and the Duke of Sussex had spoken in the
House of Lords in favour of it. The Duke of York,
a kindly, generous man, had held important commands
in the earlier part of the Revolutionary war ; he had
not shown tactical or strategical ability, but he was
for many years Commander-in-Chief of the Army,
and did good administrative work in initiating and
carrying out much-needed military reforms. He had
married a Prussian princess, but left no issue, and
his death, in 1827, left the succession open to his
younger brother, the Duke of Clarence, afterwards
King William IV., and after him to the Princess
Victoria.

The Duke of Kent was, as we shall have occasion
to show, a strong Whig with philanthropic views.
But the ablest of the princes, though also the most
unpopular, was the Duke of Cumberland, who, until
the birth of the Queen's first child, was heir-pre-
sumptive to the Throne. He had been one of the
most active members of the ultra-Tory party, who

8 THE DUKE OF CUMBERLAND [CHAP, i

had opposed to the last the Emancipation of the
Catholics and the Reform Bill. He had married
a sister-in-law of the King of Prussia, and lived
much in Berlin, where he was intimate with the
leaders of the military party, who were the centre of
reactionary influences in that country, chief among
them being his brother-in-law, Prince Charles of
Mecklenburg.

In private life the Duke was bluff and soldier-like,
of rather a bullying turn, and extraordinarily indifferent
to the feelings of others. " Ernest is not a bad
fellow," his brother William IV. said of him, " but if
anyone has a corn, he will be sure to tread on it."
He was very unpopular in England.

On the death of William IV. he succeeded to
the throne of Hanover, and from that time seldom
visited England. His first act on reaching his
kingdom was to declare invalid the Constitution
which had been granted in 1833 by William IV.
His justification for this was that his consent, as
Heir Presumptive, which was necessary for its validity,
had not at the time been asked. The act caused
great odium to be attached to his name by all
Liberals, both English and Continental, and it was
disapproved of even by his old Tory associates. None
the less he soon won great popularity in his own
dominions by his zeal, good-humour, and energy, and
in 1840 he came to terms with the Estates. A new
Constitution was drawn up which preserved more of
the Royal prerogatives than the instrument of 1833.
Few German princes suffered so little in the revolution
of 1848. The King died in 1851, at the age of eighty,
and left one son, George, who had been blind from
his boyhood. He was the last King of Hanover, being
expelled by the Prussians in 1866. On the failure of
the Ducal line of Brunswick, the grandson of Ernest
Augustus became heir to their dominions, he and his
sons being now the sole male representatives of all the
branches of the House of Brunswick, which a few

CHAP, i] FAMILY OF GEORGE III. 9

generations ago was one of the most numerous and
widely-spread ruling Houses in Germany.1

The Duke of Sussex was in sympathy with many
Liberal movements, and supported the removal of
religious disabilities, the abolition of the Corn Laws,
and Parliamentary Reform.

The Duke of Cambridge was a moderate Tory, and
the most conciliatory of all the Princes. But for more
than twenty years he took little part in English politics,
as he was occupied with his duties as Regent of
Hanover, where he did much by prudent reforms to
retain the allegiance of the Hanoverians. On his return
to England he resumed the position of a peacemaker,
supporting philanthropic movements, and being a gen-
erous patron of art and letters. He was recognised
as "emphatically the connecting link between the
Crown and the people." Another member of the
Royal Family was the Duke of Gloucester, nephew
and son-in-law of George III. ; he was more interested
in philanthropic movements than in politics, but was a
moderate Conservative, who favoured Catholic Eman-
cipation, but was opposed to Parliamentary Reform.

Thus we have the spectacle of seven Royal princes,
of whom two succeeded to the Throne, all or nearly
all avowed politicians of decided convictions, throwing
the weight of their influence and social position for the
most part on the side of the Tory party, and believing
it to be rather their duty to hold and express strong
political opinions than to adopt the moderating and
conciliatory attitude in matters of government that
is now understood to be the true function of the
Royal House.

The Queen, after her accession, always showed great
respect and affection for her uncles, but they were not

1 Of the daughters of George III., Princess Amelia had died in 1810,
and the Queen of Wurtemberg in 1828 ; two married daughters survived
- Elizabeth, wife of the Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg, and Mary, who
had married her cousin the Duke of Gloucester, and lived in England.
There were also two unmarried daughters, the Princesses Augusta and Sophia,
living in England.

10 POLITICAL POSITION OF THE QUEEN [CHAP, i

able to exercise any influence over her character or
opinions.

This was partly due to the fact that from an early
age she had imbibed a respect for liberal views from
her uncle Leopold, King of the Belgians, to whom
she was devoted from her earliest childhood, and for
whom she entertained feelings of the deepest admira-
tion, affection, and confidence ; but still more was it
due to the fact that, from the very first, the Queen
instinctively formed an independent judgment on any
question that concerned her, and though she was un-
doubtedly influenced in her decisions by her affectionate
reliance on her chosen advisers, yet those advisers were
always deliberately and shrewdly selected, and their
opinions were in no case allowed to do more than modify
her own penetrating and clear-sighted judgment.

CHAPTER II

MEMOIR OF QUEEN VICTORIA'S EARLY YEARS

ALEXANDRINA VICTORIA, Queen of Great Britain
and Ireland and Empress of India, was born on Mon-
day, 24th May 1819, at Kensington Palace.

Her father, Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn
(1767-1820), the fourth son of George III., was a man
of considerable ability, humane, pious, punctual, with
a strict sense of duty and enlightened ideas. He was
a devoted soldier, and, as Queen Victoria once said,
" was proud of his profession, and I was always taught
to consider myself a soldier's child." He had a wide
military experience, having served at Gibraltar, in
Canada, and in the West Indies. He had been men-
tioned in despatches, but was said to be over-strict
in matters of unimportant detail. His active career
was brought to an end in 1802, when he had been sent
to Gibraltar to restore order in a mutinous garrison.
Order had been restored, but the Duke was recalled
under allegations of having exercised undue severity,
and the investigation which he demanded was refused
him, though he was afterwards made a Field-Marshal.

He was a man of advanced Liberal ideas. He had
spoken in the House of Lords in favour of Catholic
Emancipation, and had shown himself interested in the
abolition of slavery and in popular education. His
tastes were literary, and towards the end of his life he

12 THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF KENT [CHAP, n

had even manifested a strong sympathy for socialistic
theories.

At the time of the death of the Princess Charlotte,
6th November 1817, the married sons of King
George III. were without legitimate children, and
the surviving daughters were either unmarried or
childless. Alliances were accordingly arranged for the
three unmarried Royal Dukes, and in the course of
the year 1818 the Dukes of Cambridge, Kent, and
Clarence led their brides to the altar.

The Duchess of Kent (1786-1861), Victoria Mary
Louisa, was a daughter of Francis, Duke of Saxe-
Saalfeld-Coburg. She was the widow of Emich
Charles, Prince of Leiningen,1 whom she had married
in 1803, and who had died in 1814, leaving a son
and a daughter by her.

The Duke of Kent died prematurely — though he
had always been a conspicuously healthy man — at
Sidmouth, on the 23rd of January 1820, only a week
before his father.

A paper preserved in the Windsor archives gives
a touching account of the Duke's last hours. The
Regent, on the 22nd of January, sent to him a message
of solicitude and affection, expressing an anxious wish for
his recovery. The Duke roused himself to enquire how
the Prince was in health, and said, " If I could now
shake hands with him, I should die in peace." A few
hours before the end, one who stood by the curtain
of his bed heard the Duke say with deep emotion,
" May the Almighty protect my wife and child, and
forgive all the sins I have committed." His last words
- addressed to his wife — were, " Do not forget me."

The Duchess of Kent was an affectionate,
impulsive woman, with more intellectual ability, than

1 Leininyf.n, a mediatised princely House of Germany dating back to 1096.
In 1779 the head of one of the branches into which it had become divided,
the Count of Leiningen-Dachsburg-Hardenburg, was raised to the rank of
a prince of the Empire ; but the Peace of Luneville (1801) deprived him of
his ancient possessions, extending about 252 miles on the left bank of the
Rhine. Though no longer an independent prince, the head of the House
retains his rank and wealth, and owns extensive estates in Bavaria and Hesse.

CHAP, n] THE PARLIAMENTARY GRANT 13

practical wisdom in worldly matters. But her claim
on the gratitude of the British nation is that she
brought up her illustrious daughter in habits of
simplicity, self-sacrifice, and obedience.

As a testimony to the sincere appreciation enter-
tained by the politicians of the time for the way in
which the Duchess of Kent had appreciated her
responsibilities with regard to the education of a pro-
bable heir to the Crown of England, we may quote
a few sentences from two speeches made in the
House of Commons, in the debate which took place
(27th May 1825) on the question of increasing the
Parliamentary annuity paid to the Duchess, in order
to provide duly for the education of the young
Princess.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr Robinson,
afterwards Lord Ripon, said :

" The position in which this Princess stood with
respect to the throne of the country could not fail to
make her an object of general interest to the nation.
He had not himself the honour of being acquainted
with the Duchess of Kent, but he believed that she had
taken the greatest pains with her daughter's education.
She had been brought up in principles of piety and
morality, and to feel a proper sense, he meant by that
an humble sense, of her own dignity, and the rank
which probably awaited her. Perhaps it might have
been fit to have brought this matter before Parliament
at an earlier period."

Mr Canning said :

"All parties agreed in the propriety of the Grant,
and if Government had anything to answer for on
this point, it was for having so long delayed bringing
it before the House. There could not be a greater
compliment to Her Royal Highness than to state the
quiet unobtrusive tenor of her life, and that she had
never made herself the object of public gaze, but had
devoted herself to the education of her child, whom the
House was now called upon to adopt."

14 EARLY REMINISCENCES [CHAP, n

In the year 1872 Queen Victoria wrote down with
her own hand some reminiscences of her early child-
hood, the manuscript of which is preserved at Windsor,
and which may be quoted here.

" My earliest recollections are connected with
Kensington Palace, where I can remember crawling
on a yellow carpet spread out for that purpose — .and
being told that if I cried and was naughty my ' Uncle
Sussex ' would hear me and punish me, for which
reason I always screamed when I saw him ! I had
a great horror of Bishops on account of their wigs
and ap?*ons, but recollect this being partially got over
in the case of the then Bishop of Salisbury (Dr Fisher,
great-uncle to Mr Fisher, Private Secretary to the
Prince of Wales), by his kneeling down and letting
me play with his badge of Chancellor of the Order
of the Garter. With another Bishop, however, the
persuasion of showing him my * pretty shoes ' was
of no use. Claremont remains as the brightest epoch
of my otherwise rather melancholy childhood — where
to be under the roof of that beloved Uncle — to
listen to some music in the Hall when there were
dinner-parties, — and to go and see dear old Louis ! —
the former faithful and devoted Dresser and friend of
Princess Charlotte - - beloved and respected by all who
knew her — and who doted on the little Princess who
was too much an idol in the House. This dear old
lady was visited by every one — and was the only really
devoted Attendant of the poor Princess, whose
governesses paid little real attention to her — and who
never left her, and was with her when she died. I
used to ride a donkey given me by my Uncle, the
Duke of York, who was very kind to me. 1 remember
him well — tall, rather large, very kind but extremely
shy. He always gave me beautiful presents. The
last time I saw him was at Mr Greenwood's house,
where D. Carlos lived at one time, — when he wras
already very ill, — and he had Punch and Judy in the
garden for me.

" To Ramsgate we used to go frequently in the

. cA . iSi.

f^Jlent

t/ie.
ty &C.

ami

at (JJind^or ( a
ct/ter 'jlr'fyj. ZBeec/iey.

l/t

tc^orta

CHAP, n] THE QUEEN OF WURTEMBERG 15

summer, and I remember living at Townley House
(near the town), and going there by steamer. Mamma
was very unwell. Dear Uncle Leopold went with us.

" To Tunbridge Wells we also went, living at a
house called Mt. Pleasant, now an Hotel. Many
pleasant days were spent here, and the return to
Kensington in October or November was generally
a day of tears.

" I was brought up very simply — never had a room
to myself till I was nearly grown up — always slept
in my Mother's room till I came to the Throne. At
Claremont, and in the small houses at the bathing-
places, I sat and took my lessons in my Governess's
bedroom. I was not fond of learning as a little child —
and baffled every attempt to teach me my letters
up to 5 years old — when I consented to learn them
by their being written down before me.

" I remember going to Carlton House when George
IV. lived there, as quite a little child before a dinner
the King gave. The Duchess of Cambridge and my
2 cousins, George and Augusta, were there. My
Aunt, the Queen of Wiirtemberg (Princess Royal)
came over, in the year '26 I think, and I recollect
perfectly well seeing her drive through the Park in
the King's carriage with red liveries and 4 horses,
in a Cap and evening dress, — my Aunt, her sister
Princess Augusta, sitting opposite to her, also in
evening attire, having dined early with the Duke of
Sussex at Kensington. She had adopted all the
German fashions and spoke broken English — and had
not been in England for many many years. She was
very kind and good-humoured but very large and
unwieldy. . She lived at St. James's and had a number
of Germans with her. In the year '26 (I think)
George IV. asked my Mother, my Sister and me down
to Windsor for the first time ; he had been on bad
terms with my poor father when he died, — and took
hardly any notice of the poor widow and little fatherless
girl, who were so poor at the time of his (the Duke of
Kent's) death, that they could not have travelled back

16 GEORGE IV. AND PRINCESS VICTORIA [CHAP, n

to Kensington Palace had it not been for the kind
assistance of my dear Uncle, Prince Leopold. We
went to Cumberland Lodge, the King living at the
Royal Lodge. Aunt Gloucester was there at the same
time. When we arrived at the Royal Lodge the King
took me by the hand, saying : ' Give me your little
paw.' He was large and gouty but with a wonder-
ful dignity and charm of manner. He wore the wig
which was so much worn in those days. Then he
said he would give me something for me to wear
and that was his picture set in diamonds, which was
worn by the Princesses as an order to a blue ribbon
on the left shoulder. I was very proud of this, — and
Lady Conyngham pinned it on my shoulder. Her
husband, the late Marquis of Conyngham, was the
Lord Chamberlain and constantly there, as well
as Lord Mt. Charles (as Vice- Chamberlain), the
present Lord Conyngham.

" None of the Royal Family or general visitors lived
at the Royal Lodge, but only the Conyngham family ;
all the rest at Cumberland Lodge. Lady Maria
Conyngham (now dead, first wife to Lord Athlumney,
daughter of Lord Conyngham), then quite young, and
Lord Graves (brother-in-law to Lord Anglesey and
who afterwards shot himself on account of his wife's
conduct, who was a Lady of the Bedchamber), were
desired to take me a drive to amuse me. I went with
them, and Baroness (then Miss) Lehzen (my governess)
in a pony carriage and 4, with 4 grey ponies (like
my own), and was driven about the Park and taken
to Sandpit Gate where the King had a Menagerie
— with wapitis, gazelles, chamois, etc., etc. Then
we went (I think the next day) to Virginia Water,
and met the King in his phaeton in which he was
driving the Duchess of Gloucester, — and he said * Pop
her in,' and I was lifted in and placed between him
and Aunt Gloucester who held me round the waist.
(Mamma was much frightened.) I was greatly pleased,
and remember that I looked with great respect at the
scarlet liveries, etc. (the Royal Family had crimson and

CHAP, n] VISITS TO WINDSOR 17

green liveries and only the King scarlet and blue in
those days). We drove round the nicest part of
Virginia Water and stopped at the Fishing Temple.
Here there was a large barge and every one went on
board and fished, while a band played in another !
There were numbers of great people there, amongst
whom was the last Duke of Dorset then Master of the
Horse. The King paid great attention to my Sister,1
and some people fancied he might marry her ! ! She
was very lovely then — about 18 — and had charming
manners, about which the King was extremely
particular. I afterwards went with Baroness Lehzen
and Lady Maria C. to the Page Whiting's cottage.
Whiting had been at one time in my father's service.
He lived where Mr Walsh now does (and where
he died years ago) in the small cottage close by ;
and here 1 had some fruit and amused myself by
cramming one of Whiting's children, a little girl,
with peaches. I came after dinner to hear the band
play in the Conservatory which is still standing, and
which was lit up by coloured lamps — the King, Royal
Family, etc., sitting in a corner of the large saloon
which still stands.

"On the second visit (I think] the following year,
also in summer, there was a great encampment of tents
(the same which were used at the Camp at Chobham
in '53, and some single ones at the Breakfasts at
Buckingham Palace in '68-9), and which were quite
like a house, made into different compartments. It
rained dreadfully on this occasion I well remember.
The King and party dined there, Prince and Princess
Lieven, the Russian Ambassador and Ambassadress
were there.

" I also remember going to see Aunt Augusta at
Frogmore where she lived always in the summer.

" We lived in a very simple plain manner ; breakfast
was at half past eight, luncheon at half past one, dinner
at seven — to which I came generally (when it was no

1 The Princess Feodore of Leiningen, afterwards Princess of Hohenlohe,
Queen Victoria's half-sister.
VOL. i. —2

18 DUCHESS OF S AXE-COB URG-S A ALFELD [CHAP, n

regular large dinner party) - - eating my bread and milk
out of a small silver basin. Tea was only allowed as a
great treat in later years.

"In 1826 (I think) my dear Grandmother, the
Dowager Duchess of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, came to
Claremont, in the summer. Mamma and my sister
went on part of the way to meet her, and Uncle
Leopold I think had been to fetch her as far as Dover.
I recollect the excitement and anxiety I was in, at this
event, — going down the great flight of steps to meet
her when she got out of the carriage, and hearing her
say, when she sat down in her room, and fixed her fine
clear blue eyes on her little grand-daughter whom she
called in her letters * the flower of May,' * Ein schdnes
Kind ' — 'a fine child.' She was very clever and adored
by her children but especially by her sons. She was a
good deal bent and walked with a stick, and frequently
with her hands on her back. She took long drives in
an open carriage and I was frequently sent out with
her, which I am sorry to confess I did not like, as,
like most children of that age, I preferred running
about. She was excessively kind to children, but could
not bear naughty ones — and I shall never forget her
coming into the room when I had been crying and
naughty at my lessons — from the next room but one,
where she had been with Mamma — and scolding me
severely, which had a very salutary effect. She dined
early in the afternoon and Uncle Leopold asked many
of the neighbours and others to dinner to meet her.
My brother Prince Leiningen came over with her, and
was at that time paying his court to one of her ladies,
Countess Klebelsberg, whom he afterwards married —
against the wish of his grandmother and mother — but
which was afterwards quite made up. In November
(I think, or it may have been at the end of October)
she left, taking my sister with her back to Coburg.
I was very ill at that time, of dysentery, which illness
increased to an alarming degree ; many children died
of it in the village of Esher. The Doctor lost his head,
having lost his own child from it, and almost every

CHAP, n] THE EDUCATION OF THE PRINCESS 19

doctor in London was away. Mr Blagden came down
and showed much energy on the occasion. I recovered,
and remember well being very cross and screaming
dreadfully at having to wear, for a time, flannel next
my skin. Up to my 5th year I had been very much
indulged by every one, and set pretty well all at
defiance. Old Baroness de Spath, the devoted Lady
of my Mother, my Nurse Mrs Brock, dear old Mrs
Louis — all worshipped the poor little fatherless child
whose future then was still very uncertain ; my Uncle
the Duke of Clarence's poor little child being alive,
and the Duchess of Clarence had one or two others
later. At 5 years old, Miss Lehzen was placed about
me, and though she was most kind, she was very firm
and I had a proper respect for her. I was naturally
very passionate, but always most contrite afterwards.
I was taught from the first to beg my maid's pardon
for any naughtiness or rudeness towards her ; a feeling
I have ever retained, and think every one should own
their fault in a kind way to any one, be he or she
the lowest — if one has been rude to or injured them
by word or deed, especially those below you. People
wilLreadily forget an insult or an injury when others
own their fault, and express sorrow or regret at what
they have done."

In 1830 the Duchess of Kent wished to be satisfied
that the system of education then being pursued with
the Princess was based on the right lines, and that
due moral and intellectual progress was being made.
A memorandum, carefully preserved among the
archives, gives an interesting account of the steps
which she took to this end.

" The Duchess therefore brought the matter under
the consideration of those whom, from their eminent
piety, great learning and high station, she considered
best calculated to afford her valuable advice upon so
important a subject. She stated to the Bishops
of London and Lincoln1 the particular course which

1 Cho.rles James Blomfield, Bishop of London 1828-1856, and John Kaye,
Bishop of Lincoln 1827-1853.

20 LETTER TO THE BISHOPS [CHAP. »

had been followed in the Princess's education, and
requested their Lordships to test the result by personal
examination. The nature and objects of Her Royal
Highness's appeal to these eminent prelates will be
best shown by the following extracts from her letter
to the Bishops : —

" ' The Princess will be eleven years of age in
May ; by the death of her revered father when she
was but eight months old, her sole care and charge
devolved to me. Stranger as I then was, I became
deeply impressed with the absolute necessity of
bringing her up entirely in this country, that every
feeling should be that of Her native land, and prov-
ing thereby my devotion to duty by rejecting all
those feelings of home and kindred that divided my
heart.

" ' When the Princess approached her fifth year
I considered it the proper time to begin in a moderate
way her education — an education that was to fit Her
to be either the Sovereign of these realms, or to fill
a junior station in the Royal Family, until the Will
of Providence should shew at a later period what
Her destiny was to be.

" ' A revision of the papers I send you herewith
will best shew your Lordships the system pursued,
the progress made, etc. I attend almost always
myself every lesson, or a part ; and as the Lady about
the Princess is a competent person, she assists Her in
preparing Her lessons for the various masters, as I
resolved to act in that manner so as to be Her
Governess myself. I naturally hope that I have
pursued that course most beneficial to all the great
interests at stake. At the present moment no concern
can be more momentous, or in which the consequences,
the interests of the Country, can be more at stake,
than the education of its future Sovereign.

" ' I feel the time to be now come that what has
been done should be put to some test, that if any-
thing has been done in error of judgment it may be

CHAP, n] RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION 21

corrected, and that the plan for the future should be
open to consideration and revision. I do not presume
to have an over-confidence in what I have done ; on
the contrary, as a female, as a stranger (but only in
birth, as I feel that this is my country by the duties
I fulfil, and the support I receive), I naturally desire
to have a candid opinion from authorities competent
to give one. In that view I address your Lordships ;
I would propose to you that you advert to all I have
stated, to the papers I lay before you, and that then
you should personally examine the Princess with a
view of telling me —

" ' 1. If the course hitherto pursued in Her educa-
tion has been the best; if not, where it was
erroneous.
" ' 2. If the Princess has made all the Progress she

should have made.

'"3. And if the course I am to follow is that you
would recommend, and if not in what respect
you would desire a change, and on what
grounds.

" ' Mr Davys l will explain to you the nature of the
Princess's religious education, which I have confided
to him, that she should be brought up in the Church
of England as by Law established. When she was
at a proper age she commenced attending Divine
Service regularly with me, and I have every feeling,
that she has religion at her heart, that she is morally
impressed with it to that degree, that she is less liable
to error by its application to her feelings as a Child
capable of reflection. The general bent of Her
character is strength of intellect, capable of receiving
with ease, information, and with a peculiar readiness
in coming to a very just and benignant decision on
any point Her opinion is asked on. Her adherence
to truth is of so marked a character that I feel no
apprehension of that Bulwark being broken down by
any circumstance.

1 The Rev. George Davys, the Princess's instructor, afterwards successively
Dean of Chester and Bishop of Peterborough.

22 RESULT OF EXAMINATION [CHAP, n

" ' I must conclude by observing that as yet the
Princess is not aware of the station that she is likely
to fill. She is aware of its duties, and that a Sovereign
should live for others ; so that when her innocent mind
receives the impression of Her future fate, she receives
it with a mind formed to be sensible of what is to be
expected from Her, and it is to be hoped, she will be
too well grounded in Her principles to be dazzled with
the station she is to look to.'

" The examination was undertaken by the Bishops,
with highly satisfactory results. Their report says :

" * The result of the examination has been such as
in our opinion amply to justify the plan of instruction
which has been adopted. In answering a great variety
of questions proposed to her, the Princess displayed an
accurate knowledge of the most important features of
Scripture History, and of the leading truths and pre-
cepts of the Christian Religion as taught by the Church
of England, as well as an acquaintance with the
Chronology and principal facts of English History
remarkable in so young a person. To questions
in Geography, the use of the Globes, Arithmetic,
and Latin Grammar, the answers which the Princess
returned were equally satisfactory.

" ' Upon the whole we feel no hesitation in stating
our opinion that the Princess should continue for some
time to come, to pursue her studies upon the same
plan which has been hitherto followed, and under the
same superintendence. Nor do we apprehend that any
other alterations in the plan will be required than those
which will be gradually made by the judicious director
of Her Highness's studies, as the mind expands, and
her faculties are strengthened.'

" The Duchess of Kent referred all this corre-
spondence to the Archbishop of Canterbury.1 His
memorandum is preserved ; it states he has considered

* Dr William Howley.

CHAP, n] SPEECH BY THE DUCHESS OF KENT 23

the report, and further, has himself personally
examined the Princess. He continues : —

" * I feel it my duty to say that in my judgment the
plan of Her Highness's studies, as detailed in the papers
transmitted to me by command of your Royal High-
ness, is very judicious, and particularly suitable to Her
Highness's exalted station ; and that from the proficiency
exhibited by the Princess in the examination at which
I was present, and the general correctness and pertinency
of her answers, I am perfectly satisfied that Her High-
ness's education in regard to cultivation of intellect,
improvement of talent, and religious and moral principle,
is conducted with so much care and success as to render
any alteration of the system undesirable.'

" The Princess was gradually and watchfully intro-
duced to public life, and was never allowed to lose
sight of the fact that her exalted position carried
with it definite and obvious duties. The following
speech, delivered at Plymouth in 1832, in answer
to a complimentary deputation, may stand as an
instance of the view which the Duchess of Kent
took of her own and her daughter's responsibilities : —

" ' It is very agreeable to the Princess and myself
to hear the sentiments you convey to us. It is also
gratifying to us to be assured that we owe all these
kind feelings to the attachment you bear the King, as
well as to his Predecessors of the House of Brunswick,
from recollections of their paternal sway. The object
of my life is to render the Princess worthy of the
affectionate solicitude she inspires, and if it be the
Will of Providence she should fill a higher station (I
trust most fervently at a very distant day), I shall be
fully repaid for my anxious care, if she is found com-
petent to discharge the sacred trust ; for communicating
as the Princess does with all classes of Society, she
cannot but perceive that the greater the diffusion of
Religion, Knowledge, and the love of freedom in a
country, the more orderly, industrious, and wealthy is

24 CLAREMONT [CHAP, n

its population, and that with the desire to preserve
the constitutional Prerogatives of the Crown ought to
be co-ordinate the protection of the liberties of the
people.'1

The strictness of the regime under which the
Princess was brought up is remarkable ; and it is
possible that her later zest for simple social pleasures
is partly to be accounted for by the austere routine
of her early days. In an interesting letter of 1843
to the Queen, recalling the days of their childhood,
Princess Feodore, the Queen's half-sister, wrote : —

" Many, many thanks, dearest Victoria, for your kind
letter of the 7th from dear Claremont. Oh I under-
stand how you like being there. Claremont is a dear
quiet place ; to me also the recollection of the few
pleasant days I spent during my youth. I always left
Claremont with tears for Kensington Palace. When
I look back upon those years, which ought to have
been the happiest in my life, from fourteen to twenty,
I cannot help pitying myself. Not to have enjoyed
the pleasures of youth is nothing, but to have been
deprived of all intercourse, and not one cheerful thought
in that dismal existence of ours, was very hard. My
only happy time was going or driving out with you
and Lehzen ; then I could speak and look as I liked ;
I escaped some years of imprisonment, which you, my
poor darling sister, had to endure after I was married.
But God Almighty has changed both our destinies
most mercifully, and has made us so happy in our
homes — which is the only real happiness in this life ;
and those years of trial were, I am sure, very useful
to us both, though certainly not pleasant. Thank God
they are over ! . . . 1 was much amused in your last
letter at your tracing the quickness of our tempers in
the female line up to Grandmamma,1 but I must own
that you are quite right ! "

But if there was little amusement, there was, on

1 Augusta Caroline Sophia, Dowager-Duchess of Saxe-Saalfeld-Coburg, a
princess of Reuss Ebersdorf (1757-1831).

- <y-t»ufi r-t
^/rcnn -th? r////> iiifiitv ft f - J'lickinahcim ^Salrn-/ -

CHAP, n] WILLIAM IV. AND PRINCESS VICTORIA 25

the other hand, great devotion ; the Princess, as a child,
had that peculiar combination of self-will and warm-
heartedness which is apt to win for a child a special
love from its elders. The Princess Feodore wrote to
the Queen, in 1843: —

"... Spath l wished me to thank you for the
coronation print, as she could not write to you or
Albert now, she says ! why, I don't see. There
certainly never was such devotedness as hers, to all
our family, although it sometimes shows itself rather
foolishly — with you it always was a sort of idolatry,
when she used to go upon her knees before you, when
you were a child. She and poor old Louis did all
they could to spoil you, if Lehzen had not prevented
and scolded them nicely sometimes ; it was quite
amusing."

The Princess was brought up with exemplary
simplicity at Kensington Palace, where her mother
had a set of apartments. She was often at Claremont,
which belonged to her uncle Leopold, King of the
Belgians ; holidays were spent at Ramsgate, Tunbridge
Wells, Broadstairs and elsewhere.

In June, 1830, George IV. died, and William IV.
succeeded to the throne. He had no legitimate
offspring living ; and it consequently became practi-
cally certain that if the Princess outlived her uncle
she would succeed him on the throne. The Duchess
of Kent's Parliamentary grant was increased, and she
took advantage of her improved resources to familiarise
the Princess with the social life of the nation. They
paid visits to historic houses and important towns,
and received addresses. This was a wise and prudent
course, but the King spoke with ill-humour of his
niece's " royal progresses." The chief cause of offence
was that the Princess was not allowed by the Duchess
of Kent to make her public appearances under his own
auspices, as he not unnaturally desired. He also
began to suspect that the Princess was deliberately kept

1 Baroness Spath, Lady-in-Waiting to the Duchess of Kent.

26 THE ACCESSION [CHAP, n

away from Court ; in truth the Duchess disapproved
of the tone of the Court, and became gradually
estranged from her brother-in-law, in spite of the
affectionate attempts of Queen Adelaide to smooth
matters over. His resentment culminated in a painful
scene, in 1836. when the King, at a State banquet at
Windsor, made a speech of a preposterous character ;
speaking of the Duchess, who sat next him, as "that
person," hinting that she was surrounded with evil
advisers, and adding that he should insist on the
Princess being more at Court. The Princess burst
into tears ; the Duchess sate in silence : when the
banquet was over, the Duchess ordered her carriage,
and was with difficulty prevailed upon to remain at
Windsor for the night. The King went so far in
May 1837 as to offer the Princess an independent
income, and the acceptance of this by the Princess
caused the Duchess considerable vexation ; but the
project dropped. The King died in the following
month, soon after the Princess had attained her legal
majority ; he had always hoped that the Duchess
would not be Regent, and his wish was thus fulfilled.

It is no exaggeration to say that the accession of
the Princess Victoria reinstated the English monarchy
in the affections of the people. George IV. had
made the throne unpopular ; William IV. had restored
its popularity, but not its dignity. Both of these
kings were men of decided ability, but of unbalanced
temperament. In politics both kings had followed a
somewhat similar course. George IV. had begun life
as a strong Whig, and had been a close friend of
Fox. Later in life his political position resolved
itself into a strong dislike of Roman Catholic Relief.
William IV. had begun his reign favourably inclined
to Parliamentary Reform ; but though gratified by
the personal popularity which his attitude brought
him in the country, he became alarmed at the
national temper displayed. It illustrates the tension
of the King's mind on the subject that, when he was
told that if the Reform Bill did not pass it would

CHAP, n] CHARACTER AND TEMPERAMENT 27

bring about a rebellion, he replied that if it did bring
about a rebellion he did not care: he should defend
London and raise the Royal Standard at Weedon
(where there was a military depot) ; and that the
Duchess of Kent and the Princess Victoria might
come in if they could.

The reign of William IV. had witnessed the
zenith of Whig efficiency. It had seen the establish-
ment of Parliamentary and Municipal Reform, the
Abolition of Slavery, the New Poor Law, and other
important measures. But, towards the end of the
reign, the Whig party began steadily to lose ground,
and the Tories to consolidate themselves. Lord
Melbourne had succeeded Lord Grey at the head of
the Whigs, and the difference of administration was
becoming every month more and more apparent.
The King indeed went so far as abruptly to dismiss
his ministers, but Parliament was too strong for him.
Lord Melbourne's principles were fully as liberal as
Lord Grey's, but he lacked practical initiative, with
the result that the Whigs gradually forfeited popular
estimation and became discredited. The new reign,
however, brought them a decided increase of strength.
The Princess had been brought up with strong Whig
leanings, and, as is clear from her letters, with an equally
strong mistrust of Tory principles and politicians.

A word may here be given to the Princess's own
character and temperament. She was high-spirited
and wilful, but devotedly affectionate, and almost
typically feminine. She had a strong sense of duty
and dignity, and strong personal prejudices. Confident,
in a sense, as she was, she had the feminine instinct
strongly developed of dependence upon some manly
adviser. She was full of high spirits, and enjoyed
excitement and life to the full. She liked the stir
of London, was fond of dancing, of concerts, plays,
and operas, and devoted to open-air exercise. Another
important trait in her character must be noted. She
had strong monarchical views and dynastic sympathies,
but she had no aristocratic preferences ; at the same

28 SYMPATHY WITH THE MIDDLE CLASSES [CHAP, n

time she had no democratic principles, but believed
firmly in the due subordination of classes. The
result of the parliamentary and municipal reforms of
William IV.'s reign had been to give the middle classes
a share in the government of the country, and it was
supremely fortunate that the Queen, by a providential
gift of temperament, thoroughly understood the middle-
class point of view. The two qualities that are most
characteristic of British middle-class life are common-
sense, and family affection ; and on these particular
virtues the Queen's character was based ; so that by a
happy intuition she was able to interpret and express
the spirit and temper of that class which, throughout
her reign, was destined to hold the balance of political
power in its hands. Behind lay a deep sense of religion,
the religion which centres in the belief in the Father-
hood of God, and is impatient of dogmatic distinctions
and subtleties.

CHAPTER III

QUEEN VICTORIA'S RELATIONS AND FRIENDS

IT may be held to have been one of the chief bless-
ings of Queen Victoria's girlhood that she was brought
closely under the influence of an enlightened and
large-minded prince, Leopold, her maternal uncle,
afterwards King of the Belgians. He was born in
1790, being the youngest son of Francis, Duke of
Saxe-Saalfeld-Coburg, and his youth was spent in
the Russian military service. He had shown talent and
courage in the field, and had commanded a battalion
at Liitzen and Leipsic. He had married, in 1816,
with the Princess Charlotte, only child of George IV.
For many years his home was at Claremont, where
the Princess Charlotte had died ; there the Princess
Victoria spent many happy holidays, and grew to
regard her uncle with the most devoted affection,
almost, indeed, in the light of a father. It is said
that Prince Leopold had hoped to be named Regent,
if a Regency should be necessary.1 He was offered, and
accepted, the throne of Greece in 1830, but shrank
from the difficulties of the position, and withdrew
his acceptance upon the plea that Lord Aberdeen,
who was then Foreign Secretary, was not prepared

1 A practical proof of his interest in his niece may be found in the fact
that for years he contributed between three and four thousand a year to
the expenses of her education, and for necessary holidays by the sea, at
a time when the Duchess of Kent's Parliamentary Grant was unequal to the
increasing expenses of her household.

30 THE KING OF THE BELGIANS [CHAP, m

to make such financial arrangements as he considered
satisfactory.1 King Leopold long afterwards, in a
letter to Duke Ernest of Saxe-Coburg in 1862,
expressed a conviction that Metternich had been the
originating cause of the difficulties which arose.

It is interesting to observe from the correspondence
that King Leopold seems for many years to have
continued to regret his decision ; it was not that
he did not devote himself, heart and soul, to the
country of his adoption, but there seems to have
been a romantic element in his composition, which
did not find its full satisfaction in presiding over
the destinies of a peaceful commercial nation.

In 1831, when Louis Philippe, under pressure
from Lord Palmerston, declined the throne of Belgium
for his son the Due de Nemours, Prince Leopold
received and accepted an offer of the Crown. A
Dutch invasion followed, and the new King showed
great courage and gallantry in an engagement near
Louvain, in which his army was hopelessly out-
numbered. But, though a sensitive man, the King's
high courage and hopefulness never deserted him.
He ruled his country with diligence, ability, and
wisdom, and devoted himself to encouraging manu-
factures and commerce. The result of his firm
and liberal rule was manifested in 1848, when, on
his offering to resign the Crown if it was thought
to be for the best interests of the country, he was
entreated, with universal acclamation, to retain the
sovereignty. Belgium passed through the troubled
years of revolution in comparative tranquillity.
King Leopold was a model ruler ; his deportment
was grave and serious ; he was conspicuous for honesty
and integrity ; he was laborious and upright, and
at the same time conciliatory and tactful.

He kept up a close correspondence with Queen
Victoria, and paid her several visits in England, where

1 Greece after having obtained autonomy was in a practically bankrupt
condition, and the Powers had guaranteed the financial credit of the country
until it was able to develop its own resources.

CHAP, m] HIS INFLUENCE ON PRINCESS VICTORIA 31

he was on intimate terms with many leading English-
men. It would be difficult to over-estimate the
importance of his close relations with the Queen ;
by example and precept he inspired her with a
high sense of duty, and from the first instilled into
her mind the necessity of acquainting herself closely
with the details of political administration. His
wisdom, good sense, and tenderness, as well as the
close tie of blood that existed between him and
the Queen, placed him in a unique position with
regard to her, and it is plain that he was fully aware
of the high responsibility thus imposed upon him,
which he accepted with a noble generosity. It is
true that there were occasions when, as the corre-
spondence reveals, the Queen was disposed to think
that King Leopold endeavoured to exercise too
minute a control over her in matters of detail, and
even to attempt to modify the foreign policy of
England rather for the benefit of Belgium than in
the best interests of Great Britain ; but the Queen
was equal to these emergencies ; she expressed her
dissent from the King's suggestion in considerate and
affectionate terms, with her gratitude for his advice,
but made no pretence of following it.

For her aunt, Queen Adelaide, the Princess Victoria
had always felt a strong affection ; and though it can
hardly be said that this gentle and benevolent lady
exercised any great influence over her more vigorous
and impetuous niece, yet the letters will testify to
the closeness of the tie which united them.

Queen Adelaide was the eldest child of George,
Duke of Saxe-Meiningen ; her mother was a princess
of Hohenlohe-Langenburg. At the age of twenty-six
she was married to the Duke of Clarence, then in
his fifty-third year, without any preliminary courtship.
They lived for a year in Hanover, and then principally
at Bushey Park. Two daughters were born to them,
the elder of whom lived only a few hours ; the younger,
Princess Elizabeth, died in the first year of her age.
Their married life was a happy one, in spite of the

S2 QUEEN ADELAIDE [CHAP, m

disparity of age. Queen Adelaide was a woman of a
deeply affectionate disposition, sensible, sympathetic,
and religious. She had a very definite ideal of the
duties of a wife and a Queen ; she made it her
pleasure to meet and anticipate, as far as possible,
her husband's wishes ; and her husband, hasty and
choleric though he was, repaid her with tender affec-
tion. To such an extent did the Queen merge her
views in those of her husband, that she passed at
one time through a period of general unpopularity.
It was believed that she was adverse to Reform, and
used her influence against it. She was mobbed in
the streets at the time when the Reform agitation
was at its height ; and it is said that when the
Melbourne Ministry of 1834 was dismissed, London
was (owing to an unjustifiable communication of Lord
Brougham to the Times] placarded with posters bearing
the words, " The Queen has done it all ! "

It is a pathetic instance of the irony of fate that
Queen Adelaide should have thus been supposed to
desire to take an active part in politics. It is
obvious, from her letters, that she had practically no
political views at all, except a gentle distrust of all
proposed changes, social or political. Her one idea
of her position as Queen was to agree with any
expression of opinion that fell from the King. She
was fond of music, and took a deep interest in her
religious duties and in all that concerned the welfare
of the Protestant communion. But apart from this
her interests were entirely domestic and personal, and
her letters reveal her character in the most amiable
light. Her devotion to the King, and the tender and
respectful diffidence with which she welcomed her
niece to the Throne, show a very sweet nature.

The rest of her life, after King William's death,
was passed to a great extent under invalid conditions,
though she was only forty-four at the time of her
niece's accession. She travelled a good deal in search
of health, and lived a quiet life in England, sur-
rounded by a small but devoted circle of friends

CHAP, in] BARONESS LEHZEN 33

and relations. Her personal popularity with the
nation became very great, not only for the simple
kindliness of her life, but for her splendid munificence ;
it is said that her public subscriptions often exceeded
£20,000 a year. She died in December 1849. Queen
Victoria was very much attached to her gentle, simple-
minded, and tender-hearted aunt, and treated her with
the utmost consideration and an almost daughterly
affection.

Another person who had a large share in forming
the Queen's character was Louise Lehzen, the daughter
of a Hanoverian clergyman, who came to England as
governess to Princess Feodore of Leiningen, Queen
Victoria's half-sister, shortly before the Queen's birth.
In 1824 she became governess to the Princess Victoria.
In 1827 George IV. conferred upon her the rank
of a Hanoverian Baroness. When the Duchess of
Northumberland, in 1830, was appointed the Princess's
official governess, she remained as lady in attendance.
The Princess was devoted to her, but " greatly in awe
of her." She remained at Court after the accession
till 1842, without holding an official position, and
then returned to Germany, where she died in 1870.

Baron Stockmar was another of the interesting
personalities who came into very close contact with the
Queen in her early years. He was forty-nine at the
time of the accession, but he had come to England
more than twenty years before as private physician to
Prince Leopold. He endeared himself to the Princess
Charlotte, who died holding his hand. He afterwards
became Prince Leopold's private secretary, and took
a prominent part as the Prince's representative in
the successive negotiations with regard to his candida-
ture for the thrones of Greece and Belgium. Upon
the accession of Queen Victoria, Stockmar joined the
Court in a private capacity, and for fifteen months he
held an unofficial position as her chief adviser. There
was a general feeling of dislike in the minds of the
English public to the German influences that were
supposed to be brought to bear on the Queen ; and

VOL. i. —3

34 BARON STOCKMAR [CHAP, m

Lord Melbourne found it necessary to make a public
and categorical denial of the statement that Stockmar
was acting as the Queen's private secretary. But
the statement, if not technically, was virtually true.
Stockmar lived at Court, had interviews with the
Queen and her Ministers, and though he industriously
endeavoured to efface himself, yet there is no doubt
that he was consulted on most important questions.
In 1838, he had been entrusted by King Leopold,
with the Queen's knowledge and consent, with a mis-
sion of great delicacy : he was asked to accompany
Prince Albert on a tour in Italy, with the idea of
completing his education, and in order to satisfy
himself that the Prince would be a worthy Consort
for the Queen. This task he discharged admirably,
and became the most confidential and trusted of all
the Prince's friends. There are many letters of
Stockmar's to the Prince extant, which prove that
Stockmar never shrank from speaking the plainest
truth to the Prince on matters of duty and faults
of temperament, without any courtier - like attempt
to blink criticism that might have been unpalatable.
The Prince had the generosity and humility to value
this trait of Stockmar's very highly, to such an extent
that Stockmar's influence possessed if anything too
great a preponderance. Stockmar had jealously nursed
two profound political ideals — the unity of Germany
under Prussia, and the establishment of close relations
between Germany and England. He induced Prince
Albert, heavily burdened as he was with work, to
devote almost too much time and thought to the
former of these aims. Stockmar was a profound
student of social and constitutional questions. He
had made a close study of English political institu-
tions ; but though he grasped the constitutional theory
of the English Throne, and saw that the first necessity
for the Sovereign was to hold a position independent
of party, he never clearly understood that the Monarch
should keep as far as possible clear of political details.
Stockmar's view of the position was that the Sovereign

CHAP, m] BARON STOCKMAR 35

should be practically Premier as well ; and much of
the jealousy that was felt, on various occasions, at the
position which Prince Albert assumed with regard to
political situations, is referable to Stockmar's influence.

He was a very able man, with immense political
knowledge, and without personal ambition ; Lord
Palmerston, who was no friend to Stockmar's theory
of government, admitted that he was the most dis-
interested man he had ever encountered. Stockmar's
ambition was to achieve his own political ideals, and
to modify the course of events in what he conceived
to be beneficial directions ; he was entirely indifferent to
the trappings of power, and this very disinterestedness
made his influence more supreme.

He suffered all his life from feeble health and a
hypochondriacal tendency, and was genuinely fond of
retirement and quiet life. He certainly deserved the
devoted confidence reposed in him by Prince Albert
and the Queen ; it may perhaps be questioned whether
his own doctrinaire bias did not make itself too
strongly felt, in the minuteness with which Prince
Albert dealt with English politics ; but the net result
of his influence was that the danger, which lies in
wait for strictly constitutional Sovereigns, was averted
— the danger, that is, of leaving the administration of
State affairs in the hands of specialists, and depriving
it of the wise control and independent criticism which
only the Crown can adequately supply.

INTRODUCTORY NOTE
TO CHAPTER IV

QUEEN VICTORIA, from the very first, took great pleasure in fil-
ing the correspondence addressed to her. There are many volumes
of letters received from her various relations. We have thought
it best to give some of Queen Adelaide's early letters ; they
indicate in a remarkable manner the growing estrangement between
King William IV. and the Duchess of Kent. In the earlier
letters the King enquires very affectionately after the Duchess,
and constant mention is made of presents sent to her; but the
references made to her become less frequent and colder, till at
last the King contents himself with sending messages only to the
Princess. But the letters of Queen Adelaide are always written
in a strain of touching devotion and affection, and reveal her as
a woman of large heart and great simplicity of character.

But the most interesting series of letters are the Queen's own
correspondence with King Leopold, of which several hundred are
preserved. The letters, too, received by her from the King of
the Belgians, are preserved in their entirety.

The letters which the Queen wrote to King Leopold are of
extraordinary interest ; she kept up an unbroken correspondence
with him, and spoke freely of all that was in her mind. Two
points are worthy of special mention : though she was early con-
vinced of the necessity of holding an independent constitutional
position in politics, she mentions the Tory party with undisguised
mistrust ; and further, the name of King William hardly ever
occurs until his last illness.

King Leopold's early letters reveal his character in the most
amiable light. He familiarised the Queen with all the complicated
details of foreign politics ; he gave her the most sensible and wise
advice ; he warned and encouraged her ; he answered her enquiries
with the minutest care : and the warm affection to which he gave
frequent expression is a very sacred and beautiful thing to
contemplate.

We have selected several of the Princess Victoria's letters
to the King of the Belgians before her accession, because they
throw a remarkable light upon her temperament. In the first
place, they reveal the deep affectionateness of her character, and,
what is still more remarkable at her age, her frankness and out-
spokenness in expressing her feelings.

1821-35] THE KING OF THE BELGIANS 37

In the second place, they show with what interest and eagerness
the Princess was following the course of foreign politics. Her
view was naturally a personal one, but it may be said that there
can have been very few, if any, girls in England, of the Princess's
age, who were taking any interest at all in Continental affairs.
It is true that King Leopold had early impressed upon the Princess
that it was a duty to become acquainted with the course of current
events ; but the letters show that the interest she felt was congenial
and innate, and did not spring from a sense of duty. The allusions
to home politics are not so frequent, but still show that here also
her attention was alert.

Thirdly, they reveal her abounding vitality, her love of life
and amusement, her devotion to music, and the simple unspoilt
zest with which she threw herself into all that surrounded her.

There is a special interest which attaches to the correspondence
between Queen Victoria and King Leopold after the Accession.
The letters reveal, as no other documents could do, the monarchical
point of view. However intimate may be the relations between
a Sovereign and a subject, there is bound to appear a certain
discretion, and even condescension, on the one hand, and on the
other a due degree of deference. But here we have the remarkable
spectacle of two monarchs, both of eminent sagacity, and both, so
to speak, frankly interested in the task of constitutional govern-
ment, corresponding freely on all the difficulties and problems
inseparable from their momentous task, and with an immense
sense of their weighty responsibilities. It is impossible to
exaggerate the deep and abiding interest of such a correspondence ;
and the seriousness, the devotion, the public spirit that is displayed,
without affectation or calculated impressiveness, make the whole
series of letters singularly memorable.

The King of the Belgians had married Princess Louise of
Orleans, daughter of Louis Philippe, in 1832. She was only
seven years older than the Princess Victoria, who grew to regard
her with the tenderest affection.

The letters from Queen Louise are very numerous. A few
are in French, but they are mostly written in brisk, lively English,
not always very correct, either in construction or in spelling.
They are full of small family details — the movements of various
relations, the improvement in her brothers'* looks, Court festivities,
the childish ailments of her little boys, the journeys and expedi-
tions, recollections of Windsor, their visitors, elaborate descriptions
of dresses — interesting to read, but difficult to select from. They
are full of heart-felt expressions of the sincerest affection for "your
dear Majesty,"" a quaint phrase that often occurs.

After their marriage in 1840, Prince Albert naturally became
the Queen's confidential Secretary.

38 INTRODUCTORY NOTE TO CHAPTER IV [CHAP, iv

A close study of the Queen's correspondence reveals the
character of the Prince in a way which nothing else could effect.
Traces of his untiring labour, his conscientious vigilance, his
singular devotedness, appear on every page. There are innumer-
able memoranda in his own hand ; the papers are throughout
arranged and annotated by him ; nothing seems to have escaped
him, nothing to have dismayed him. As an instance of the
minute laboriousness which characterised the Royal household,
it may be mentioned that there are many copies of important
letters, forwarded to the Prince for his perusal, the originals
of which had to be returned, written not only by the Prince
himself, but by the Queen under his direction. But besides
keeping a vigilant eye upon politics, the Prince took the lead
in all social and educational movements of the time, as well
as devoting a close and continuous attention to the affairs of
Europe in general, and Germany in particular. It is obvious
from the papers that the Prince can hardly ever have taken
a holiday ; many hours of every day must have been devoted
by him to work ; yet he was at the same time a tender
husband and father, always ready with advice and sympathy,
and devoted to quiet domestic life.

After the Queen's marriage the correspondence becomes far
more voluminous. It is difficult to exaggerate the amount of
conscientious labour bestowed by the Queen and the Prince
Consort on all matters which concerned the welfare of the nation.
The number of documents which passed through their hands, and
which were carefully studied by them, was prodigious.

The drafts of the Queen's replies to letters are in many cases
in the handwriting of the Prince Consort, but dated by herself,
and often containing interlinear corrections and additions of her
own. Whether the Queen indicated the lines of the replies,
whether she dictated the substance of them, or whether they
contain the result of a discussion on the particular matter, cannot
be precisely ascertained. But they contain so many phrases and
turns of expression which are characteristic of her outspoken
temperament that it is clear that she not only followed every
detail, but that the substance of the communication bore in most
cases the impress of her mind. A considerable number of the
drafts again are in her own hand, with interlinear corrections
and additions by the Prince ; and these so strongly resemble in
style the drafts in the handwriting of the Prince, that it is clear
that the Queen did not merely accept suggestions, but that she
had a strong opinion of her own on important matters, and that
this opinion was duly expressed.

One fact must, however, be borne in mind. It happens in
many cases that a correspondence on some particular point seems

1821-35] BRITISH STATESMEN IN 1837 39

to be about to lead up to a definite conclusion, but that the salient
and decisive document is absent. In these cases it is clear that the
matter was settled at a personal interview ; in many cases the
Prince prepared a memorandum of an important interview ; but
there are a considerable number of such correspondences, where no
record is preserved of the eventual solution, and this incompleteness
is regrettable, but, by the nature of the case, inevitable.

The young Queen, on coming to the throne, had little
technical knowledge of the details of diplomacy, but she already
had a real and intelligent acquaintance with foreign affairs, though
it was rather personal than political, and, as we have seen, was
more inspired by her interest in the fortunes and position of her
numerous maternal relations than by the political views of her
paternal relatives. Among the English statesmen of the day
there were few who were qualified to help and instruct her.
The two men who for over twenty years alternately guided
the foreign policy of the country were Lord Aberdeen and
Lord Palmerston. They represented two opposed schools. Lord
Aberdeen, a Peelite, was naturally and by tradition inclined to
desire harmonious relations with the great Continental Powers ;
Palmerston was a disciple of Canning, who had definitely broken
with the principles of the Congress of Vienna. The only other
man who had any title to speak with authority on foreign affairs
was the Duke of Wellington, who had held the seals as Foreign
Secretary for a few months in 1834 and 1835. He had, however,
lost much of the reputation for political sagacity which he had
held at the time when he was the arbiter of Europe and virtual
ruler of France. Moreover, being, as he was, a much occupied
man, with varied business to transact, and at the mercy of his
almost excessive conscientiousness, he held himself to a consider-
able extent aloof from current politics, though he never lost his
absorbing interest in continental affairs.

CHAPTER IV

1821—1835

[The first letter ever received by Queen Victoria
appears to be the following little note, written
by the Duchess of Clarence, afterwards Queen
Adelaide, in May 1821, when the Princess entered
upon her third year. It is pathetic to recollect
that the Duchess's surviving child, Princess
Elizabeth, had died, aged three months, in
March of the same year.]

MY DEAR LITTLE HEART, — I hope you are well and
don't forget Aunt Adelaide, who loves you so fondly.

Loulou and Wilhelm l desire their love to you, and
Uncle William also.

God bless and preserve you is the constant prayer
of your most truly affectionate Aunt, ADELAIDE.

•£

The Duchess of Clarence to the Princess Victoria.

May, 1822.

Uncle William and Aunt Adelaide send their love
to dear little Victoria with their best wishes on her
birthday, and hope that she will now become a very
good Gi?'l, being now three years old. Uncle William
and Aunt Adelaide also beg little Victoria to give dear
Mama and to dear Sissi2 a kiss in their name, and to

1 Princess Louise and Prince William of Saxe- Weimar, children of Duchess
Ida of Saxe-Weimar (sister of the Duchess of Clarence). They were the
eldest brother and sister of Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar.

2 Princess Feodore, the Queen's half-sister.

1838-29] LETTER TO PRINCE LEOPOLD 41

Aunt Augusta,1 Aunt Mary2 and Aunt Sophia3 too,
and also to the big Doll. Uncle William and Aunt
Adelaide are very sorry to be absent on that day and
not to see their dear, dear little Victoria, as they are
sure she will be very good and obedient to dear Mama
on that day, and on many, many others. They also hope
that dear little Victoria will not forget them and know
them again when Uncle and Aunt return.
To dear little Xandrina Victoria.

[The following is the earliest letter preserved of the
long series written by the Queen to King (then
Prince) Leopold. The Princess was then nine
years old.]

KENSINGTON PALACE, 25th November 1828.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — I wish you many happy
returns of your birthday ; I very often think of you,
and I hope to see you soon again, for I am very fond
of you. I see my Aunt Sophia3 often, who looks
very well, and is very well. I use every day your
pretty soup-basin. Is it very warm in Italy ? It is
so mild here, that I go out every day. Mama is
tolerable well and am quite well. Your affectionate
Niece, VICTORIA.

P. S. — I am very angry with you, Uncle, for you
have never written to me once since you went, and
that is a long while.

Prince Leopold'1 to the Princess Victoria.

PARIS, 20th April 1829.

MY DEAREST LOVE, — Though in a few days I hope
to have the happiness of seeing you, still I wish to

1 Augusta, daughter of Frederick, Landgrave of Hesse-Cassel, wife of the
Duke of Cambridge.

2 Princess Mary, a daughter of George III., married to her cousin the
Duke of Gloucester.

3 Princess Sophia, daughter of George III.
* Afterwards King of the Belgians.

42 LETTER FROM PRINCESS HOHENLOHE [CHAP, iv

recall myself even before that time to your recollection,
and to tell you how delighted I shall be to embrace my
dearest little child. I have travelled far over the world
and shall be able to give you some curious information
about various matters.

Stockmar, who was very ill, and whom I despaired of
seeing here, did arrive before yesterday,1 and you may
guess what pleasure it gave me. Now I will conclude ;
au rcvoir, and let me find you grown, blooming, and
kind to your old and faithful Uncle, LEOPOLD.

The Princess Hohenlohe2 to the Princess Victoria.

[May 1829.]

If I had wings and could fly like a bird, I should
fly in at your window like the little robin to-day,
and wish you many very happy returns of the 24th,
and tell you how 1 love you, dearest sister, and how
often 1 think of you and long to see you. I think if I
were once with you again I could not leave you so soon.
I should wish to stay with you, and what would poor
Ernest 2 say if I were to leave him so long ? he ^ ould
perhaps try to fly after me, but I fear he would not
get far ; he is rather tall and heavy for flying. So you
see I have nothing left to do but to write to you, and
wish you in this way all possible happiness and joy for
this and many, many years to come. I hope you will
spend a very merry birthday. How I wish to be with
you, dearest Victoire, on that day !

I have not thanked you, I believe, for a very dear
letter you have written to me, which gave me the
greatest pleasure. Your descriptions of the plays you
had seen amused me very much. I wish I had seen
your performance too. Your most affectionate Sister,

FEODOKE.

1 I. e. arant hier.

2 The Princess Feodore of Leinincren, the Queen's half-sister, had married,
in January 1828, the Prince (Ernest) of Hohenlohe-Langenburg.

1829-32] BIRTHDAY LETTERS 43

The Duchess of Clarence to the Princess Victoria.

BUSHEY PAKK, Uth August 1829.

A thousand thanks to you, dear Victoria, for your
very nice and well written letter full of good wishes,
which I had the pleasure to receive yesterday ; and many
thanks more for the pretty gifts your dear Mamma
has sent me in your name. I wore them last night for
your sake, dearest child, and thought of you very often.

It gives me great satisfaction to hear that you are
enjoying the sea air and like the place which you now
occupy. I wish I could pay your Mamma a visit there
and see you again, my dear little niece, for I l(3ng to
have that pleasure, and must resign myself at being
deprived of it some time longer. Your Uncle desires to
be most kindly remembered to you, and hopes to
receive soon also a letter from you, of whom he is as
fond as I am. We speak of you very often, and trust
that you will always consider us to be amongst your
best friends. . . .

God bless you, my dear Victoria, is always the prayer
of your most truly affectionate Aunt, ADELAIDE.

The King of the Belgians to the Princess Tictoria.

BRUSSELS, 22nd May 1832.

MY DEAREST LOVE, — Let me offer you my sincerest
and best wishes on the return of the anniversary of your
birthday. May heaven protect and prosper you, and
shower all its best blessings on you.

Time flies : it is now thirteen years that you came
into the world of trouble ; I therefore can hardly
venture to call you any longer a little Princess.

This will make you feel, my dear Love, that you must
give your attention more and more to graver matters.
By the dispensation of Providence you are destined to
fill a most eminent station ; to fill it well must now
become your study. A good heart and a trusty and
honourable character are amongst the most indispen-
sable qualifications for that position.

44 THE QUEEN OF THE BELGIANS [CHAP, iv

You will always find in your Uncle that faithful
friend which he has proved to you from your earliest
infancy, and whenever you feel yourself in want of
support or advice, call on him with perfect confidence.

If circumstances permitted my leaving Ostend early
to-morrow morning, I should be able to place myself
my birthday present into your fair hair ; as this
happiness has not fallen to my lot, your excellent
mother has promised to act as my representative.

You will probably have little time to spare. I
therefore conclude with the assurance of the sincere
attachment and affection with which I shall ever be,
my dearest Love, your faithful and devoted friend and
Uncle, LEOPOLD R.

The King of the Belgians to the Princess Victoria.

L.AEKEN,1 31st Allf/USt 1832.

MY DEAREST LOVE, — You told me you wished to
have a description of your new Aunt,2 I therefore
shall both mentally and physically describe her to
you.

She is extremely gentle and amiable, her actions are
always guided by principles. She is at all times ready
and disposed to sacrifice her comfort and inclina-
tions to see others happy. She values goodness,
merit, and virtue much more than beauty, riches, and
amusements. With all this she is highly informed
and very clever ; she speaks and writes English,
German and Italian ; she speaks English very well
indeed. In short, my dear Love, you see that I
may well recommend her as an example for all
young ladies being Princesses or not.

Now to her appearance. She is about Feodore's
height, her hair very fair, light blue eyes, of a very
gentle intelligent and kind expression. A Bourbon
nose and small mouth. The figure is much like

1 The Royal Palace, four miles from Brussels, which Napoleon owned for
many years. A monument to King Leopold now stands there.

2 Louise Marie, Princess of Orleans, daughter of King Louis Philippe of
France, was married to King Leopold on 9th August 1832.

1833] A BIRTHDAY LETTER 45

Feodore's but rather less stout. She rides very well,
which she proved to my great alarm the other day,
by keeping her seat though a horse of mine ran away
with her full speed for at least half a mile. What
she does particularly well is dancing. Music unfortu-
nately she is not very fond of, though she plays on
the harp ; I believe there is some idleness in the
case. There exists already great confidence and
affection between us ; she is desirous of doing every-
thing that can contribute to my happiness, and I
study whatever can make her happy and contented.

You will see by these descriptions that though my
good little wife is not the tallest Queen, she is a very
great prize which I highly value and cherish. . . .

Now it is time I should finish my letter. Say
everything that is kind to good Lehzen, and believe
me ever, my dearest Love, your faithful friend and
Uncle, LEOPOLD R.

The King of the Belgians to the Princess Victoria.

LAEKEN, 2lst May 1833.

MY DEAREST LOVE, — To make quite sure of my
birthday congratulations reaching you on that day,
I send them by to-day's messenger, and confide them
to the care of your illustrious mother.

My sincere good wishes for many happy returns
of that day which gave you, dear little soul, to us,
will be accompanied by some few reflections, which
the serious aspect of our times calls forth. My
dearest Love, you are now fourteen years old, a period
when the delightful pastimes of childhood must be
mixed with thoughts appertaining already to a matured
part of your life. I know that you have been very
studious, but now comes the time when the judgment
must form itself, when the character requires attention ;
in short when the young tree takes the shape which
it retains afterwards through life.

To attain this object it is indispensable to give
some little time to reflection. The life in a great town

46 VALUABLE ADVICE [CHAP, rv

is little calculated for such purposes ; however, with
some firmness of purpose it can be done.

Self-examination is the most important part of the
business, and a very useful mode of proceeding is, for
instance, every evening to recapitulate the events of
the day, and the motives which made one act oneself,
as well as to try to guess what might have been the
motives of others. Amiable dispositions like yours
will easily perceive if your own motives were good.
Persons in high situations must particularly guard
themselves against selfishness and vanity. An in-
dividual in a high and important situation will easily
see a great many persons eager to please the first,
and to flatter and encourage the last. Selfishness,
however, makes the individual itself miserable, and
is the cause of constant disappointment, besides being
the surest means of being disliked by everybody.

Vanity, on the other hand, is generally artfully used
by ambitious and interested people to make one a tool
for purposes of their own, but too often in opposition
with one's own happiness and destruction of it.

To learn to know oneself, to judge oneself with
truth and impartiality, must be the great objects of
one's exertion ; they are only attainable by constant
and cool self-examination.

The position of what is generally called great
people has of late become extremely difficult. They
are more attacked and calumniated, and judged with
less indulgence than private individuals. What they
have lost in this way, they have not by any means
regained in any other. Ever since the revolution of
1790 they are much less secure than they used to be,
and the transition from sovereign power to absolute
icant has been as frequent as sudden.

It becomes, therefore, necessary that the character
should be so formed as not to be intoxicated by
greatness and success, nor cast down by misfortune.
To be able to do so, one must be able to appreciate
things according to their real value, and particularly
avoid giving to trifles an undue importance.

1834] VISIT TO HEVER CASTLE 47

Nothing is so great and clear a proof of unfitness
for greater and nobler actions, than a mind which is
seriously occupied with trifles.

Trifling matters may be objects of amusement and
relaxation to a clever person, but only a weak mind
and a mean spirit consider trifles as important. The
good sense must show itself by distinguishing what
is and what is not important.

My sermon is now long enough, my dear child.
I strongly recommend it, however, to your reflection
and consideration.

My gift consists in a set of views of the former
Kingdom of the Netherlands, out of which you will
be able to discover all those of the present Belgium.

Let me soon hear from you ; and may God bless
and preserve you. Ever, my dear love, your affection-
ate Uncle, LEOPOLD R.

The Princess Victoria to the King of t/ie Belgians.

TtiNBRiDGE WELLS, \\th September 1834.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, - - Allow me to write you a
few words, to express how thankful I am for the very
kind letter you wrote me. It made me, though, very
sad to think that all our hopes of seeing you, which we
cherished so long, this year, were over. I had so hoped
and wished to have seen you again, my beloved Uncle,
and to have made dearest Aunt Louisa's acquaintance.
I am delighted to hear that dear Aunt has benefited
from the sea air and bathing. We had a very pretty
party to Hever Castle yesterday, which perhaps you
remember, where Anne Boleyn used to live, before
she lost her head. We drove there, and rode home.
It was a most beautiful day. We have very good
accounts from dear Feodore, who will, by this time,
be at Langenburg.

Believe me always, my dearest Uncle, your very
affectionate and dutiful Niece, VICTORIA.

48 ADVICE AS TO READING [CHAP,

The King of the Belgians to the Princess Victoria.

LAEKEN, 18th October 1834.

MY DEAREST LOVE, — I am happy to learn that
Tunbridge Wells has done you good. Health is the first
and most important gift of Providence ; without it we
are poor, miserable creatures, though the whole earth
were our property ; therefore I trust that you will take
great care of your own. I feel convinced that air and
exercise are most useful for you. In your leisure
moments I hope that you study a little ; history is
what I think the most important study for you. It
will be difficult for you to learn human-kind's ways and
manners otherwise than from that important source
of knowledge. Your position will more or less render
practical knowledge extremely difficult for you, till
you get old, and still if you do not prepare yourself
for your position, you may become the victim of wicked
and designing people, particularly at a period when
party spirit runs so high. Our times resemble most
those of the Protestant reformation ; then people were
moved by religious opinions, as they now undoubtedly
are by political passions. Unfortunately history is
rarely written by those who really were the chief
movers of events, nor free from a party colouring ; this
is particularly the case in the works about English
history. In that respect France is much richer, because
there we have authenticated memoirs of some of the
most important men, and of others who really saw
what passed and wrote it down at the time. Political
feelings, besides, rarely created permanent parties like
those in England, with the exception, perhaps, of the
great distinctions of Catholics and Protestants. What
I most should recommend is the period before the
accession of Henry IV. of France to the throne, then
the events after his death till the end of the minority
of Louis XIV. ; after that period, though interesting,
matters have a character which is more personal, and
therefore less applicable to the present times. Still

7833

after &r S. ffla/yter at CLilindAOT Ccu^Ue

1834] THE PRINCESS'S READING 49

even that period may be studied with some profit to
get knowledge of mankind. Intrigues and favouritism
were the chief features of that period, and Madame de
Maintenon's immense influence was very nearly the
cause of the destruction of France. What I very
particularly recommend to you is to study in the
Memoirs of the great and good Sully1 the last years
of the reign of Henry IV. of France, and the events
which followed his assassination. If you have not got
the work, I will forward it to you from hence, or give
you the edition which I must have at Claremont.

As my paper draws to a close, I shall finish also
by giving you my best blessings, and remain ever,
my dearest Love, your faithfully attached friend and
Uncle, LEOPOLD R.

The Princess Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

TmiBRiDOE WELLS, 22nd October 1834.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — You cannot conceive how
happy you have made me, by your very kind letter,
which, instead of tiring, delights me beyond every-
thing. I must likewise say how very grateful I feel
for the kind and excellent advice you gave me in it.

For the autographs I beg to return my best
thanks. They are most valuable and interesting,
and will be great additions to my collections. As
I have not got Sully 's Memoirs, I shall be delighted
if you will be so good as to give them to me.
Reading history is one of my greatest delights, and
perhaps, dear Uncle, you might like to know which
books in that line I am now reading. In my lessons
with the Dean of Chester,2 I am reading Russell's
Modern Europe,3 which is very interesting, and
Clarendon's History of tlie Rebellion. It is drily

1 Maximilien, Due de Sully, was Henry's Minister of Finance. A curious
feature of the Memoirs is the fact that they are written in the second person :
the historian recounts the hero's adventures to him.

2 The Rev. George Davys. See ante, p. 21.

3 This History of Modern Europe, in a series of letters from a nobleman to
his son, 5 vols. (1779-1784), deals with the rise of modem kingdoms down
to the Peace of Westphalia (1648).

VOL. i. — \

50 HISTORICAL READING [CHAP, iv

written, but is full of instruction. I like reading
different authors, of different opinions, by which
means I learn not to lean on one particular side.
Besides my lessons, I read Jones'1 account of the
wars in Spain, Portugal, and the South of
France, from the year 1808 till 1814. It is well
done, I think, and amuses me very much. In
French, 1 am now in La Rivalite de la France ct
de TEspagne, par Gaillard,2 which is very interesting.
I have also begun Rollin.3 I am very fond of making
tables of the Kings and Queens, as I go on, and I
have lately finished one of the English Sovereigns
and their consorts, as, of course, the history of my
own country is one of my first duties. I should be
fearful of tiring you with so long an account of
myself, were I not sure you take so great an interest
in my welfare.

Pray give my most affectionate love to dearest
Aunt Louisa, and please say to the Queen of the
French and the two Princesses how grateful I am
for their kind remembrance of me.

Believe me always, my dearest Uncle, your very
affectionate, very dutiful, and most attached Niece,

VICTORIA.

The Princess Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

ST LEONARDS, 19th November 1834.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — It is impossible for me, to
express how happy you have made me by writing so
soon again to me, and how pleased I am to see by
your very kind letter that you intend to write to
me often. I am much obliged to you, dear Uncle, for
the extract about Queen Anne, but must beg you, as
you have sent me to show what a Queen ought not
to be, that you will send me what a Queen ought to be*

1 Sir John Thomas Jones, Bart. (1783-1843), a Royal Engineer, who
served in the Peninsular War.

3 Gabriel Henri Gaillard (1726-1806), Member of the French Academy.

3 The Histoire Ancienne, by Charles Rollin (1661-1741), Rector of the
University of Paris.

4 King Leopold had sent the Princess an extract from a French Memoir,
containing a severe criticism of the political character of Queen Anne.

1834] NEW YEAR GREETING 51

Might I ask what is the very pretty seal with
which the letter I got from you yesterday was closed ?
It is so peculiar that I am anxious to know.

Believe me always, dear Uncle, your very affec-
tionate, very dutiful, and very attached Niece,

VICTORIA.

The King of the Belgians to the Princess Victoria.

LAKKF.K, 2nd December 1834.

MY DEAREST LOVE, — You have written a very
clever, sharp little letter the other day, which gave
me great pleasure. Sure enough, when I show you
what a Queen ought not to be, I also ought to tell
you what she should be, and this task I will very
conscientiously take upon myself on the very first
occasion which may offer itself for a confidential
communication. Now I must conclude, to go to
town. I must, however, say that I have given orders
to send you Sully 's Memoirs. As they have not been
written exclusively for young ladies, it will be well
to have Lehzen to read it with you, and to judge
what ought to be left for some future time. And
now God bless you ! Ever, my beloved child, your
attached friend and Uncle, LEOPOLD R.

The Princess Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

ST LEONARDS, 28th December 1834.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — I must again, with your
permission, write you a few lines, to wish you a very
happy new year, not only for this year, but for many
to come. I know not how to thank you sufficiently
for the invaluable and precious autographs which you
were so very kind as to send me. Some of them I
received a few days ago, and the others to-day,
accompanied by a very kind letter from you, and
a beautiful shawl, which will be most useful to me,
particularly as a favourite one of mine is growing
very old. I wish you could come here, for many

52 AUTOGRAPHS [CHAP, iv

reasons, but also to be an eye-witness of my extreme
prudence in eating, which would astonish you. The
poor sea-gulls are, however, not so happy as you
imagine, for they have great enemies in the country-
people here, who take pleasure in shooting them.

Believe me always, my dearest Uncle, your very
affectionate and most grateful Niece, VICTORIA.

The Princess Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

KENSINGTON PALACE, 2nd February, 1835.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, - - 1 know not how to thank
you sufficiently for the most valuable autographs you
were kind enough to send me. I am particularly
delighted with that of Louis Quatorze, " le grand Roi,"
and my great admiration. . . . You will not, I hope,
think me very troublesome, if I venture to ask for
two more autographs which I should very particularly
like to have ; they are Mme. de Sevigne's * and
Racine's ; as I am reading the letters of the former,
and the tragedies of the latter, I should prize them
highly. Believe me always, my dearest Uncle, your
most affectionate and dutiful Niece, VICTORIA.

The King of the Belgians to the Princess Victoria.

CAMP OF BEVERLOO

(in the North of the Province of Limburg),
3rd August 1835.

MY DEAR LOVE, - - By your Mother's letter of the
31st ult°, I learned of the serious and important action
in your young life2 which has passed recently, and I
cannot let it pass without saying some words on the
subject. I am perhaps rather strangely situated for a

1 Marie de Rabutin Chantal, Marquise de Sevigne, born 1626. ^ At twenty-
four she was left a widow, and devoted herself to her children's education.
When her daughter married the Count de Grignan, she began that corre-
spondence with her on which her reputation chiefly rests. She died in 1696,
and the letters were first published in 1726.

2 The Princess was confirmed at the Chapel Royal, on 30th July 1835.

1835] THE PRINCESS'S CONFIRMATION 53

preaching — somewhat in the style of those old camp
preachers who held forth to many thousand people on
some heath in Scotland. I am also on an immense
heath, surrounded by 16,000 men, mostly young and
gay, cooking, singing, working, and not very like the
stern old Covenanters ; however I shall try. First of
all, let me congratulate you that it passed happily and
well off. Secondly let me entreat you to look with
a serious and reflective mind on the day which is past.
Many are the religions, many the shades of those
religions, but it must be confessed the principles of
the Christian religion are the most perfect and the
most beautiful that can be imagined. . . . There is one
virtue which is particularly Christian; this is the know-
ledge of our own heart in real humility. Hypocrisy is
a besetting sin of all times, but particularly of the
present, and many are the wolves in sheep's clothes.
I am sorry to say, with all my affection for old
England, the very state of its Society and politics
renders many in that country essentially humbugs and
deceivers; the appearance of the thing is generally more
considered than the reality ; provided matters go off
well, and opinion may be gained, the real good is
matter of the most perfect indifference. Defend your-
self, my dear love, against this system ; let your dear
character always be true and loyal ; this does not
exclude prudence — worldly concerns are now un-
fortunately so organised that you must be cautious or
you may injure yourself and others — but it does not
prevent the being sterling and true. Nothing in
persons gives greater reliance, greater weight, than
when they are known to be true. From your earliest
childhood I was anxious to see in you this important
virtue saved and developed, and Lehzen will still be
able to recollect that. If it is God's pleasure that
you should once1 fill the arduous situation to which
you seem destined, you will find the importance of

1 King Leopold not unfrequently uses "once" like the Latin olim, as
referring to any indefinite date in the future as well as in the past. " Some
day " is what is intended here.

54 HONESTY AND SINCERITY [CHAP, iv

what I now say to you. And when others may
tremjble to have at last their real character found out,
and to meet all the contempt which they may deserve,
your mind and heart will be still and happy, because
it will know that it acts honestly, that truth and
goodness are the motives of its actions. I press you
now against my heart ; may God bless you as I wish
and hope it, and may you always feel some affection
for your sincerely devoted camp preacher and Uncle,

LEOPOLD R.

INTRODUCTORY NOTE
TO CHAPTER V

THE year 1836 was not an eventful one at home ; the Whig
Ministry were too weak to carry measures of tirstrate importance,
and could hardly have maintained themselves in power against the
formidable opposition of Sir Robert Peel without the support of
O'Connell. Parliament was chiefly occupied by the consideration
of the Secret Societies in Ireland, Tithes, Municipal Corporations,
and such matters ; the Marriage Act, and the Act for the Registra-
tion of Births have probably been the most important measures
of the year to the country. Troubles which were destined to
become more acute arose in Lower Canada and Jamaica, both
taking the form of disputes between the executive and the
legislature.

On the continent of Europe, affairs were more disturbing.
Several attempts were made on the life of the King of the French,
while an abortive insurrection with a view of establishing a military
empire was made by Louis Buonaparte at Strasburg. The Prince
was allowed to leave the country and go to the United States,
but his accomplices were detained for trial. In Algiers the French
Government determined to prosecute operations against the Arab
Chief Abd-el-Kader, and they sent an expedition to Constantin.

Holland and Belgium were occupied with a dispute about their
boundary line, the cession to Belgium of Luxemburg being the
chief point of difference. The difficulties that arose in passing
an important municipal Act for Belgium caused King Leopold
temporarily to regret he had not accepted the throne of Greece.

Portugal was still convulsed by revolutionary agitation. Dom
Pedro, the eldest son of King John VI., had been proclaimed
Emperor of Brazil in his father's lifetime, and had abdicated
the throne of Portugal in favour of his daughter Donna Maria,
a child seven years old, while Dom Miguel, his younger brother,
who had acted in opposition to his father in Portugal, claimed the
throne for himself. Dom Pedro had decreed that his daughter
should marry Miguel, who was in 1827 appointed Regent.
Miguel, had he acted wisely, might have maintained himself on
the throne, but Dom Pedro, who had been expelled from Brazil
by a revolution, took active steps to recover the Portuguese throne
for his daughter, and equipped an expedition for that end with
English and French volunteers. In this way, Donna Maria, who
had spent part of her exile in England and formed a friendship

56 INTRODUCTORY NOTE TO CHAPTER V [CHAP, v

with the Princess Victoria, was through British instrumentality
placed on her throne, but still could only maintain herself with
difficulty against Miguel. She was a few weeks older than the
Princess Victoria, and had recently lost her first husband, the
Due de Leuchtenberg. She was married by proxy on the 1st
of January 1836, and in person on the 9th of April, to Prince
Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg.

There was also a disputed succession in Spain, where by the
ancient law women might succeed to the throne. Ferdinand VII.,
who had revoked the Pragmatic Sanction of 1711 and restored the
former system, died in 1833, leaving no son. His elder daughter
Isabella, then three years of age, was proclaimed Queen (her mother
Christina being appointed Regent), and Isabella's claims were
recognised by England and France. The late King's brother,
Don Carlos, taking his stand upon the Salic Law as established
by the Pragmatic Sanction, raised the standard of revolt and
allied himself with Dom Miguel, the young Queens Maria and
Isabella mutually recognising each other, and being supported
by France and England against the " Holy Alliance " of Austria,
Russia, and Prussia. A seven years'1 civil war resulted, which did

not end till, from sheer exhaustion, the Carlists had to cease
fighting the Christines, as the loyal party was called. The
English Government in the previous year had sanctioned the
enlistment of 10,000 men ; who, commanded by Colonel (after-
wards Sir de Lacy) Evans, landed at San Sebastian in August to
assist the Christines. A British auxiliary contingent was already
with the Spanish army, while a naval squadron under Lord John
Hay was active on the coast. Mendizabal was Prime Minister at
the beginning of the year 1836, and was succeeded in May by
Isturitz. Riots took place at Madrid, and Isturitz fled to France ;
Calatrava succeeding him, assisted by Mendizabal. The Christine
cause did not much advance during the year.

CHAPTER V

1836
The King of tlie Belgians to the Princess Victoria.

March 1836.

MY DEARLY BELOVED CHILD, — You wrote me again
a long, dear, good letter, like all those which I received
from your kind hands. Time approaches now for the
arrival of the cousins, and most probably of your Uncle,
Ferdinand also. He has informed me of his arrival for
the 7th or 8th ; notwithstanding this, I mean to leave
everything settled as it has been arranged. They will
set off on the 7th, arrive at Paris on the 8th, and leave
it again on the 12th. . . . Fernando l has still a very
bad cold, change of air is likely to cure that. The
stay here has done Fernando a great deal of good,
and it cannot be denied that he is quite another person.
It has given me some trouble, but I have written down
for him everything which he ought to know about
the organisation of a government in general, and what
will be necessary in specie to carry on successfully the
Government in Portugal. . . . My inclinations, as
you are aware, would have led me to the East, but
certainly the only thing which reconciles me with
my not having done so is that it has made me to
remain near you, and will enable me to see you and
to be useful to you.

1 The Queen's first cousin, Prince Ferdinand (son of Prince Ferdinand of
Saxe-Coburg, who was brother of the Duchess of Kent and the King of the
Belgians), aged nineteen, who married the Queen of Portugal on 9th April.
He was at this time visiting the King of the Belgians on his way to Portugal.

58 PRINCE FERDINAND [CHAP, v

The Princess Victoria to the King of the Bclgiajis.

KENSINGTON PALACE, 1th March 1«36.

. . . You are very kind, my dearest, best Uncle,
to say that ** the only thing which reconciles you " for
not having gone to Greece is, that you are near me
and can see me. Thank Heaven that you did not go
there ! it would have been dreadful for me and for all
your relations to be thus, as it were, cut off from almost
all intercourse ! It is hard enough, that you are as far
as you are, when I recollect the happy time when I
could see you, and be with you, every day ! . . .

The Princess Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

KENSINGTON PALACE, 29th March 1836.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — ... As concerning the
" fatigues " we are said to have undergone, they were
none to me, and made me very happy ; I only wish
they could have lasted longer, for all, all is over now,
and our beloved Ferdinand1 himself leaves our shores-
this very morning. We accompanied them all on
Sunday, where we took a final leave of our dear
Ferdinand, and I cannot tell you how sorry I was,
and am, to see him go, for I love him dearly. He is
so truly excellent, kind and good, and endears himself
so much by his simplicity and good-heartedness ! I
may venture to say, that no one has his prosperity and
happiness more at heart than I have. 1 am extremely
sanguine about his success. He goes there full of
courage, spirits and good-will, and being naturally
clever and observant, I doubt not that with good
counsel, and prudence, he will do very well. Your
kind advice will be of the greatest and most important
use to him, the more so as he is so exceedingly fond
of you. . . . Ferdinand leaves behind him here a most
favourable impression on all parties, for / have even
heard from some great Tories themselves that there
was a great feeling for him in this country.

1 See ante, p. 57. He had latterly been visiting the Duchess of Kent.

1836] THE PRINCES ERNEST AND ALBERT 59

The Princess Hohenlohe to the Princess Victoria.

STUTTGART, 16th April 1836.

. . . You will like our two Coburg cousins also, I
think ; they are more manly than I think the two others
are, after the description. I am very fond of them both."
Ernest is my favourite, although Albert is much hand-
somer, and cleverer too, but Ernest is so honest and
good-natured. I shall be very curious to hear your
opinion upon them. . . .

The Princess Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

KENSINGTON PALACE, 26th April 1836.

MY DEAREST, BEST UNCLE, — . . . You will, I am
sure, have been delighted with M. de Nieumann's1
account of the complete success of our dear Ferdinand.
All has gone off better than even our most sanguine
hopes could have desired. He is much pleased with
the good Queen, and she is delighted with him, and
M. de Nieumann says that they are already quite happy
together. This is really a great blessing, but I fear
that all the exterior affairs are not in quite so good a
state. I hope, however, that the good people will not
make any more difficulties about Fernando's being
Commander-in- Chief, as I hear from all accounts it is
necessary he should be so. ...

Uncle Ernest and my cousins will probably come
here in the beginning of next month, I hear, and will
visit you on their return.

You ask me about Sully 's Memoirs, and if I have
finished them. I have not finished them, but am reading
them with great interest, and find there is a great deal
in them which applies to the present times, and a great
deal of good advice and reasoning in them. As you
say, very truly, it is extremely necessary for me to
follow the " events of the day," and to do so impartially.

1 The Austrian Ambassador, who had previously represented Austria at
the Court of Portugal. He married Lady Augusta Somerset in 1844.

60 THE PRINCE OF ORANGE [CHAP, v

I am always both grateful and happy when you give
me any advice, and hope you will continue to do so as
long as I live.

I am glad to hear you approve my singing, and I
cannot tell you how delightful it would be for me, if
you could join with us. A propos, dear Uncle, you
did not answer what I said to you in a former letter
about your visiting us again. You know, dear Uncle,
that this is a subject upon which I am very earnest
and very eager, and as the summer approaches I grow
more and more anxious about it. You know, also,
that pleasure does more good than a hundred walks
and rides.

Believe me always, my dearest Uncle, your truly
devoted and attached Niece, VICTORIA.

The King of the Belgians to the Princess Victoria.

13th May 1836.

MY DEAREST CHILD, — I got this time a very small
letter from your good little Ladyship, and I shall repay
it probably in larger coin, as my letter going through
a messenger of my own will become longer, as it will
be more confidential than through the usual mode of
conveyance.

I am really astonished at the conduct of your old
Uncle the King ; this invitation of the Prince of Orange
and his sons, this forcing him upon others, is very
extraordinary.1 It is so, because persons in political

1 King Leopold had for some time cherished a hope of uniting the Princess
Victoria in marriage with her cousin, Prince Albert of Coburg. He therefore
arranged that the Prince, with his elder brother. Prince Ernest, should pay
a visit to the Duchess of Kent at Kensington Palace. King William naturally
opposed a scheme which he knew met with the approval of his sister-in-law.
He accordingly invited the Prince of Orange and his two sons at the same
time, and favoured the candidature of the younger son. Prince Alexander.
The King (it is believed) went so far as to say that no other marriage should
ever take place, and that the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and his son should never
put foot in the country : they should not be allowed to land, and must go
back whence they came.

The Prince of Orange had himself been a candidate for the hand of
Princess Charlotte, and had no reason to be friendly to King Leopold, or
whom it is recorded that he said, " Voila un homme qui a pris ma femme et
mon royaume."

1836] ARRIVAL OF PRINCE ALBERT 61

stations and champions of great political passions
cannot put aside their known character as you would
lay your hat upon a table.

Not later than yesterday I got a half-official
communication from England insinuating that it
would be highly desirable that the visit of your
relatives should not take place this year — qu'en dites
vous? The relations of the Queen and the King,
therefore, to the God-knows-what degree, are to come
in shoals and rule the land, when your relations
are to be forbidden the country, and that when, as
you know, the whole of your relations have ever
been very dutiful and kind to the King. Really
and truly I never heard or saw anything like it, and
I hope it will a little rouse your spirit; now that
slavery is even abolished in the British Colonies, I
do not comprehend why your lot alone should be to be
kept, a white little slavey in England, for the pleasure
of the Court, who never bought you, as I am not
aware of their having gone to any expense on that
head, or the King's even having spent a sixpence for
your existence. I expect that my visits in England
will also be prohibited by an Order in Council. Oh
consistency and political or other honesty, where must
one look for you !

I have not the least doubt that the King, in his
passion for the Oranges, will be excessively rude to
your relations ; this, however, will not signify much ;
they are your guests and not his, and will therefore
not mind it. ...

The Princess Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

23rd May 1836.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — ... Uncle Ernest and my
cousins arrived here on Wednesday, sains et saufs.
Uncle is looking remarkably well, and my cousins
are most delightful young people. I will give you

62 PRINCE ALBERT [CHAP, v

no detailed description of them, as you will so soon
see them yourself. But I must say, that they are
both very amiable, very kind and good, and extremely
merry, just as young people should be ; with all
that, they are extremely sensible, and very fond of
occupation. Albert is extremely handsome, which
Ernest certainly is not, but he has a most good-
natured, honest, and intelligent countenance. We
took them to the Opera on Friday, to see the
Puritani, and as they are excessively fond of music,
like me, they were in perfect ecstasies, having never
heard any of the singers before. . . .

The Princess Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

1th June 1836.

MY DEAREST UNCLE,- These few lines will be
given to you by my dear Uncle Ernest when he sees
you.

I must thank you, my beloved Uncle, for the
prospect of great happiness you have contributed to
give me, in the person of dear Albert. Allow me,
then, my dearest Uncle, to tell you how delighted I
am with him, and how much I like him in every way.
He possesses every quality that could be desired to
render me perfectly happy. He is so sensible, so
kind, and so good, and so amiable too. He has,
besides, the most pleasing and delightful exterior and
appearance you can possibly see.

I have only now to beg you, my dearest Uncle,
to take care of the health of one, now so dear to
me, and to take him under your special protection.
I hope and trust that all will go on prosperously
and well, on this subject of so much importance
to me.

Believe me always, my dearest Uncle, your
most affectionate, devoted, and grateful Niece,

VICTORIA.

1836] ADVICE AS TO CONVERSATION 63

The King of the Belgians to the Princess Victoria.

\lth June 1836.
MY DEAREST AND MOST BELOVED CHILD, I

begged your Mother, in the meantime, to offer you
my best thanks for your very pretty drawing repre-
senting the Provost of Bruges and his daughter; I
admired also that for your Aunt. They do your
spirit of invention honour, and it is a very good plan
to draw subjects from books or plays which interest
you. You will feel the loss of a pleasant society in
the old Palace, the more so as your relations are
good unsophisticated people, a thing which one does
not so often meet with. I suppose that part of
your London amusements will soon be over. You
were going to Windsor, which you will probably
have left by this time. I hope you were very
prudent ; I cannot disguise from you, that though
the inhabitants are good-natured people, still that I
think you want all your natural caution with them.
Never permit yourself to be induced to tell them
any opinion or sentiment of yours which is beyond
the sphere of common conversation and its ordinary
topics. Bad use would be made of it against your-
self, and you cannot in that subject be too much
guarded. 1 know well the people we have to deal
with. I am extremely impartial, but I shall also
always be equally watchful. . . . God bless you !
Ever, my dear child, your very devoted Uncle and
friend, LEOPOLD R.

The Princess Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

9th August 1836.

MY BELOVED UNCLE, — ... I was sure you would
be very much pleased with Ernest and Albert as soon
as you knew them more ; there cannot be two more
good and sensible young men than they are. Pray,

64« AFFAIRS IN SPAIN [CHAP, v

dear Uncle, say everything most kind from me to
them.

We go to Buxted l to-morrow morning, and stay
there till next Monday.

All the gaieties are now over. We took leave of
the Opera on Saturday, and a most brilliant con-
clusion to the season it was. Yesterday 1 took my
farewell lesson with Lablache,2 which I was very
sorry to do. I have had twenty-six lessons with him,
and I look forward with pleasure to resume them
again next spring.

The Princess Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

2nd Septeml>er 1836.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — ... The state of Spain
is most alarming and unfortunate.3 I do hope some-
thing will be done. The news were rather better
yesterday and the day before. The Christinos had
gained a victory over the Carlists.4 I take a great
interest in the whole of this unfortunate affair. I
hope and trust Portugal may not suffer by all the
affairs of Spain, but much is to be feared. Dieskau
will have told you much about the internal affairs,
which seem to go on very prosperously. Pray has

1 Lord Liverpool's house. Charles Cecil Cope Jenkinson, third Earl of
Liverpool, was fifty-three years old at the time of the Queen's accession. He
was a moderate Tory, and had held office as Under-Secretary for the Home
Department in 1807, and in 1809 as Under-Secretary for War and the
Colonies. He succeeded to the Earldom in 1828. The title, since revived,
became extinct on his death in 1851. He was a friend of the Duchess of
Kent, who often stayed with him at Buxted Park in Sussex, and at Pitchford
in Staffordshire. At three successive visits at the latter house the Princess
occupied the same small room without a fireplace.

2 Luigi Lablache (1794-1858), a famous opera-singer, was the Princess's
singing-master.

8 See Introductory Note for the year, ante. p. 56.

* The civil war was favourable to the Carlists at this time, General Gomez
obtaining a victory on 30th August. By the end of the year he had twice
traversed the kingdom, hampered with plunder and prisoners, and surrounded
by armies greater than his own, and in no district did he find the inhabitants
disposed to act against him.

1836] FAREWELL LETTERS 65

the Duchess of Braganza1 written to you or Aunt
Louise since Ferdinand's marriage ?

You did not send me the King of Naples' 2 letter,
as you said you would; pray do so in your next
letter. I hope he will come here next year. You
do not mention France, so I hope all is quiet. The
Duke of Orleans is quite well again, I am happy to
hear from Aunt Louise. Now I must conclude,
begging you to believe me, always, your most truly
attached and really devoted Niece, VICTORIA.

The Princess Victoria to the King of the Belgians.3

CLAREMONT, 2\st September 1836.
MY MOST DEARLY BELOVED UNCLE, As 1 hear

that Mamma is going to send a letter to you which
will reach you at Dover, and though it is only an
hour and a half since we parted, I must write you
one line to tell you how very, very sad I am that
you have left us, and to repeat, what I think you
know pretty well, how much I love you. When I
think that but two hours ago we were happily
together, and that now you are travelling every
instant farther and farther away from us, and that I
shall with all probability not see you for a year, it
makes me cry. Yes, dearest Uncle, it is dreadful
in this life, that one is destined, and particularly
unhappy me, to be almost always separated from
those one loves most dearly. I live, however, in the
hopes of your visit next year with dear Aunt, and I
cannot say how thankful and happy I am that we
have had you here for six short, and to me most bright
happy days ! I shall look back with the greatest
delight on them.

Believe me, always, your ever devoted and most
affectionately attached Niece and Child, VICTORIA.

1 Stepmother of the Queen of Portugal.

2 Ferdinand II., commonly named "Bomba." He married en secondes
noces, the Archduchess Theresa of Austria.

3 Written at the conclusion of the King's visit to England.

VOL. i. —5

66 THE PRINCESS AND THE CHURCH [CHAP,

The King of the Belgians to the Princess Victoria.

LAEKEX, \\thNovember 1836.

MY VERY DEAR CHILD, — ... I know attempts
have been made to represent you as indifferent to
the established Church. You know that in England
the Sovereign is the head of the Church, and that the
Church looks upon the Protestant religion as it is
established as the State Religion. In times like the
present, when the Crown is already a good deal
weakened, I believe that it is of importance to main-
tain as much as possible this state of affairs, and I
believe that you will do well, whenever an occasion
offers itself to do so without affectation, to express
your sincere interest for the Church, and that you
comprehend its position and count upon its good
will. The poor Church will be a good deal per-
secuted, I have no doubt, but it would be desirable
that the men belonging to it should be united, sensible,
and moderate.

The Princess Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

RAMSGATE, llth November 1836.

. . . What you say to me relative to Church
matters I quite comprehend, and always am very
thankful for advice from you.

I am reading away famously. I like Mrs
Hutchinson's Life of her husband a only comme cela ;
she is so dreadfully violent. She and Clarendon are
so totally opposite, that it is quite absurd, and I only
believe the juste milieu. . . .

1 The regicide, Colonel Hutchinson's, fame rests more on his wife's com-
memoration of him than on his own exploits. She was the daughter of Sir
Allen Apsley, Lieutenant of the Tower of London, and highly educated.
Between 1664 and 1671 she wrote the biography of her husband, first

Siblished in 1806. " The figure of Colonel Hutchinson," says J. R.
reen, "stands out from his wife's canvas with the grace and tenderness
of a portrait by Van Dyck."

1836] DEATH OF CHARLES X. 67

Your speech interested me very much ; it is very
fine indeed ; you wrote it yourself, did you not ?

Belgium is indeed the happiest country in the
world, and it is all, all owing to your great care and
kindness. " Nous etions des enfans perdus," General
Goblet * said to me at Claremont, " quand le Roi est
venu nous sauver." And so it is. ...

Pray, dear Uncle, say everything most kind from
me to Ernest and Albert, and believe me, always,
your affectionate Niece, VICTORIA.

Pray, dear Uncle, is the report of the King of
Naples' marriage to the Archduchess Theresa true?
I hear the king has behaved uncommonly well at
Naples during the cholera panic. I enclose the
measure of my finger.

The King of the Belgians to the Princess Victoria.

LAEKEN, 18th November 1836.

. . . Poor Charles X. is dead,2 it is said of the
cholera. I regret him ; few people were ever kinder to
me than the good old man. He was blinded by certain
absolute ideas, but a good man and deserving to be
loved. History will state that Louis XVII I. was a
most liberal monarch, reigning with great mildness and
justice to his end, but that his brother, from his despotic
and harsh disposition, upset all the other had done, and
lost the throne. Louis XVIII. was a clever, hard-
hearted man, shackled by no principle, very proud
and false. Charles X. an honest man, a kind friend,
an honourable master, sincere in his opinions, and
inclined to do everything that is right. That teaches
us what we ought to believe in history as it is compiled
according to ostensible events and results known to the
generality of people. Memoirs are much more instruc-
tive, if written honestly and not purposely fabricated, as

1 The Belgian General, Albert Joseph Goblet, Count d'Alviella.

2 Charles X. of France, under the advice of Polignac, had abrogated the
Constitution of France in 1830. A revolution broke out, and the King
abdicated in August, the throne being offered to and accepted by Louis
Philippe, Duke of Orleans.

68 ABUSE OF KING LEOPOLD [CHAP, v

it happens too often nowadays, particularly at Paris. . . .
I shall not fail to read the books you so kindly recom-
mend. I join you a small copy of our very liberal
Constitution, hitherto conscientiously executed — no easy
matter. You may communicate it to your Mother ;
it is the best answer to an infamous Radical or Tory-
Radical paper, the Constitutional, which seems deter-
mined to run down the Coburg family. I don't
understand the meaning of it ; the only happiness
poor Charlotte knew was during her short wedded
existence, and there was but one voice on that subject,
that we offered a bright prospect to the nation. Since
that period I have (though been abused, and vilified
merely for drawing an income which was the con-
sequence of a Treaty ratified by both Houses of
Parliament, and that without one dissenting voice, a
thing not very likely to happen again) done everything
to see England prosperous and powerful. I have spared
her, in 1831, much trouble and expense, as without
my coming here very serious complications, war and all
the expensive operations connected with it, must have
taken place. 1 give the whole of my income without
the reservation of a farthing to the country ; I preserve
unity on the Continent, have frequently prevented
mischief at Paris, and to thank me for all that, I get
the most scurrilous abuse, in which the good people
from constant practice so much excel. . . . The
conclusion of all this — and that by people whose very
existence in political life may be but of a few years'
standing — is scurrilous abuse of the Coburg family. I
should like to know what harm the Coburg family has
done to England ? But enough of this. Your principle
is very good ; one must not mind what newspapers say.
Their power is a fiction of the worst description, and
their efforts marked by the worst faith and the greatest
untruths. If all the Editors of the papers in the
countries where the liberty of the press exists, were to
be assembled, we should have a crew to which you
would not confide a dog that you would value, still less
your honour and reputation. . . .

1836] REVOLUTION AT LISBON 69

The Princess Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

2lst November 1836.
MY MOST DEARLY BELOVED UNCLE, You Cannot

imagine how happy you have made me by your
very dear, kind, long, and interesting letter of* the
18th, which I received yesterday morning, and for
which I beg you to accept my very warmest and
best thanks. You know, I think, my dearest Uncle,
that no creature on earth loves you more dearly, or
has a higher sense of admiration for you, than I
have. Independent of all that you have done — which
I never, never can be grateful enough for — my love
for you exceeds all that words can express ; it is
innate in me, for from my earliest years the name
of Uncle was the dearest I knew, the word Uvicle,
alone, meant no other but you !

Your letter is so interesting and instructive that
I could read it over and over again. I hope, dear
Uncle, you will in process of time give me the aper^u
you mention, which would be so very interesting
for me.

I cannot tell you how distressed I was by the
late unfortunate contre-revolution manquee at Lisbon,1
and how sorry I was to see by the letter you wrote
me, that you were still unaware of it on the 18th.
Mama received a letter from Lord Palmerston yester-
day morning, which she has sent you, and which is
consolatory, I think. He speaks in the highest terms

1 Prince Ferdinand was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Portuguese
army on the advice of the Due de Terceira, then Prime Minister. The
appointment was highly unpopular ; riots broke out, the army mutinied, and
rose against the authorities, with the result that the Queen of Portugal was
compelled to accept the Radical Constitution of 1820, in the place of Don
Pedro's constitutional Charter of 1826. Later in the year the Queen, assisted
by Palmella, Terceira, and Saldanha, made a counter-move, believing that the
people of Lisbon would support her, and proposed to dismiss her Ministers ;
she had, however, been misled as to the popular aid forthcoming, and had to
give up the struggle, Sa da Bandeira becoming Prime Minister. The Queen,
virtually a captive, had to accede to the revolutionary requirements.

70 THE PRINCESS'S NAME [CHAP, v

of our beloved Ferdinand, which proves that he
becomes daily more and more worthy of his arduous
situation, and says that the Queen's situation "is
better than it was," less bad than it might have
been " after such an affair," and not so good as it
would have been had poor Donna Maria waited
patiently till all was ripe for action. Dietz1 wrote
Mama a most desponding letter, so much so, that
had we not got Lord Palmerston's letter we must
have thought all, all was over.2 I hope, dear Uncle,
you will tell me your feeling about the whole, which
will only satisfy me, no one else could, for I take
an interest in Ferdinand's welfare as though he were
my brother.

Allow me, dearest Uncle, to say a few words,
respecting my name, to which you allude. You are
aware, I believe, that about a year after the accession
of the present King there was a desire to change my
favourite and dear name Victoria to that of Charlotte,
also most dear, to which the King willingly consented.
On its being told me, I said nothing, though I felt
grieved beyond measure at the thought of any
change. Not long after this, Lord Grey, and also
the Archbishop of Canterbury, acquainted Mama
that the country, having been accustomed to hear me
called Victoria, had become used to it, enfin, liked
it, and therefore, to my great delight, the idea of
a change was given up.3

1 Dietz was a former Governor of Prince Ferdinand, who accompanied
him to Portugal on his marriage with Donna Maria, and took a considerable
part in political affairs.

2 A former Minister of the Interior was killed by the National Guards,
who threatened to march on Belem, where the Queen was ; she had to apply
to the British Marines for protection.

3 In the course of the debate (3rd August 1831) on Lord Althorp's proposi-
tion to add £10,000, a year to the Duchess of Kent's income, Sir M. W.
Ridley suggested changing the Princess's name to Elizabeth, as being "more
accordant to the feelings of the people," saying that he had heard the
subject "frequently and seriously argued." Hunt, the Radical, who opposed
the grant, saw no objection to the change, and Lord Althorp thought the
matter of no particular consequence. The Princess's own feelings, and those
of her mother, do not seem to have been considered. See Hansard, 3rd
series, vol. v. pp. 591, 654 et seq.

1836] NEWSPAPER ATTACKS 71

I was sure the death of old Charles X. would
strike you. . . .

I thank you much for the Constitution de la
Belgique. Those attacks on you are infamous, but
must not be minded ; they are the language of a
few jealous, envious people. En revanche, I enclose
a paragraph from a speech of O'Connell's1 I think
worth your reading.

Pray, dearest Uncle, say everything most kind to
my beloved and dearest Aunt, and thank her in my
name for her kind letter, which I shall answer on
Friday. I am happy she and the dear little man
are well.

Believe me, always, your most devoted and affec-
tionately attached Niece, VICTORIA.

The Princess Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

CLAREMONT, 5th December 1836.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — ... I have begun since a
few days Lord Clive's Life, by Sir John Malcolm,2
which is very interesting, as it gives much insight
into the affairs of India, over parts of which, I fear,
it would be well to throw a veil. I am reading it
by myself, et je vous le recommande. . . .

1 Probably that on the Irish Church Question at the General (formerly
" Catholic ") Association, Dublin.

2 The book reviewed by Macaulay, who spoke of Sir John Malcolm as
one whose " love passes the love of biographers, and who can see nothing but
wisdom and justice in the actions of his idol."

INTRODUCTORY NOTE
TO CHAPTER VI

THE closing months of the reign of William IV. were not
marked by any stirring events at home. The Conservative opposi-
tion to the Melbourne Ministry was strengthened before the
meeting of Parliament by a great speech by Sir Robert Peel at
Glasgow, and Lord Brougham later on emerged from his retire-
ment to become the able and venomous critic of his former friends.
The Government failed to carry important measures on Church
rates and Irish Municipal Corporations, while the Radical group
pressed persistently their favourite motions in support of the Ballot,
and against the Property qualification of members, Primogeniture,
the Septennial Act, the Bishops1 seats and Proxy Voting in the
House of Lords. The Ministry was saved from shipwreck by
the demise of the Crown, and by the accession of the Princess
Victoria who, on attaining her legal majority a month earlier,
had received marked signs of enthusiastic popular favour.

The General Election in the Autumn did not materially
affect the position of parties, the Radicals losing and O'Connell
gaining seats ; but the prestige of Lord Melbourne was increased
by the unique position he now held in reference to the Sovereign.
Parliament was opened in person by the Queen on 20th November,
and the Civil List dealt with, the amount allocated being £385,000
as against £510,000 in the late reign (of which .£75,000, formerly
paid in pensions, was now struck off, and other arrangements made).

For some time past the state of Canada had caused grave
anxiety. By an Act of 1791, it had been divided into Upper and
Lower Canada, each with a Governor, Council, and House of
Representatives, Lower Canada being in the main French, while
Upper Canada was occupied by British settlers. Friction first
arose in the former, between the nominee Council and the popular
Assembly, the Assembly declining to pay the salaries of officials
whom they had censured, but whom the executive had retained in
their posts. Mr Papineau, who had been Speaker of the Assembly,
was leader in the popular movement. Lord Gosford, the Governor
of Lower Canada, dismissed some Militia officers who had taken
part in political demonstrations, and warrants were issued for
the apprehension of certain members of the Assembly on the
charge of high treason : within a short time the discontented
party broke out into rebellion. The course which events would
72

183T] INTRODUCTORY NOTE TO CHAPTER VI 73

take in Upper Canada was for a time doubtful. Sir Francis
Head, the Governor, placed his regular troops at the service of
Lord Gosford, preferring to rely on the militia. This unusual
action was successful, but was not approved by the Colonial Office.
The state of affairs became very alarming at the close of the
year, when it was announced in Parliament that Lord Gosford
had resigned and that Sir John Colborne (afterwards Lord Seaton)
had been appointed to succeed him.

In France the confederates of Louis Napoleon in the Strasburg
outbreak were tried and acquitted ; a treaty was concluded at
Tafna with Abd-el-Kader, but negotiations for a similar agreement
with Achmet Bey were less successful, and operations were con-
tinued against Constantin with successful results, the town being
carried by an assault on 13th October, with some loss of officers
and men on the French side.

Affairs continued unsettled in the Peninsula. In Spain General
Evans was defeated near San Sebastian, but afterwards, in con-
junction with Lord John Hay, captured Irun, the frontier town.
Don Carlos meanwhile marched on Madrid, but was encountered
by Espartero, Commander-in-Chief of the Christinos, who was
Prime Minister for a brief period during the year. The British
legion was dissolved, and Evans returned to England.

In Portugal the English were becoming unpopular for their
supposed intervention : Ferdinand, the Queen's consort, who was
naturally believed to be in harmony with the British Cabinet,
acted tactlessly in accepting the Commandership-in-Chief, and
internal hostilities continued throughout the year.

In Hanover a reactionary step was taken by King Ernest,
who had succeeded his brother, William IV. of England, on the
throne of Hanover ; by letters patent he abrogated the Constitu-
tion of 1833, an action which, imperfect and open to criticism
though the Constitution was, naturally aroused anxiety among the
supporters of representative institutions throughout Europe.

CHAPTER VI
1837

The Princess Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

16th January 1837.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — . . . We saw Van de
Weyer1 on Tuesday, and his conversation was most
interesting. He praises our dear Ferdinand most
exceedingly, but as for the poor Queen, what he
told us does not redound much to her credit ; one
good quality, however, she has, which is her excessive
fondness for and real obedience to Ferdinand. She is
unfortunately surrounded by a camarilla 2 who poison
her ears, and fetter all her actions ; poor soul ! she is
much to be pitied. About Lavradio 3 you will also
have, I fear, heard but too much. Honesty and
single-heartedness seems to have left Portugal. Van
de Weyer is so clear in all that he says, so sensible, so
quiet, so clever, and, last but not least, so agreeable ;
I hope we shall soon see him again. You see, dear
Uncle, how much interest I take in Portugal ; but I

1 Sylvain Van de Weyer (b. 1802) was, in 1830, Belgian Plenipotentiary at
the Conference of London. He returned to his own country and became
Foreign Minister. His exertions contributed greatly to render successful the
candidature of Prince Leopold for the throne of Belgium. The King
appointed him Belgian Minister in London, to which post he returned in
1851, and held it till 1867. He was treated by the Queen until his death in
1874 as a very intimate friend and adviser.

3 I.e., a, clique.

8 The Portuguese Statesman who had gone to Gotha to arrange the
Queen's marriage, and was destined to act in a similar manner for her son
in 1857.

74-

1837] SPAIN AND PORTUGAL 75

must say that I think every one who knows dear
Ferdinand, and particularly who loves him as I do,
must feel a very deep interest as to the fate of the
unhappy country in which he is destined to play so
prominent and difficult a part.

I have been reading to-day a very clever speech
of Sir Robert Peel's (not a political one) to the
University at Glasgow, on the occasion of his being
elected Lord Rector of that college. There is another
speech of his at the dinner at Glasgow which is political,
but which I have not yet read. . . . l

The Princess Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

23rd January 1837.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — . . . The affairs of the
Peninsula are indeed very distressing,2 and what you
tell me in your letter of the 20th, as also in the former
one, is highly interesting and, alas ! but too true. I
trust, notwithstanding what you say, I may yet live
to see Spain and Portugal settled. But I greatly
fear that the time is far distant.

Do you know Mendizabal ? 3 I saw him at our
house in 1835. A lava4 presented him to us; he is a
tall, dark, fine, and clever-looking man. I remember
his being so much struck with my likeness to Donna
Maria, which I was not aware was the case. Pray,
dear Uncle, may I ask you a silly question ? — is not

1 Sir R. Peel was installed as Lord Rector of Glasgow on llth January,
and delivered an address on the principles of Education : strong political
feeling was manifested, groans being given for Lord Melbourne and the
Ministry. At a civic banquet given in Sir R. Peel's honour, he expounded
the principles of Conservative Reform.

2 Some interesting observations on these events may be read in Borrow's
Bible in Spain.

8 Don Juan Alvarez y Mendizabal (1790-1853), Spanish Statesman.

* Miguel Ricardo di Alava (1771-1843), Spanish General; he acted as the
representative of Spain at Paris, at the Court of the Bourbons ; he was a great
friend of the Duke of Wellington, and was with him at his headquarters
during the Peninsular War.

76 MUSIC [CHAP, vi

the Queen of Spain1 rather clever? You know
her, and what do you think of her ? And do you
know what sort of people are about poor little Queen
Isabel ? 2 Poor, good Donna Maria ! I feel much for
her ; her education was one of the worst that could
be. As long as those Ficalhos and Melos remain
about her, nothing can be done. Could they not be
got rid of in time ?

I was sorry to see that the French Chambers were
rather stormy.3

I thank you much for the list of the ball of the
18th, which must have been very splendid. The last
ball / was at was our own, and I concluded that very
ball at half-past three in the morning with a country
dance, Albert being my partner.

Pray, dear Uncle, tell both young gentlemen, with
my kindest love, that I often think of that night and
of many other pleasant evenings we passed together.
The singing will come all in time. Who is their sing-
ing-master ? I wish they had my worthy Lablache.

I sing regularly every evening, as I think it better to
do so every day to keep the voice manageable. Oh,
my beloved Uncle, could you join us, how delightful
that would be ! How I should delight in singing with
you all our favourite things from La Gazza, Otello,

II Barbiere, etc., etc.

The little Cousin 4 must be a little love : oh, could
I but see him and play with him ! Pray, dear Uncle,
does he know such a thing as that he has got an Aunt
and Cousin on the other side of the water ? . . .

Pray, dear Uncle, have you read Sir R. Peel's two
speeches ? I wish you would, and give me your
opinion of them.

1 The Queen Regent, Christina.

2 Then six years old; she died in 1904.

8 This is a reference to the trial at Strasburg of the confederates of
Prince Louis Bonaparte (afterwards Napoleon III.) in his abortive attempt to
establish a military despotism on 30th October. The Prince was permitted
to go to the United States, being conveyed in a French frigate ; the other
conspirators were acquitted.

4 Leopold, born in 1835, afterwards Duke of Brabant, the present King
of the Belgians.

1837] PARLIAMENTARY LANGUAGE 77

The Princess Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

CLAREMONT, 30th January 1837.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — ... I am very sorry that
the Portuguese news are still so very unfavourable ;
I trust that, in time, things will come right. The
Portuguese are, as you say, a most inconceivable set
of selfish politicians.

Our friend, Mr. Hume,1 made a most violent speech
at a dinner given to him and old George Byng2 at
Drury Lane last week.3 He called Sir R. Peel and
some other Tories "the cloven foot," which I think
rather strong. I think that great violence and striving,
such a pity, on both sides, don't you, dear Uncle ?
They irritate one another so uselessly by calling one
another fools, blockheads, liars, and so forth for no
purpose. I think violence so bad in everything. They
should imitate you and be calm, for you have had,
God knows ! enough cause for irritation from your
worthy Dutch neighbours and others. You will, I
fear, laugh at my politics, but I like telling you my
feelings, for you alone can put me right on such
subjects.

The King of the Belgians to the Princess Victoria.

3rd February 1837.

MY DEAR CHILD, — ... I am sorry to see so
much violence in England at this moment ; I consider
it as the most lamentable circumstance, as it renders

1 Joseph Hume, leader of the Radical party, was now M.P. for Middlesex.

2 George Byng, for many years member for Middlesex, was great-grandson
of William Wentworth, Earl of Strafford of the 1711 creation. His younger
brother, Sir John Byng, the well-known General of the Peninsula and Waterloo,
was created Earl of Strafford in 1847.

8 This was a dinner given by the Middlesex reformers to their repre-
sentatives. Grote also spoke, and said that the Tories well knew that their
dominion rested upon everything that was antiquated and corrupt and anti-
popular in the nation — upon oligarchical predominance in the State, and
sectarian pride and privileges in the Church.

78 POLITICAL PASSION [CHAP, vi

matters so very difficult to settle. Besides, the poor
Crown is more or less the loser in all this, as it
generally ends with the abolition of something or
other which might have proved useful for the carrying
on of Government. A rule which you may thus
early impress on your mind is, that people are far
from acting generally according to the dictates of
their interests, but oftener in consequence of their
passions, though it may even prove injurious to their
interests. If the Tory part of Parliament could have
brought themselves to act without passion, much in
the reform of Parliament might have been settled
much more in conformity with their best interests.
I was authorised, in 1831, to speak in this sense to the
Duke of Wellington by Lord Grey ; l the effect would
have been highly beneficial to both parties, but passion
made it impossible to succeed. This is a dangerous
part of the business, and we must see during the
present session of Parliament if parties are grown
wiser. I fear they are not. The business of the
highest in a State is certainly, in my opinion, to act
with great impartiality and a spirit of justice for the
good of all, and not of this or that party.2

The Princess Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

CLAREMOVT, 6th February 1837.

MY BELOVED UNCLE, — ... I do not know quite
for certain when we leave this place, but I should think
to-day week. You must be pleased, dear Uncle, I
think, for wre shall have been six months in the country
next Thursday, as we left town on the 10th of August

1 This refers to the rejection of the Reform Bill by the House of Lords in
1831 ; as a consequence, mobs broke the windows of Apsley House, and fired
Nottingham Castle.

2 On Uth April 1837, Sir Robert Peel wrote to J. W. Croker : — . . . "We
are, in short, in this state of things. All the convictions and inclinations ot
the Government are with their Conservative opponents. Half their actions
and all their speeches are with the Radicals." (Croker Papers, II., 306.)

1837] PORTUGAL AND SPAIN 79

last, and I am sure you will stand by me for my having
my season fully, as you may understand that my
Operatic and Terpsichorean feelings are pretty strong,
now that the season is returning, and I have been a
very good child, not even wishing to come to town
till now. We shall certainly come here for the Easter
week.

Dr Clark1 arrived here quite happy last night,
bringing the news that Van de Weyer had had the
best news from Lisbon he had received since his return,
that all had gone off quietly, that Ferdinand was daily
gaining popularity, and that both he and the Queen
had been very well received at the theatre. The man
who threw a stone at Ferdinand was a Frenchman,
whom, it seems, Ferdinand had relieved with money
over and over again. A fine specimen of gratitude !

I hope and trust with you that there will be less
violence in Parliament this year, but much is to be
feared.

You will miss my good cousins Ernest and Albert
very much I am sure ; I hope you will instill into
them to take enough exercise and not to study too
much.

There were two questions in my last letter but one,
which you have not answered, dear Uncle. They are :
1st, what you think of the Queen Christina of Spain,
what opinion you have of her, as one cannot believe
reports? 2nd, if you know what sort of people are
about poor little Queen Isabel, and if she is being
well or ill brought up ? . . .

The Princess Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

Uth March 1837.

. . . We had a dinner on Saturday which amused
me, as I am very fond of pleasant society, and we have
been for these last three weeks immured within our old
palace, and I longed sadly for some gaiety. After being

1 Afterwards Sir James Clark, and Physician-in-Ordinary to the Queen.

80 A DINNER [CHAP, vi

so very long in the country I was preparing to go out
in right earnest, whereas I have only been twice to the
play since our return, which is marvellous ! However,
we are to have another dinner to-morrow, and are going
to the play and Opera. After Easter I trust I shall
make ample amends for all this solitariness. 1 hope to
begin singing with Lablache shortly after Easter. But
to return to last Saturday's dinner. We had the
Archbishop of Dublin,1 a clever but singular man, and
his lady ; Lord Palmerston, with whom I had much
pleasant and amusing conversation after dinner — you
know how agreeable he is ; then Lady Cadogan,2 who
enquired much after you and Aunt Louise ; Lord and
Lady Rosebery,3 Mr and Mrs E. Stanley,4 Lord
Morpeth,5 Lord Templetown,6 Sir John Cam Hobhouse,7
Dr Lushington, and Mr Woulfe 9 the Solicitor-General
for Ireland, a Roman Catholic and a very clever man.
Lady Cadogan, who is not long come back from Paris,
says that the Duke of Orleans has been going out
very little and is remarkably well. I saw a report
in the papers that he and the Due de Nemours were
coming over here, which I fear is not true ; I wish
it was.

1 Richard Whateley, formerly Principal of St Alban Hall, and Drummond
Professor of Political Economy at Oxford.

2 Louisa Honoria, wife of the third Earl, and sister of Joseph, first Lord
Wallscourt.

8 Archibald, fourth Earl of Rosebery, and Anne Margaret, his second wife,
daughter of the first Viscount Anson.

* Edward Stanley, afterwards fourteenth Earl of Derby, thrice Prime
Minister.

6 Chief Secretary for Ireland.

6 John Henry, first Viscount, formerly M.P. for Bury St Edmunds.

7 Sir John Cam Hobhouse, a radical, and a friend of Byron, at whose
wedding he acted as best man ; he was imprisoned in 1819 for breach of
privilege. He was elected M. P. for Westminster in 18^0 as Burdett's
colleague, and afterwards for Nottingham and Harwich. Commissioner of
Woods and Forests (the old Houses of Parliament being burned down during
his term of office), and later President of Board of Control. Created Lord
Broughton, 1851.

8 Stephen Lushington, advocate in the old Ecclesiastical Court, M.P. for
Ilchester and the Tower Hamlets, and a Judge in the Ecclesiastical and
Admiralty Courts from 1828 to 1867.

9 Stephen Woulfe, M.P. for Carlisle, Solicitor-General, and susebquently
Attorney-General, for Ireland, becoming Chief Baron in 1838.

1837] THE THRONE OF GREECE 81

There is one thing in your former letter which I
must answer, or, rather, more advert to. You said to
me, that if it was not for me, you would regret Greece
very much. Now, I assure you, dearest Uncle, you
ought not to regret it, though there is not a doubt that
Greece would be much happier were you there. But I
have heard from various people who have been staying
in Greece that they very soon got to like the Turks
much better than the Greeks, who are very untrue, and
are quite banditti-like ; then, again, the country, though
undoubtedly fine in parts, is a rocky and barren
country, and also you are constantly exposed to the
effects of the Plague, that most dreadful of all evils ;
and then, lastly, how very, very far you would be, how
cut off from all those who are dear to you, and how
exposed to dangers of all kinds !

I much grieved that they are quarrelling so much in
the French Chambers.1 I must now conclude.

The King of the Belgians to the Princess Victoria.

LAEKEK, 31st March 1837.

MY BELOVED CHILD, — Your dear letter of the 28th
gave me the greatest pleasure. I was sure from your
constant affection for us that you would feel much
interested in the event of the 24th. It was a moment
of some anxiety, but all passed over very well. Your
Aunt is going on very well, and the little cousin also.
He is smaller than his brother was, but promises to
be like him ; the features are much the same, the
shape of the forehead and mouth. The elder Prince
was much interested about his frere, and anxious to see
him ; at first, however, he declared after a long con-
templation, pas beau frere! Now he thinks better

1 On 10th March, a heated debate took place in the French Chamber on
the question of the Queen of the Belgians' dowry, a Deputy calling for the

E reduction of King Louis Philippe's rent-roll, and a complete statement of
is income.

VOL. i. — 6

82 THE ENGLISH PRESS [CHAP, vi

of him, but makes a very odd little face when he sees
him. The name of the little one will be Philippe
Eugene Ferdinand Marie Clement Baudouin (Baldwin)
— a name of the old Counts of Flanders — Leopold
George. My Aunt, who is his godmother, wished he
should be called Philippe in honour of his grandfather,
and as Philippe le bon was one of the most powerful
Princes of this country, I gave him the name with
pleasure. Eugene is her own name, Ferdinand that
of Chartres, Marie of the Queen and also of Princess
Marie, Clement of Princess Clementine ; Leopold your
Aunt wished, and George in honour of St George of
England and of George IV. Probably I shall here-
after give to Leopold the title of Duke of Brabant,
and to Philippe that of Count of Flanders, both fine
old titles.

The King of the Belgians to the Princess Victoria.

LAEKEN, 7th April 1837.

MY DEAREST CHILD, — . . . You have been the
subject of all sorts of newspaper paragraphs ; your
good and sensible way of looking on these very
creditable productions will be of use to you. If the
press says useful things, and makes observations which
merit attention, there is no doubt that sometimes,
though God knows very rarely, something useful may
be gleaned from them. But when you see its present
state, when the one side says black and the other white,
when the opposite political characters are treated by
their respective antagonists as rogues, fools, block-
heads, wretches, and all the other names in which the
English political dictionary is so very rich, one stands
like the ass, between two bundles of hay, considerably
embarrassed which ought to be chosen. . . .

1837] THE PRINCESS'S ESTABLISHMENT 83

The King of the Belgians to the Princess Victoria.

LAEKEN, llth April 1837.

. . . As I believe the visit at Windsor is fixed
for the 15th, I hope this letter will arrive in time.
Perhaps the King will speak to you about the
necessity of forming you an establishment.1 . . .
Your position, having a Mother with whom you
very naturally remain, would render a complete inde-
pendent establishment perhaps matter of real incon-
venience ; still something like that which Charlotte
had will become desirable. My idea, if it meets with
your approbation, would be this : the Duchess of
Northumberland would remain your first Lady,
Baroness Lehzen would fill a position similar to that
of Mrs Campbell, who had been Charlotte's governess
in her younger days, and the Dean2 would step into
the position which good Dr Short3 held. An
Equerry, I do not think — as you will not go out
without your Mother — you would require. On the
other hand it may become matter of examination
if you will perhaps like to have some young
ladies attendants in the style of Lady Catherine
Jenkinson ; 4 should this be your wish, it would become
necessary to make very good choices, else perhaps
you would derive more trouble than comfort from
the arrangement ; cela va sans dire, that the choice
could only be made by yourself, and that nobody
should be given you against your wishes. Should
the King speak to you on the subject, I would at once
express this my wish if you should approve some such
arrangement, and beg him to let you choose. Resist
mildly but positively any nomination of a Gentleman
other than the Dean ; it is highly probable that any

1 The Princess was to attain her legal majority on 24th May.

2 George Davys, the Princess Victoria's instructor, Dean of Chester, and
afterwards Bishop of Peterborough.

3 Thomas Vowler Short, Rector of St George's, Bloomsbury, appointed in
1841 Bishop of Sodor and Man.

4 Lady Catherine Jenkinson, daughter of the Earl of Liverpool, soon after
the Queen's accession married Colonel Francis Vernon Harcourt.

84 THE YOUNG BELGIAN COUSINS [CHAP, v:

other would be put about you as a spy, and turn out
at all events a great bore, which is better avoided. . . .
I received a messenger from Coburg. I enclose
the letters and also a packet with fans. Ever, my
beloved child, your faithfully attached Uncle and
friend, LEOPOLD R.

The Princess Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

12th April 1837.

. . . What you say about the newspapers is very
true and very flattering. They are indeed a curious
compound of truth and untruth. I am so used to
newspaper nonsense and attacks that I do not mind
it in the least. . . .

How happy I am that that beloved Aunt is going
on so well and does not suffer from the cold, as also
the jeune Philippe.1 Leopold must be great fun with
his Aunt Marie,2 does he still say "pas beau frere ! "
or is he more reconciled to his brother ? It is very
noble in the Due de Nemours to have thus given up
his apanage;3 I am sorry there were such difficulties
about it. There is no Ministry formed yet, I see by
the papers.

The Princess Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

April 1837.

My MOST BELOVED UNCLE, — ... Sir Henry Har-
dinge's4 motion was quite lost, I am happy to say,
and don't you think, dearest Uncle, that it has almost

1 Philippe, second son of King Leopold, afterwards Count of Flanders.
He died in 1905.

2 Princess Marie of Orleans, born 1813, daughter of King Louis Philippe,
and thus sister to the Queen of the Belgians.

8 This grant was surrendered in order that due provision might be made
by the Legislature for the elder brother, the Duke of Orleans, on the occasion
of his marriage with the Princess Helene of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.

4 On a motion for going into supply. Sir H. Hardinge proposed an amend-
ment censuring the Government for the authorisation of the raising of a
force of Volunteers to assist the Spanish Government, and for the method in
which that force had been organised. The amendment was lost by a majority
of 36, on 19th April.

1837] THE IRISH MUNICIPAL BILL 85

done good, as it proves that the Tories have lost all
chance of getting in ? It was a trial of strength, and
the Ministry have triumphed. I have been reading
in the papers, what I suppose you already know,
that it is believed that the Lords will pass the Irish
Corporation Bill ; * and also that Ministers mean to
drop for the present the question about Church
Rates,2 as the Radicals, being angry with Ministers
relative to the Canada business, would not support
them well.

The King of the Belgians to the Princess Victoria.

LAEKEN, 28^ April 1837.

... I hope you occupy yourself with the several
great questions which agitate parties. I think a good
mode will be to talk concerning them sometimes
with the Dean. He is a good moderate man, and
still well able to give you sufficient information.
From conversation with clever people, such as dine
sometimes with you, much may be very usefully
gathered, and you will do well to attend to this.
I am no enemy to this way of instruction, and have
seen people who were sharp enough to profit wonder-
fully by it. You hear in this way the opinions of
a variety of persons, and it rests with your own good
sense to classify and appreciate them. . . .

The Princess Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

2nd May 1837.

. . . You may depend upon it that I shall profit
by your excellent advice respecting Politics. Pray,
dear Uncle, have you read Lord Palmerston's speech

1 The Irish Municipal Bill, to convert Corporations of Municipalities into
Electoral Councils, was introduced in the House of Commons on the 15th
of February. The Bill was opposed by the Conservatives, but passed the
House of Commons. In the Lords an amendment of Lyndhurst's struck
out the constructive clauses, and the Act became, on the 18th of May, an Act
for the Abolition of Municipalities in Ireland. Lord John Russell brought
forward a motion to reconstruct the Bill. But the Peers declined to pass it,
and it was postponed.

2 As Ministers only obtained a majority of 5 in a house of 569, the measure
was dropped.

86 WHIG MINISTERS [CHAP, vi

concerning the Spanish affairs,1 which he delivered the
night of the division on Sir Henry Hardinge's motion ?
It is much admired. The Irish Tithes question came
on last night in the House of Commons,2 and I am
very anxious for the morning papers, to see what
has been done. Lord Melbourne looks remarkably
well, Lord Palmerston not very well, and as for
poor little Lord John Russell, he is only a shadow
of himself. It must be dreadfully fagging work for
them ; they sit so very late too, for when the Spanish
question came on, the division only took place at
four o'clock in the morning, and I saw them at the
Drawing-Room the same day afterwards. . . .

The Princess Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

9tk May 1837.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — It was very kind of you to
write to me from your new chateau ; I hardly ventured
to hope for my usual letter, and yet I should have been
much disappointed had I not received it. I am sorry
that the house is so bad, but hope you will have found
a good position for a new one. . . .

Pray, dearest Uncle, may I ask such an indiscreet
question as, if Major Stroekens is a clever man ; he
was so nervous and embarrassed when lie came here,
that I could not make him out. He brought me
a very nice letter from Donna Maria.

1 am anxiously waiting to hear the issue of the
battle between the Carlists and Christines which is,
they say, to decide a great deal.3

1 Lord Palmerston indignantly asked whether England should continue to
fulfil her engagement with the Queen of Spain, or disgracefully abandon an
ally whom she had pledged herself to succour.

2 The Irish Tithe Bill, a measure to facilitate the collection of tithes, was
abandoned because the Tories would not consent to any secular appropriation
of Church revenues, and the Whigs would not consent to the withdrawal of
their amendments. A remarkable feature in the Bill was a proposal that
a portion of every clergyman's income should be applied to education, as was
already prescribed by a former Act.

3 After an obstinate investment by the Carlists, Espartero had relieved
Bilbao on Christmas Day, 1836. The Christino commanders then began to
concert a combined movement on the Carlist lines, which stretched from
I run to Villafranca.

1837] THE PRINCESS'S ESTABLISHMENT 87

Now farewell, dearest Uncle. I beg my affectionate
love to my dear Aunt, and my most respectful
hommages to the Members of the Family with you.
Believe me, always, your affectionate Niece,

VICTORIA.

Old Pozzo1 dined here last Wednesday and he
gave me a long, I must say clever, dissertation about
the state of France, during dinner-time.

The King of the Belgians to the Princess Victoria.

LAEKEN, <25th May 1837.

MY DEAREST CHILD, — You have had some battles
and difficulties of which I am completely in the dark.
The thing I am most curious to learn is what the King
proposed to you concerning your establishment. . . .
I shall reserve my opinion till I am better informed,
but by what I heard I did not approve of it,
because I thought it ill timed. Stockmar will be
able to do much. Two things seem necessary ;
not to be fettered by any establishment other than
what will be comfortable to you, and then to avoid
any breach with your mother. I have fully instructed
Stockmar, and I must say he left me in such good
disposition that I think he will be able to be of great
use to you. The great thing is to act without pre-
cipitation and with caution. The King seems better
again. I am very curious to know what he proposed :
you will have it in your power to modify his proposition,
as it is difficult your approbation should be dispensed
with ; it would be a great fault in your situation to
submit to this. . . . They seemed to think the King
dying, which does not appear to be the case. Be
steady, my good child, and not put out by anything ;

1 Count Pozzo di Borgo (1764-1842), Russian Ambassador. By birth a
Corsican and a devoted patriot, he was a life-long opponent of Napoleon and
his designs. He entered the Russian diplomatic service in 1803, and after
Waterloo, became Russian Ambassador in Paris. He was Ambassador in
London for two years, when his health gave way.

88 THE PRINCESS'S ESTABLISHMENT [CHAP, vi

as long as I live you will not want a faithful friend
and supporter. . . .

Here your somewhat curious little soul has at least
the outlines of things. . . .

26th. — I received yesterday the whole of the papers
concerning the King's propositions.1 I approve your
letter to the King, as it is amiable and generous, and
this in your position will always tell favourably. I
think that if he is well advised he will chiefly consult
your wishes. This is the footing on which you must
place matters. It is not worth while to be told that
one is in some sort of age when the consequence is
that you are not consulted in what concerns you most
personally. Avoid in future to say much about
your great youth and inexperience. Who made the
letter ? was it yourself, or came it from your Mother ?
You have now the Baron at your elbow, and even your
Mother was most anxious for his arrival. Speak some-
times itith him ; it is necessary to accustom you to the
thing.

About the King's health.2 I am doubtful what
to think. We have foreseen the case and treated it
formerly. The great thing would be to make no
change, to keep Ministers and everything as it is,
and to gain time ; in this way no one is hurt and no
amour propre blesse. For this reason I lean to your
keeping, to begin with, Sir Herbert Taylor3 for your
official secretary, though I am not quite decided on
the subject. He knows the manner in which the daily
business is carried on ; this is important. I believe him,
and have found him to be an honest man, that would
do for State matters ; it would not be required that
he should be your confidential adviser. Now I conclude,
and send you this letter through Stockmar. My best
regards to Lehzen. Ever your faithful Uncle and
friend, LEOPOLD R.

1 The King had offered the Princess an establishment of £10,000 a year,
independent of her mother. This was accepted, to the great vexation of the
Duchess of Kent, but the arrangement was not carried into effect.

2 King William's health was at this time causing much anxiety.
8 Private Secretary to King William IV.

t/ie

cut

1837] BIRTHDAY REJOICINGS 89

The Princess Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

26th May 1837.

. . . The demonstrations of affection and kindness
from all sides, towards me on my birthday, were most
gratifying. The parks and streets were crowded all
day as though something very extraordinary had
happened. Yesterday I received twenty-two Addresses
from various places, all very pretty and loyal ; one in
particular was very well written which was presented
by Mr Attwood1 from the Political Union at
Birmingham.

I am delighted to hear Stockmar is at length
arrived ; he reached London on Wednesday, and we
shall see him to-day.

How distressed I am that poor dear Ernest2 has
been so ill ! Thank God ! that he is now better.

The Spanish affairs have turned out better than
you had expected ; the triumphant capture of Irun 3
was a great thing for the Christinos.

The King is much better.

The King of the Belgians to the Princess Victoria.

TUILERIES, 1th June 1837.

. . . The entree 4 last Sunday was something remark-
ably splendid ; we saw it from the Tuileries, as we had
nothing to do with the business itself, and your Aunt's
rank would have clashed with that of the Duchess of
Orleans. The effect of all this on the people of this
great town has been very great, and evidently much

1 Thomas Attwood founded in 1829 the Birmingham Political Union, which
helped to pass the Reform Act. Previously he had been known for his
opposition to the Orders in Council, and the resumption of cash payments.
Birmingham elected him without opposition in 1832, and he sat till 1840.

2 Prince Ernest of Saxe-Coburg.

8 The frontier town of Spain, near St Sebastian, captured, 16th May, by
the Christinos, supported by British troops.

4 The entry into Paris of the Duke and Duchess of Orleans, who had been
married at Fontainebleau on May 30th.

90 ADVICE AND ENCOURAGEMENT [CHAP. M

ground has been solidly regained. The King, getting
out of that sort of confinement in which it was
necessary to keep, has gained much in personal comfort,
and also in a political point of view ; because to have
a King who cannot show himself without being shot
at, is a state of society which lowers his authority. . . .

For the present the best plan is to continue to
act as you have done hitherto ; to avoid quarrels,
but also to stick firmly to your resolution when once
taken. The violence which is sometimes shown is so
well known to you, you know also so well that you
have nothing to fear from these people, that you must
keep up your usual cool spirit, whatever may be tried
in the House to teaze you out of it. I mean to wait
some more detailed accounts of what is going on in
England before I give my opinion on what ought to
be done in the case that the King's disease should take
a more fatal turn.

As I told you before, however, when we treated
this subject verbally and in writing, I believe it to be
your interest to act very mildly, to begin by taking
everything as the King leaves it. By this system you
avoid disappointing those whose hopes may remain
unchanged, as your own choices, as it were, are not
yet made. Parties, which at present are so nearly
balanced, remain in statu quo, and you gain time.

8th. — I must conclude now this letter. My winding
up is, keep your mind cool and easy ; be not alarmed at
the prospect of becoming perhaps sooner than you
expected Queen ; aid will not be wanting, and the
great thing is that you should have some honest
people about you who have your welfare really at
heart. Stockmar will be in this respect all we can
wish, and we must hope that useful occupation will
prevent his health from suffering. Now once more
God bless you. Ever, my dear child, your faithful
Uncle and Friend, LEOPOLD R.

1837] ACCESSION IMMINENT 91

The King of the Belgians to the Princess Victoria.

LAEKEN, 15th June 1837.

MY BELOVED CHILD, — I hope that to-day will not
pass over without bringing me a letter from you. In
the meantime I will begin this epistle, which will go
by a messenger of my own to-morrow. In every
letter I shall write to you I mean to repeat to you,
as a fundamental ride, to be courageous, firm and
honest, as you have been till now. You may count
upon my faithful good offices in all difficulties, and
you have at your command Stockmar, whose judg-
ment, heart, and character offer all the guarantees we
can wish for. I wish nothing but to see you nappy
and prosperous, and by Sunday I shall probably write
you a long letter, which will enter into details about
most things.

My object is that you should be no one's tool, and
though young, and naturally not yet experienced,
your good natural sense and the truth of your char-
acter will, with faithful and proper advice, get you
very well through the difficulties of your future
position, should it be the will of Providence to take
the King from this earthly life. Of his real position
1 am still not quite able to judge, there being so
much contradictory in the reports. Be this as it may,
the great thing for you is, not to be hurried into
important measures, and to gain time. A new reign
is always a time of hope ; everybody is disposed to
see something for his own wishes and prospects.
The policy of a new Sovereign must therefore be
to act in such a manner as to hurt as little as
possible the amour-propre of people, to let circum-
stances and the force of things bring about the
disappointments which no human power could pre-
vent coming sooner or later : that they should come
as late as possible is in your interest. Should any-
thing happen to the King before I can enter more

92 THE CONDITION OF THE KING [CHAP, vi

fully into the necessary details, limit yourself to
taking kindly and in a .friendly manner the present
administration into your service. They are naturally
friendly to your interests, as you are in fact the only
possible Sovereign of the whole family, with the ex-
ception of the Duke of Sussex, they can serve with
sincerity and attachment. This is of great importance
to you, as it is by no means the same thing to have
people who aid and assist you with feelings of real
attachment, or merely from cold and calculating
motives of political expediency and self-interest. This
being done, no other step should be taken without
consulting seriously. The very time which is neces-
sary to attain this end is favourable to you, as it is
your greatest interest for the present moment to act
most cautiously and to gain as much time as possible.
In high positions it is excessively difficult to retrace
a false move to get out of a mistake; and there
exists very rarely, except in time of war and civil
feuds, a necessity for an immediate decision. Your
part must be, to resume once more what I said
before, to remain as long as possible agreeable to
all parties, and after the formation of the Ministry,
to be most careful how you take any measure of
importance. . . .

The Princess Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

16th June 1837.

MY BELOVED UNCLE, — . . . I cannot say how
happy I am that the entree publique into Paris
succeeded so well, and that the dear King was so
well received ; I trust he will now at last be
rewarded for all the troubles and anxiety he has
had ever since 1830. Lord Palmerston said that
the French say that Tassassinat est hors de mode.
I hope and trust in Heaven that this may be the
case, and for ever !

1837] RELIANCE ON LORD MELBOURNE 93

You know, of course, dear Uncle, how very ill
the King is ; it may all be over at any moment, and
yet may last a few days. Consequently, we have
not been out anywhere in public since Tuesday, 6th,
and since Wednesday all my lessons are stopped, as
the news may arrive very suddenly. . . .

The King of the Belgians to the Princess Victoria.

LAEKEN, \lth June 1837.

My BELOVED CHILD, — . . . I shall to-day enter
on the subject of what is to be done when the King
ceases to live. The moment you get official com-
munication of it, you will entrust Lord Melbourne
with the office of retaining the present Administra-
tion as your Ministers. You will do this in that
honest and kind way which is quite your own, and
say some kind things on the subject. The fact is
that the present Ministers are those who will serve
you personally with the greatest sincerity and, I
trust, attachment. For them, as well as for the
Liberals at large, you are the only Sovereign that
offers them des chances coexistence et de duree. With
the exception of the Duke of Sussex there is no
one in the family that offers them anything like
what they can reasonably hope from you, and your
immediate successor, with the mustaches,1 is enough
to frighten them into the most violent attachment
for you.

. . . The irksome position in which you have lived
will have the merit to have given you the habit of
discretion and prudence, as in your position you never
can have too much of either. Great measures of
State I hope you will be able to avoid at first. I have
already — if you would read it over, and perhaps let
Stockmar see it — written to you some months ago on
the subject of the necessity of maintaining the influence

1 The Duke of Cumberland.

94. THE PRINCESS AN7D THE CHURCH [CHAP, vi

of conservative principles, and of protecting the Church.
You will do well to keep both objects in view. You
will do wisely by showing yourself attached to the
English Protestant Church as it exists in the State ; you
are particularly where you are, because you are a
Protestant. 1 know you are averse to persecution, and
you are right ; miss, however, no opportunity to show
your sincere feeling for the existing Church ; it is right
and meet that you should do so. I must repeat
that you will do well as long as it will be possible to
hurt no one's hopes or prospects. That this will not
always, or very long, be possible is the consequence of
the state of parties ; still, one may be frank and honest,
and still kind to all. Concerning foreign policy I shall
write on some future occasion. In the meantime I trust
you will protect the two Queens in the Peninsula, who
are miserably ill off. I am sure, with your good sense
you will not find it difficult to judge questions yourself.
I cannot too much recommend this, as it will then
become a habit, and even an amusement to you.
Cultivate always a genuine feeling of right and wrong,
and be very true and honourable in your dealings ; this
gives great strength. I have taken into considera-
tion the advantage or disadvantage of my coming over
to you immediately. The result of my cocamen is that
I think it better to visit you later. If, however, you
wanted me at any time, I should come in a moment.
People might fancy I came to enslave you, while I
glory in the contrary ; and, thirdly, that they might
be jealous, or affect it at least, of my coming, as if
I thought of ruling the realm for purposes of my

OW71. . . .

I am now at the end, I think, of what I had to
say. May Heaven bless you and keep up your spirits.
Ever, my beloved child, your faithful Uncle and
Friend, LEOPOLD R.

Pardon the hurry in which this letter was written.

1837] THE KING'S DEATH IMMINENT 95

The Princess Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

19th June 1837.

MY DEARLY BELOVED UNCLE, — Your kind and dear
letter, containing most wholesome, prudent, sound and
excellent advice, was given me by our good and
invaluable honest friend, Stockmar, and I beg you to
accept my best thanks for it. Before I say anything
else, let me tell you how happy and thankful I am
to have Stockmar here ; he has been, and is, of the
greatest possible use, and be assured, dearest Uncle,
that he possesses my most entire confidence!

The King's state, I may fairly say, is hopeless;
he may perhaps linger a few days, but he cannot
recover ultimately. Yesterday the physicians declared
he could not live till the morning, but to-day he is
a little better ; the great fear is his excessive weakness
and no pulse at all. Poor old man ! I feel sorry for
him ; he was always personally kind to me, and I
should be ungrateful and devoid of feeling if 1 did
not remember this.

I look forward to the event which it seems is
likely to occur soon, with calmness and quietness ; I am
not alarmed at it, and yet I do not suppose myself
quite equal to all ; I trust, however, that with good will,
honesty and courage I shall not, at all events, fail.
Your advice is most excellent, and you may depend
upon it I shall make use of it, and follow it, as also
what Stockmar says. I never showed myself, openly, to
belong to any party, and I do not belong to any party.
The Administration will undoubtedly be well received
by me, the more so as I have real confidence in them,
and in particular in Lord Melbourne, who is a straight-
forward, honest, clever and good man.

I need not add much more, dearest Uncle, but
that I trust that the all-powerful Being who has
so long watched over my destinies will guide and
support me, in whatever situation and station it may
please Him to place me ! . . .

96 THE ACCESSION [CHAP,

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, 20th June 1837.

Viscount Melbourne1 presents his humble duty
to your Majesty, and being aware that your Majesty
has already received the melancholy intelligence of
the death of his late Majesty, will do himself the
honour of waiting upon your Majesty a little before
nine this morning. Viscount Melbourne has requested
the Marquis of Lansdowne 2 to name eleven as the hour
for the meeting of the Council at Kensington Palace.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

20th June 1837 (half-past eight A.M.).

DEAREST, MOST BELOVED UNCLE, — Two words only,
to tell you that my poor Uncle, the King, expired this
morning at twelve minutes past two. The melancholy
news were brought to me by Lord Conyngham3 and
the Archbishop of Canterbury 4 at six. 1 expect Lord
Melbourne almost immediately, and hold a Council
at eleven. Ever, my beloved Uncle, your devoted
and attached Niece, VICTORIA R.

Queen Adelaide to Queen Victoria.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 20th June 1837.

MY DEAREST NIECE, — I feel most grateful for your
kind letter full of sympathy with my irreparable loss,
and thank you with all my heart for your feeling
expressions on this melancholy occasion. I am, as

1 Lord Melbourne, so far as can be augured from his handwriting, which
is extremely difficult to decipher, appears always to have written his own
name Melburne. But it is not the correct spelling, and no one else seems to
have employed it.

2 Lord President of the Council; formerly for a brief period (1806-7)
Chancellor of the Exchequer.

8 Francis Nathaniel, second Marquis of Conyngham, had been M. P. for
Westbury and Donegal, and was now Lord Chamberlain.

* William Howley (1766-1848), Bishop of London, 1813-1828, Primate,
1828-1848.

1837] THE QUEEN'S JOURNAL 97

you may suppose, deeply affected by all the sad scenes
I have gone through lately, but I have the great
comfort to dwell upon the recollection of the perfect
resignation, piety and patience with which the dear
King bore his trials and sufferings, and the truly
Christian-like manner of his death.

Excuse my writing more at present, my heart is
overwhelmed and my head aches very much. Accept the
assurance of my most affectionate devotion, and allow
me to consider myself always as your Majesty's most
affectionate Friend, Aunt and Subject, ADELAIDE.

Extract from the Quee?is Journal.

Tuesday, 20th June 1837.

I was awoke at 6 o'clock by Mamma, who told
me that the Archbishop of Canterbury and Lord
Conyngham were here, and wished to see me. I got
out of bed and went into my sitting-room (only in
my dressing-gown) and alone, and saw them. Lord
Conyngham (the Lord Chamberlain) then acquainted
me, that my poor Uncle, the King, was no more, and
had expired at 12 minutes past 2 this morning,
and consequently that I am Queen. Lord Conyngham
knelt down and kissed my hand, at the same time
delivering to me the official announcement of the
poor King's demise. The Archbishop then told me
that the Queen was desirous that he should come
and tell me the details of the last moments of my
poor good Uncle ; he said that he had directed his
mind to religion, and had died in a perfectly happy,
quiet state of mind and was quite prepared for his
death. He added that the King's sufferings at the
last were not very great but that there was a good
deal of uneasiness. Lord Conyngham, whom I
charged to express my feelings of condolence and
sorrow to the poor Queen, returned directly to
Windsor. I then went to my room and dressed.

Since it has pleased Providence to place me in
this station, I shall do my utmost to fulfil my duty

VOL. i. — 7

98 INTERVIEW WITH LORD MELBOURNE [CHAP, vi

towards my country ; I am very young and perhaps
in many, though not in all things, inexperienced, but
I am sure that very few have more real good will
and more real desire to do what is fit and right than I
have.

Breakfasted, during which time good, faithful
Stockmar came and talked to me. Wrote a letter
to dear Uncle Leopold and a few words to dear good
Feodore. Received a letter from Lord Melbourne in
which he said he would wait upon me at a little
before 9. At 9 came Lord Melbourne, whom
I saw in my room, and of course quite alone as 1
shall always do all my Ministers. He kissed my
hand, and I then acquainted him that it had long
been my intention to retain him and the rest of the
present Ministry at the head of affairs, and that it
could not be in better hands than his. He again
then kissed my hand. He then read to me the
Declaration which I was to read to the Council,
which he wrote himself and which is a very fine one.
I then talked with him some little time longer, after
which he left me. He was in full dress. I like him
very much and feel confidence in him. He is a very
straightforward, honest, clever and good man. I
then wrote a letter to the Queen. At about 11
Lord Melbourne came again to me, and spoke to me
upon various subjects. At about half-past 11 I went
downstairs and held a Council in the red saloon.

I went in of course quite alone and remained
seated the whole time. My two Uncles, the Dukes
of Cumberland and Sussex, and Lord Melbourne
conducted me. The Declaration, the various forms,
the swearing in of the Privy Councillors of which
there were a great number present, and the reception
of some of the Lords of the Council, previous to the
Council in an adjacent room (likewise alone) I subjoin
here. I was not at all nervous and had the satis-
faction of hearing that people were satisfied with
what I had done and how I had done it. Received
after this, audiences of Lord Melbourne, Lord John

1837] THE QUEEN'S FIRST COUNCIL 99

Russell, Lord Albemarle (Master of the Horse), and
the Archbishop of Canterbury, all in my room and
alone. Saw Stockmar. Saw Clark whom I named
my Physician. Saw Mary. Wrote to Uncle Ernest.
Saw Ernest Hohenlohe, who brought me a kind and
very feeling letter from the poor Queen. I feel very
much for her, and really feel that the poor good
King was always so kind personally to me, that I
should be ungrateful were I not to recollect it and
feel grieved at his death. The poor Queen is
wonderfully composed now I hear.

Wrote my journal. Took my dinner upstairs alone.
Went downstairs. Saw Stockmar. At about twenty
minutes to nine came Lord Melbourne and remained
till near 10. I had a very important and a very
comfortable conversation with him. Each time I see
him I feel more confidence in him ; I find him very
kind in his manner too. Saw Stockmar. Went
down and said good-night to Mamma, etc. My dear
Lehzen will always remain with me as my friend,
but will take no situation about me, and I think
she is right.

Lord John Russell to Queen Victoria.

WILTON CRESCENT, 22nd June 1837.

Lord John Russell * presents his humble duty to
your Majesty, and has the honour to report that he
presented to the House of Commons this day your
Majesty's gracious Message.

He then moved an Address of Condolence and
Congratulation, which was seconded by Sir Robert
Peel. Sir Robert Peel very properly took occasion
to speak in terms of high admiration of the deport-
ment of your Majesty before the Privy Council on
Tuesday. The Address was agreed to without a
dissentient voice, and your Majesty may rest assured
that the House of Commons is animated by a feeling of
loyalty to the Throne, and of devotion to your Majesty.

1 Writing as Leader of the House of Commons.

100 LETTER FROM THE KING OF THE FRENCH [CHAP.

Queen Adelaide to Queen Victoria.

(Undated — <Z2nd or 23rd June 1837.)

MY DEAREST NIECE, — I am most grateful for your
amiable letter and truly kind offer to come and see
me next week. Any day convenient to your Majesty
will be agreeable to me, the sooner the better, lor I
am equally anxious to see you again, and to express
to you in person all that I feel for you at this trying
moment. If Monday will suit you, I shall be ready
to receive you and your dear Mother on that day.
My prayers are with you and my blessing follows
you in all you have to go through. My health is as
well as it can be after the great exertions I have
suffered, and I try to keep up under my heavy trial
and deep affliction.

My best wishes attend you, my dearest niece, and
I am for ever your Majesty's most affectionate and
faithful Friend, Aunt and Subject, ADELAIDE.

The King of the French to Queen Victoria.

PARIS, le 23 Juin 1837.

MADAME MA SoeuR, — J'ai appris avec une vive
peine la perte que votre Majeste vient de faire dans
la personne de son tres cher et bien aime Oncle le
Roi Guillaume IV. d'auguste et venerable memoire.
La vive et sincere amitie que je porte a votre Majeste,
et a ceux qui lui sont chers, les liens de parente qui
rapprochent nos deux families par 1'alliance de ma fille
cherie avec le Roi des Beiges votre Oncle bien aime, et
enfin le souvenir qui m'est toujours bien cher de la
tendre amitie qui m'attachait an feu Prince votre Pere,
depuis que nous nous etions vus en Amerique, il y a
deja trente-huit ans,1 me determinent a ne pas attendre
les formalites d'usage, pour offrir a votre Majeste mes

1 In 1799 the Duke of Kent was Commander-in-Chief in British North
America.

1837] CONGRATULATIONS FROM KING LEOPOLD 101

felicitations sur son avenement au Trone de la Grande
Bretagne. II m'est doux de penser que 1'heureuse direc-
tion que la Princesse votre excellente et bien aimee
Mere a si sagement donnee a votre jeune age, vous met
a portee de supporter dignement le grand fardeau qui
vous est echu. Je fais les vceux les plus sinceres pour
que la Providence benisse votre Regne, et qu'il soit une
epoque de bonheur et de prosperite pour les peuples
que vous etes appelee a gouverner. Puissiez-vous
aussi jouir longtemps de tout le bonheur personnel
que je vous souhaite du fond de mon cceur. Je serai
toujours bien empresse de manifester a votre Majeste
tous les sentiments d'attachement et d'affection que je
lui porte. Qu'elle me permette d'y aj outer Fexpres-
sion de la haute estime et de 1'inviolable amitie' avec
lesquelles je ne cesserai d'etre, Madame ma Soeur, de
votre Majeste Le Bon Frere, Louis PHILIPPE R.

Tfie King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

LAEKEN, 23rd June 1837.

MY BELOVED CHILD, — Your new dignities will not
change or increase my old affection for you ; may Heaven
assist you, and may I have the happiness of being- able
to be of me to you, and to contribute to those successes
in your new career for which I am so anxious. Your
letter of the 19th, written very shortly before the
important event took place, gave me great satisfaction ;
it showed me a temper of mind well calculated for the
occasion. To see the difficulties of the task without
' shrinking from them or feeling alarm, and to meet
them with courage is the way to succeed. I have
often seen that the confidence of success has been the
cause of the success itself, and you will do well to
preserve that sentiment.

I have been most happy to learn that the swearing
in of the Council passed so well. The declaration in
the newspapers I find simple and appropriate. The
translation in the papers says, " J*ai ete elevee en

102 NATIONALITY OF THE QUEEN [CHAP, vi

Angleterre? 1. I should advise to say as often as
possible that you are born in England. George III.
gloried in this, and as none of your cousins are born
in England, it is your interest de j'aire reporter cela
fortement. 2. You never can say too much in praise
of your country and its inhabitants. Two nations in
Europe are really almost ridiculous in their own
exaggerated praises of themselves ; these are the English
and the French. Your being very national is highly
important, and as you happen to be born in England
and never to have left it a moment,1 it would be odd
enough if people tried to make out the contrary.
3. The Established Church I also recommend strongly ;
you cannot, without pledging yourself to anything
particular, say too muck on the subject. 4. Before you
decide on anything important I should be glad if
you would consult me ; this would also have the
advantage of giving you time. In politics most
measures will come in time within a certain number
of days ; to retrace or back out of a measure is on
the contrary extremely difficult, and almost always
injurious to the highest authority.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

25th June 1837.

MY BELOVED UNCLE, — Though I have an immense
deal of business to do, I shall write you a few lines to
thank you for your kind and useful letter of the 23rd,
which I have just received. Your advice is always of
the greatest importance to me.

Respecting Claremont, Stockmar will be able to
explain to you the total impossibility of my being out
of London, as I must see my Ministers every day. I
am very well, sleep well, and drive every evening in
the country ; it is so hot that walking is out of the
question. Before I go further let me pause to tell
you how fortunate I am to have at the head of the

1 The Duke and Duchess of Kent were settled at Amorbach, in Leiningen,
till a short time before the birth of their child, when they came to Kensington.

1837] QUEEN VICTORIA AND HER MINISTERS 103

Government a man like Lord Melbourne. I have
seen him now every day, with the exception of Friday,
and the more I see him, the more confidence I have
in him ; he is not only a clever statesman and an
honest man, but a good and a kind-hearted man, whose
aim is to do his duty for his country and not for a
party. He is of the greatest use to me both politically
and privately.

I have seen almost all my other Ministers, and do
regular, hard, but to me delightful, work with them.
It is to me the greatest pleasure to do my duty for
my country and my people, and no fatigue, however
great, will be burdensome to me if it is for the welfare
of the nation. Stockmar will tell you all these things.
I have reason to be highly pleased with all my Ministers,
and hope to God that the Elections * may be favourable,
as I well know that the present Ministry is the best and
most moderate we can have.

Do not, my dearly beloved Uncle, fear for my
health, I shall take good care of it. I beg your advice
on the enclosed paper.

Ever your devoted and grateful Niece and affectionate
Child, VICTORIA R.

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

LAEKEN, 27<7i June 1837.

MY DEAR CHILD, — ... Now I must touch on
another subject which is of vital importance for you
and your comfort, viz., the habits of business which
you will contract now. The best plan is to devote
certain hours to it ; if you do that, you will get through
it with great ease. I think you would do well to tell
your Ministers that for the present you would be ready
to receive those who should wish to see you, between
the hours of eleven and half-past one. This will not
plague you much, and will be sufficient in most cases
for the usual business that is to be transacted.

1 At that time rendered necessary by the demise of the Crown.

104 REFLECTION ADVISED [CHAP, vi

I shall add to this a piece of advice. Whenever
a question is of some importance, it should not be
decided on the day when it is submitted to you.
Whenever it is not an urgent one, I make it a rule
not to let any question be forced upon my immediate
decision ; it is really not doing oneself justice de decider
dcs questions sur le pouce. And even when in my mind
I am disposed to accede, still I always keep the papers
with me some little time before I return them. The
best mode for you will be, that each Minister should
bring his box with him, and when he submits to
you the papers explain them to you. Then you will
keep the papers, either to think yourself upon it or
to consult somebody, and either return them the
next time you see the Minister to whom they belong,
or send them to him. Good habits formed now may
for ever afterwards be kept up, and will become so
natural to you that you wrill not find them at all
fatiguing.

Queen Victoria to Viscount Melbourne.

KENSINGTON PALACE, 29lh June 1837.

The Queen has received Lord Melbourne's com-
munication, and thinks as Prince Ernest of Hesse goes
to the funeral, it would be proper the Prince of
Leiningen should do just the same. The Queen
requests that Lord Melbourne will be so good as to
take care that the Prince of Leiningen is informed as
to the proper dress he ought to wear on the occasion.

Lord Albemarle mentioned yesterday to the
Queen, that all the ladies' saddle-horses, including
the Queen Dowager's own favourite horses, belonged
to the Queen, but it strikes her that it would be
well if the Queen was to give the Queen Dowager
the choice of two or three of her own horses, and that
she might keep them. The Queen would wish Lord
Melbourne to give her his opinion on this subject. . . .

1837] BARON STOCKMAR 105

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

LAEKEN, 30th June 1837.

MY DEAREST CHILD, — ... I am glad to see that
you are so much pleased with Lord Melbourne. I
believe him to be as you think him. His character
is a guarantee which is valuable, and remember that
cleverness and talent without an honest heart and
character, will never do for your Minister. I shall
name nobody, but what I said just now applies to
some people you have recently seen.

I am so happy that you enter into the important
affairs which Providence has entrusted to you, with
so much interest and spirit ; if you continue you will
be sure of success, and your own conscience will give
you the most delightful and satisfactory feelings. To
be National is the great thing, and I was sure you
would agree with what I said repeatedly to you on
this vital subject, and you will be certain in this way
of the love of the nation you govern.

I recommend to your kind attention what Stockmar
will think it his duty to tell you ; he will never press
anything, never plague you with anything, without the
thorough conviction that it is indispensable for your
welfare. I can guarantee his independence of mind
and disinterestedness ; nothing makes an impression
upon him but what his experience makes him feel
to be of importance for you. I am delighted with
your plan. You will recollect that I pressed upon you
repeatedly how necessary it was for you to continue
your studies on a more extended scale, more appropriate
to the station you were destined once to fill. No one
is better qualified to direct those studies for the next
few years than Stockmar, few people possess more
general information, and very, very few have been
like him educated, as it were, by fate itself since 1816.
There is no branch of information in which he may
not prove useful — (1) History, considered in a practical
and philosophical way ; (2) International Law and

106 IMPORTANT SUBJECTS FOR STUDY [CHAP, vi

everything connected with it ; (3) Political Economy,
an important branch nowadays ; (4) Classic studies ;
(5) belles lettres in general ; (6) Physical Science in all
its branches, etc., etc. - - the list would be very long if
I were to enumerate it all. The sooner you do this
the better ; in all countries and at all times men like
Stockmar have filled similar situations, even in the
most bigoted and jealous countries, such as Spain,
Austria, etc. You will have him in this case constantly
near you without anybody having the right of finding
fault with it, and to be useful to you he should be near
you. Stockmar would have the immense advantage,
for so young a Queen, to be a living dictionary of
all matters scientific and politic that happened these
thirty years, which to you is of the greatest impor-
tance, because you must study the political history of
at least the last thirty-seven years more particularly.
I had begun something of the sort with you, even so
far back as George II. ; you will do well to go through
the reign of George III. and to follow the various
circumstances which brought on finally the present
state of affairs. . . .

My letter grows too long, and you will not have
time to read it ; I will therefore come to an end,
remaining ever, my beloved Victoria, your faithfully
attached Uncle and Friend, LEOPOLD R.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

3rd July 1837.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — I had the happiness of
receiving your kind letter of 30th June yesterday,
and hasten to thank you for it. Yrour dear and
kind letters, full of kind and excellent advice, will
always be of the greatest use to me, and will always
be my delight. You may depend upon it that I shall
profit by your advice, as I have already so often done.

I was sure you would be of my opinion relative
to Lord Melbourne. Indeed, dearest Uncle, nothing
is to be done without a good heart and an honest

1837] SISTER QUEENS 107

mind ; I have, alas ! seen so much of bad hearts and
dishonest and double minds, that I know how to
value and appreciate real worth.

All is going on well at present, and the elections
promise to be favourable. God grant they may be
so ! I had a very long and highly interesting conver-
sation with Palmerston on Saturday, about Turkey,
Russia, etc., etc. I trust something may be done for
my sister Queens. They have got a Constitution
in Spain at length, and the Cortes have done very
well. We hope also to conclude a treaty of commerce
with the Spaniards shortly, which would be an im-
mense thing.

If you could get my kind and dear friend Louis
Philippe, whom I do so respect, and for whom I have
a great affection, to do something for poor Spain, it
would be of great use.

I am quite penetrated by the King's kindness in
sending good old General Baudrand1 and the Due
d'Elchingen 2 over to compliment me ; Baudrand did
it very well, and with much good feeling. In
Portugal, affairs look very black, I grieve to say.
They have no money, and the Chartists want to
bring about another counter-revolution, which would
be fatal to the poor Queen's interests, I fear.

That you approve my plan about Stockmar I am
delighted to hear.

I hope to go into Buckingham Palace very shortly
after the funeral.

Now, dearest Uncle, I must invite you en forme.
I should be most delighted if you, dearest Aunt
Louise, and Leopold (Jinsiste) could come about the
middle or end of August. Then I should beg you
would stay a little longer than usual, a fortnight at
least. You could bring as many gentlemen, ladies,
bonnes, etc., etc., as you pleased, and I should be
too happy and proud to have you under my own
roof. . . .

1 General Comte Baudrand (1774-184-8).

2 Son of Marshal Ney.

108 LETTER FROM QUEEN ADELAIDE [CHAP, n

The Earl of Liverpool to Baron Stockmar.

5th July 1837.

Went about half-past ten o'clock to Apsley House,
and told the Duke of Wellington the whole of my
communication with the Queen, Duchess of Kent, and
Sir John Conroy on 15th June, also of my communica-
tion subsequently with Lord Melbourne, all of which
he very much approved of. He said that he was quite
sure that the Queen would find Lord Melbourne an
honourable man, and one in whom Her Majesty might
put confidence ; that he was a man apt to treat matters
too lightly, or, as he expressed it, a poco curante, but in
the main an honest and an honourable man. Upon
my speaking to him of the kind and paternal conduct
of King Leopold towards his Niece, he said that he
was fully persuaded of this, and should at all and any
time be ready to uphold it by his approbation, but
that he had no immediate connection with the Press,
whose attacks indeed he held very cheap, though they
were frequently very offensive. He then asked me
whether it was not true that the Queen had thought
of some reviews at which she would appear on horse-
back. 1 said there had been some talk of it. He
desired me to say that he thought this would be very
dangerous, that she had much better do this in an open
carriage, as no one except such as himself knew how
difficult it was to get steady riding horses, and besides
that, she could not be attended by any female, and that
this would appear indelicate.

Queen Adelaide to Queen Victoria.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 1th July 1937.

My DEAREST NIECE, — I must, before I leave this
dear castle, once more express to you the grateful sense
I entertain for the kind treatment I have experienced
from you since it has pleased our heavenly Father to
put you in possession of it. You have contributed

1837] BUCKINGHAM PALACE 109

much to my comfort under all the painful and dis-
tressing circumstances of this time of woe, and I
assure you that I ever shall remember it with sincere
gratitude.

I hope that you continue quite well and do not
suffer from the exertions and duties of your new
position. My best wishes and prayers attend you
on all occasions, for I shall be to the rest of my life
devoted and attached to you as your most affectionate
Aunt and Subject, ADELAIDE.

Queen Victoria to Viscount Melbourne.

KENSINGTON PALACE, 10th July 1837.

The Queen regrets very much to hear of Lord
Melbourne's indisposition, and trusts it will be of no
duration.

The Queen has just seen the Lord Chamberlain and
has given him all her orders. The Lord Chamberlain
says that he will do everything in his power to facili-
tate the Queen's going into Buckingham Palace on
Thursday.

The Queen fears that there may have been some
mistake with respect to the Chapter of the Garter, for
Lord Conyngham,1 as well as several others, imagined
it would be held on Wednesday instead of Friday.
The Queen requests Lord Melbourne to rectify this
mistake, as it is the Queen's intention to hold the
Chapter on Friday.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

llth July 1837.

MY DEAREST, BEST UNCLE, — ... I have got very
little time and very little to say. I really and truly
go into Buckingham Palace the day after to-morrow,
but I must say, though I am very glad to do so, I
feel sorry to leave for ever my poor old birthplace. . . .

1 The Lord Chamberlain.

110 MADAME DE LIEVEN [CHAP, vi

25th. — I shall not go out of town, I think, before
the 20th or thereabouts of next month. Windsor
requires thorough cleaning, and I must say I could
not think of going in sooner after the poor King's
death. Windsor always appears very melancholy to
me, and there are so many sad associations with it.
These will vanish, I daresay, if I see you there soon
after my arrival there.

I have very pleasant large dinners every day. I
invite my Premier generally once a week to dinner
as I think it right to show publicly that I esteem
him and have confidence in him, as he has behaved
so well. Stockmar is of this opinion and is his great
admirer.

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

NEUILLY, 12th July 1837.

. . . Having still a few moments before a special
messenger sets off, I take advantage of it to add a few
words. By all I can hear, there are many intrigues on
foot in England at this moment. Princess Lieveri a and
another individual recently imported from her country
seem to be very active in what concerns them not ;
beware of them. A rule which I cannot sufficiently

1 The Princess Dorothea de Benkendorff married the Count de Lieven at
fifteen ; in 1812, he became Russian Minister (and later Ambassador) in
London, whither she accompanied him. She was a woman of extra-
ordinary cleverness, enjoying the confidence of George IV., Liverpool,
Canning, Castlereagh, and Wellington. Inspiring the efforts, and even com-
posing the despatches of her husband, she became herself the confidential
correspondent of Nesselrode, Esterhazy, Pozzo di Borgo, Guizot, and Lord
Aberdeen. In 1834, the Lievens returned to St Petersburg, where the
Emperor Nicholas, though indifferent to the society of women of talent,
showed her special marks of regard. Her husband died at Rome, in January
1838, and she established herself in Paris, afterwards seeking a home in
England during the troubles of 1848. Returning to Paris, her salon became
again the resort of diplomatists, politicians, and men of the world. She
died in January 1857.

Madame de Lieven about this time told Greville that she had had an
audience of the Queen, "who was very civil and gracious, but timid and
embarrassed, and talked of nothing but commonplaces " ; and Greville adds
that the Queen "had probably been told that the Princess was an Intrigante,
and was afraid of committing herself."

1837] PARLIAMENT PROROGUED 111

recommend is, never to permit people to speak on
subjects concerning yourself or your affairs, without
your having yourself desired them to do so. The
moment a person behaves improperly on this subject,
change the conversation, and make the individual
feel that he has made a mistake. . . . People will
certainly try to speak to you on your own personal
affairs ; decline it boldly, and they will leave you
alone. . . .

Now I conclude with my warmest wishes for your
happiness. Ever, my dear Victoria, your faithfully
attached Uncle and Friend, LEOPOLD R.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

ISth July 1837.

MY BELOVED UNCLE, — ... I have been so busy,
I can say but two words more, which are that I pro-
rogued Parliament yesterday in person, was very well
received, and am not at all tired to-day, but quite
frisky. There is to be no review this year, as I was
determined to have it only if I could ride, and as I
have not ridden for two years, it was better not. Believe
me, always, your devoted Niece, VICTORIA R.

Madame de Lieven wrote to Lord Aberdeen on the 30th July 1837 : —
J'ai vu la Reine deux fois, je 1'ai vue seule, et je 1'ai vue dans la socie"te
du soir, et avec son Premier Ministre. Elle a un aplomb, un air de com-
mandement, de dignite, qui avec son visage enfantin, sa petite taille, et son
joli sourire, forment certainement le spectacle le plus extraordinaire qu'il
soit possible de figurer. Elle est d'une extreme reserve dans son discours.
On croit que la prudence est une de ses premieres qualite"s. Lord Melbourne
a aupres d'elle un air d'amour, de contentement, de vanite" meme, et tout
cela mele avec beaucoup de respect, des attitudes tres a son aise, une habitude
de premiere place dans son salon, de la reverie, de la gaiete, vous voyez tout
cela. La Reine est pleine d'aimables sourires pour lui.

La societe le soir n'etait composed que du household de la Reine, de tout
le household de la Duchesse de Kent (moins la famille Conroy, qui
n'approche pas du Palais), et de quelques etrangers. La Duchesse de Kent
est parfaitement mecontente, — elle m'en a meme parle. Je doute que la
mere et la fille habitent longtemps sous le meme toit. Quant a Lord
Melbourne, il me semble que la Duchesse le deteste. II est evident qui'l
est dans la possession entiere et exclusive de la confiance de la Reine, et que
ses ressentiments, comme ses peines passees, sont confies sans reserve & son
Premier Ministre. ,

112 ENGLAND AND RUSSIA [CHAP, vi

Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria.

STANHOPE STREET, 22nd July 1837.

. . . With regard to Count Orloff,1 your Majesty
will probably renew to him, on his taking leave, the
assurances which your Majesty has already given, of
your desire to cement and maintain the friendly alliance
which subsists between the two Crowns ; and an expres-
sion might be repeated of the pleasure which your
Majesty has derived from the selection of a person who
possesses the confidence and esteem of the Emperor so
fully as Count Orloff is known to do.

It might, perhaps, be as well to avoid any allusion to
your Majesty's not being personally acquainted with
the Emperor, or anything that might be construed into
an invitation to that Sovereign to come to England,
because Viscount Palmerston has reason to believe
that any such hint would be eagerly caught at, while
at the same time such a visit does not, under all
circumstances, seem to be a thing particularly to be
desired. . . .

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

LAEKEN, 2±th July 1837.

MY DEAREST CHILD, — ... I hear that the Levee
went off very well, and I have no doubt that the
Drawing- Room did the same. Your spirit in all
these new and trying proceedings makes me happy
beyond expression. Believe me, with courage and
honesty you will get on beautifully and success-
fully. The firmness you displayed at the beginning of
your reign will be for your quiet of the utmost
importance. People must come to the opinion it is of
no use intriguing, because when her mind is once made
up and she thinks a thing right, no earthly power will
make her change. To these qualities must be added
one which is of great importance, this is discretion ;
humble as it seems, it has often brought about

1 The Russian Ambassador.

1837] DISCRETION ADVISED 113

successes in which talent failed and genius did not
succeed. Discretion in the great affairs of the world
does wonders, and safety depends frequently and is
chiefly derived from it. ...

Now I must quickly conclude, with the prayer that
you will not permit anybody, be it even your Prime
Minister, to speak to you on matters that concern
you personally, without your having expressed the
wish of its being done. You have no idea of the
importance of this for your peace and comfort and
safety. I always act on this principle, and I can say
with great success.

Believe me ever, my dearest Victoria, your devoted
Uncle, LEOPOLD R.

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

LAEKEN, 29th July 1837.

MY DEAREST CHILD, — Your dear letter of the 24th
inst. is, amongst so many kind letters, almost the kindest
I yet received from your dear hands. My happiness
and my greatest pride will always be, to be a tender
and devoted father to you, my beloved child, and to
watch over you and stand by you with heart and
soul as long as the heart which loves you so sincerely
will beat.

I have no doubt that Lord Melbourne will always
do everything in his power to be useful to you. His
position is become extremely happy ; after having been,
under the late King at least, in an awkward position,
he is now sure of enjoying your confidence and sincere
support. If the elections turn out favourably to the
Ministry, it will, I hope, give them the means of trying
to conciliate the great mass of the moderate Tories, who
from their nature and in consequence of their opinions
are safe and desirable supporters of the Crown. The
two extremes will give them trouble, and the ultra
Tories appear to me to be even the more unreasonable
of the two.

I am most happy to see you on your guard against

VOL. i.— 8

114 LETTER FROM PRINCESS HOHEXLOHE [CHAP, n

Princess Lieven and such like people. Your life
amongst intriguers and tormented with intrigues has
given you an experience on this important suhject
which you will do well not to lose sight of, as it
will unfortunately often reproduce itself, though the
names and manner of carrying on the thing may not
be the same.

I also think Windsor a little melancholy, but I
believe that one likes it more and more, as the Park in
particular is uncommonly beautiful. We shall try our
best to enliven it by our presence, and probably soon
after your arrival. I am most happy to see you so
spirited and happy in your new position ; it will go a
great way to insure your success, and your spirit and
courage will never be de trop.

Now I will conclude for the day, not to bore
you, and beg you always to believe me, my dear and
beloved Victoria, your devoted Uncle and Friend,

LEOPOLD R.

The Princess Hohenlohc to Queen Victoria.

LANGENBURG, 3lst July 1837.

MY DEAREST VICTORIA, — On arriving here, I found
your dear letter of the 9th of this month ; and some
days ago I received the one of the 16th. Many, many
thanks for them both ; it is indeed kind of you to write
to me now when you have so much to do. You have
no idea what a feeling it is, to hear and read of you,
and to think that it is you, my own dear sister, who
are the object of general observation, and, I may say,
admiration ; it is sometimes like a dream. For those who
are near you it is quite different than for me, who have
not seen you yet in your new position, but must
represent to myself all through the report of others.
The description in the papers of your proroguing
Parliament I read with great interest ; it must have
been an imposing moment for you, your standing for
the first time in your life in the middle of that assembly
where the interests and welfare of your country are

1837] SINGING LESSONS 115

discussed and decided upon. It is with pride, pleasure
and anxiety I think of you at the description of such
scenes and occurrences. I saw too by the papers that
your incognito at the Opera was not quite kept as you
wished it.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 1st August 1837.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — ... I should be most happy
to " peep once " into your country, and wish that it
could be.

With respect to Politics, Lord Melbourne told me
this morning that he thinks the Lords will be more
moderate and reasonable next Session. The Duke of
Wellington made a speech shortly before the Dissolu-
tion of Parliament, in which he said that he wished
as much as the Government did to pass the questions
now pending.

You do not think Alexander1 near handsome
enough in my opinion ; you know, ladies are much
better judges. He is somewhat colossal, I own, but
very proportionate and good-looking I think. I am
all impatience to hear more about all this, and when
you imagine the marriage will take place.

I have resumed my singing lessons with Lablache2
twice a week, which form an agreeable recreation in
the midst of all the business I have to do. He is
such a good old soul, and greatly pleased that I go
on with him. I admire the music of the Huguenots
very much, but do not sing it, as I prefer Italian to
French for singing greatly. I have been learning
in the beginning of the season many of your old
favourites, which I hope to sing with you when we
meet. I wish I could keep Lablache to sing with
us, but he will be gone by that time I greatly fear.

1 Prince Alexander of Wiirtemberg, betrothed to Princess Marie of
Orleans, daughter of Louis Philippe. She died 10th January 1839. See
Letter of Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians, llth January 1839.

2 See ante, p. 64.

116 THE ELECTIONS [CHAP, vi

Now farewell, my beloved Uncle. Give my affec-
tionate love to my dear Aunt, and believe me always,
your devoted Niece, VICTORIA R.

J'embrasse Leopold et Philippe.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

Qth August 1837.

MY BELOVED UNCLE, — . . . With respect to the
Elections, they are, I'm thankful to say, rather
favourable, though not quite so much so as we could
wish. But upon the whole we shall have as good a
House as we had, and / hope (as Lord Melbourne
does also), a more moderate one than the last one.
The Irish Elections are very favourable to us ; we
have gained six in the English boroughs, and lost, I
grieve to say, several in the counties.

The country is very quiet, and I have good reason
to believe all will do very well.

The King of Wiirtemberg is to arrive to-night,
under the name of Count Teck, and wishes to be
in strict incognito. He comes on purpose to see me ;
you know he is my second cousin — his mother1 was
sister to Queen Caroline and daughter to my grand-
aunt.2 I shall give the King a large dinner on Friday
and a little concert after it. ...

Lord John Russell to Queen Victoria,

ENDSLEIGH, \bth August 1837.

Lord John Russell presents his humble duty to
your Majesty, and has the honour to lay before your
Majesty a general statement of the result of the
elections, which, with the exception of one or two
doubtful counties in Ireland, may be said to be com-
pleted. . . .

It is not to be denied that this near balance of

1 Queen Augusta of Wiirtemberg.

2 Augusta, Duchess of Brunswick, sister of George III.

1837] PREVALENCE OF BRIBERY 117

parties makes the task of conducting the government
difficult for any Ministry. On the other hand the
circumstances of the country do not present any
extraordinary difficulty, and were any such to arise
the general composition of the new House of Commons
affords a security that the maintenance of the Consti-
tution and the welfare of the country would be
permanent objects to the majority of its Members.1

Lord John Russell had some time ago the honour
of stating to your Majesty that the return of Mr Fox
Maule for Perthshire, and of Mr Hume for Middlesex,
were hardly to be expected. In this as in many other
instances the superior organisation of the Tory party
have enabled them to gain the appearance of a change
of opinion, which has not in fact taken place.

Lord John Russell is sorry to add that bribery,
intimidation and drunkenness have been very prevalent
at the late elections, and that in many cases the dis-
position to riot has only been checked by the appearance
of the Military, who have in all cases conducted them-
selves with great temper and judgment.

Lord John Russell to Queen Victoria.

ENDSLEIGH, Vlst August 1837.

Lord John Russell presents his humble duty to
your Majesty, and has the honour to submit to your
Majesty a letter from the Earl of Coventry requesting
an Audience.

It is usual for the Sovereign to receive any Peer
who may be desirous of an Audience, without any
other person being present. But if the Peer who is
thus admitted to the honour of an Audience should
enter upon political topics, it has been the custom for

1 While the extreme Radicals were in several cases defeated, the number
of O'Connell's followers was decidedly increased. The general balance of
parties was not much affected, but the complaint made by Mr Roebuck,
the Radical Member for Bath, in the last days of William IV.'s reign, that
there was no Government, and that the machinery of legislation was at a
dead stop, was no longer warranted.

118 END OF KING LEOPOLD'S VISIT [CHAP, n

your Majesty's predecessors merely to hear what is
offered, and not to give any opinion, or to enter into
any discussion or conversation upon such topics.

Should your Majesty be pleased to grant Lord
Coventry's request of an Audience, perhaps the most
convenient course will be that the Lord-in- Waiting
should signify to him, direct from Windsor, your
Majesty's pleasure.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Bclgiatis.1

WINDSOR CASTLE, Wth September 1837.
20 m(inut(ts) p(ast) 11.

MY DEAREST, MOST BELOVED UNCLE, — One line to
express to you imperfectly my thanks for all your
very great kindness to me, and my great, great grief at
your departure ! God knows how sad, how forlorn, I
feel ! How I shall miss you, my dearest, dear Uncle !
every, every where! How I shall miss your conver-
sation ! How I shall miss your protection out riding !
Oh ! I feel very, very sad, and cannot speak of you
both without crying !

Farewell, my beloved Uncle and father ! may
Heaven bless and protect you ; and do not forget your
most affectionate, devoted and attached Niece and
child, VICTORIA R.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 3rd October 1837.

MY BELOVED UNCLE, — ... I am quite sad to
leave this fine place, where, if it had not been for the
meeting of Parliament so early this year, I would have
remained till November. I have passed such a pleasant
time here, the pleasantest summer I have ever passed
in my life ; I have had the great happiness of having
you and my beloved Aunt here, I have had pleasant
people staying with me, and I have had delicious

1 Written on the conclusion of a visit of the King of the Belgians to
England.

1837] RECEPTION AT BRIGHTON 119

rides which have done me more good than anything.
It will be such a break-up of our little circle ! Besides
my own people, Lord Melbourne and Lord Palmerston
are the only people who have been staying here, and
this little party was very social and agreeable. The
Princess Augusta of Saxony 1 has been here for two
nights ; she is neither young nor handsome, but a
very kind good person.

The news from Portugal are bad which I got this
morning. The Civil War is ended, and the Chartists
have been completely defeated; this is sad enough,
but I was fearful of it : a counter revolution never
does well.2

En revanche the news from Spain are by far
better. . . .

Believe me always, in haste, your devoted and
affectionate Niece, VICTORIA R.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

6th October 1837.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and in acknowledging your Majesty's gracious
communication of yesterday returns his thanks for the
very lively account which your Majesty has given of
the journey and the entrance into Brighton. Lord
Melbourne entirely partakes in the wish your Majesty
has been graciously pleased to express, that he had
been there to witness the scene ; but your Majesty
will at once perceive that it was better that he was
not, as in that case Lord Melbourne would have been
accused of an attempt to take a political advantage

1 Daughter of King Frederick Augustus of Saxony.

2 On July 1st a new Ministry had come into power in Portugal. The
finances of the country were in great confusion, a military insurrection broke
out in the North at Braga, the Ministry resigned, and a new Ministry came
into office in August. On the 18th August, the Duke of Terceira, followed
by many persons of distinction, joined the insurgents, and, establishing
himself at Mafra, advanced upon Lisbon with the Chartist troops,
issuing a proclamation of provisional regency. A Convention was eventually
signed, and the Cortes proceeded to discuss measures of Constitutional
Reform.

120 SECURITY OF LETTERS [CHAP, vi

of the general enthusiasm, and to mix himself and
the Government with your Majesty's personal popu-
larity. Lord Melbourne fears that for some time your
Majesty will find yourself somewhat incommoded by
the desire, which naturally prevails amongst all ranks
and classes, to obtain an opportunity of seeing your
Majesty. . . .

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

LAEKEX, 9^ October 1837.

... I have also told Stockmar to try to settle
something for regular safe communication ; in quiet
times like the present one a week would be sufficient.
You know now that all letters are read, and that
should not be always the case with ours. There is,
however, one thing about which I think it right to
warn you. This way of reading people's letters is
often taken advantage of by the writers of them, who
are not so ignorant of the thing as is imagined, to
write the very subject which they wish to convey to
the ears of persons without compromising themselves.
I will give you an example : we are still plagued by
Prussia concerning those fortresses ; now, to tell the
Prussian Government many things, which we should
not like to tell them officially, the Minister is going
to write a despatch to our man at Berlin, sending
it by post ; the Prussians are sure to read it, and to
learn in this way what we wish them to hear. The
diplomats in England may resort to this same mode
of proceeding to injure people, to calumniate, and to
convey to your knowledge such things as they may
hope to have the effect of injuring some people they
may fear, in your eyes. I tell you the trick, that you
should be able to guard against it ; it is of importance,
and I have no doubt will be resorted to by various
political people. . . . Ever, my dearest Victoria, your
faithfully devoted Uncle and Friend, LEOPOLD R.

1837] ENGLAND AND FRANCE 121

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

TRIANOV, 19th October 1837.

MY DEAREST VICTORIA, — ... There is a great
disposition here to be on the best possible terms with
England. As it has but too often happened that the
diplomatic agents of the two countries have drawn, or
been believed to draw, different ways, I recommended
strongly to Count Mole1 to give strong and clear
instructions to his people, particularly at Madrid, Lisbon
and Athens. ... He is going to read them to Lord
Granville, and also to communicate as much as possible
all the despatches of the French diplomats to the
English Government. This will be a proof of con-
fidence, and it will besides have the advantage of giving
often useful information enabling thereby the English
Government to hear two opinions instead of one. It
cannot be denied that the idea that the Plenipotentiaries
of the two countries were following two different lines
of policy has been hurtful to the causes of the two
Queens in the Peninsula. To put a stop to this double
action is the only benefit which the Queens will at
present derive from a better understanding between
England and France ; but as it is, it will be still of some
importance to them, and take away from the different
political parties the possibility of using the pretended
misunderstanding against the Government of the
Queens. I trust that you will tell your Ministers to
meet this friendly disposition with frankness and kind-
ness. The wish of the King here is, to have matters
concerted between the Plenipotentiaries of both
countries. In this way it would become difficult for
the parties in Spain or Portugal to say that the two
Plenipotentiaries support different candidates for Minis-
terial power, and the division in the parties connected
with the Queens might be in this manner prevented or
reconciled. Many and many are the ill-natured hints
thrown out against the King's policy here, and because
he is clever, he is suspected of having ambitious schemes

1 French Premier and Foreign Secretary.

FRANCE AND THE PENINSULA [CHAP, vi

without end ; it may not be without some importance to
set this, in your mind at least, to rights. Whatever
may have been the King's views immediately after the
revolution of July l I will not decide ; perhaps he may
a moment have wished to be able to do something for
France. Supposing this for the sake of argument to
have been so, two months of his reign were sufficient to
show him that the great question was not to conquer
territories or foreign influence, but to save Monarchy.
He saw clearly that though he might begin a war,
necessarily it would soon degenerate into a war of
propaganda, and that he and his family would be the
first victims of it. His struggle has constantly been
to strengthen his Government, to keep together or
create anew the elements indispensable for a Mon-
archical Government, and this struggle is far from
being at its end, and most probably the remainder
of his life will be devoted to this important task ;
and whatever may be the more lively disposition of
the Duke of Orleans, great part of his reign if he
comes to the throne, and perhaps the whole of it, will
bon gre mal gre take the same turn. That it should
be so is very natural, because of what use would be
some foreign provinces if they would only add to
the difficulty of governing the old ? Therefore, know-
ing as 1 do all the proceedings of the King and his
Cabinet, even more fully than I do those of your
Government ; seeing constantly in the most unreserved
manner the whole of the despatches ; knowing as the
nearest neighbour the system that they constantly
followed up towrards us, I must say that no one is
more against acquiring influence in foreign States, or
even getting burthened with family aggrandisement
in them, than he. He rejected most positively the
marriage of Joinville with Donna Maria because he
will not have anything to do with Portugal. He
rejects a mille times the idea of a future union of the
Queen of Spain with Aumale, because he will not
have a son where it is not his intention to support him.

l 1830.

1837] COUNT MOIJS 123

His fear of being drawn into a real intervention
has been the cause of his having been so anxious not
to have a French Legion in Spain. He may be right
or wrong on this subject — I do not decide this, as I
was of a different opinion last year ; but his fear of
being drawn too far, like a man whose clothes get
caught by a steam-engine, is natural enough. His dis-
like to the ultra Liberals in the Peninsula is also very
natural, because they uphold principles of Government
which render Monarchy impossible, and the application
of which to France would be the ruin of the King.
England, from the peculiarity of its position, can do
many things which in France would upset every-
thing. ... 1 must close my letter, and shall answer
yours to-morrow. God bless you ! Ever, my dearest
Victoria, your devoted Uncle, LEOPOLD R.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

PAVILION, BRIGHTON, 25th October 1837.

. . . Now, dearest Uncle, I must speak to you un
peu de Politique. I made Lord Melbourne read the
political part of your letter. He wished me to com-
municate to you part of the contents of a letter of
Lord Granvilles which we received yesterday. Lord
Granville complains a good deal of Mole,1 and says,
that though he is apparently very cordial and friendly
towards us, and talks of his desire that we should be
on a better footing as to our foreign Ministers than we
have hitherto been, that whenever Lord Granville urges
him to do anything decisive (to use Lord G.'s own
words) " he shrinks from the discussion," says he must
have time to reflect before he can give any answer,
and evades giving any reply, whenever anything of
importance is required. This, you see, dear Uncle, is
not satisfactory. I merely tell you this, as I think you
would like to know what Mole tells our Ambassador ;
this differs from what he told you. What you say
about Louis Philippe I am sure is very true ; his situa-
tion is a very peculiar and a very difficult one. . . .

1 See ante, p. 121.

124 THE FRENCH IN AFRICA [CHAP, vi

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

TRIANON, 27th October 1837.

. . . Political matters I shall not touch upon to-day ;
there is nothing very particular except the taking
of Constantin.1 The Due de Nemours has greatly
distinguished himself. I am sorry to see that in
England people are sometimes sufficiently absurd to
be jealous of these French conquests. Nothing indeed
can be more absurd, as nothing is of greater importance
to the peace of Europe than that a powerful and
military nation like the French should have this outlet
for their love of military display. If one had named a
council of wise men to fix upon a spot where this might
be done with the least mischief to the rest of the world,
one should have named the coast of Africa. By their
being there they will render to civilisation a country
which for about 800 years has been growing worse and
worse, and which was in the times of the Romans one
of the richest provinces. It settles, besides, upon the
French a constant petite guerre with the natives, which
is the very thing that will do them good.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians,

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, Wth November 1837.

. . . Now, dearest Uncle, before 1 say anything
more, I will answer the various questions in your
letter, which I have communicated to Lord Melbourne
and Lord Palmerston. (1) With respect to Ferdinand's
question to you, it is impossible for us to say
beforehand what we shall do in such an emergency;
it depends so entirely on the peculiar circumstances
of the moment that we cannot say what we should
do. You know, dear Uncle, that the fleet has

1 The French losses amounted to 19 officers and 86 men killed, with 38
officers and 468 men wounded. The French Government had failed in its
efforts for an amicable arrangement with Achmet Bey, and it appeared probable
that the Turkish fleet would also oppose them. The commander, however,
merely landed some men at Tripoli, and the French success was complete.

1837] CLOSE OF THE SESSION 125

orders to protect the King and Queen in case they
should be in any personal danger. As to Lord
Howard,1 though what you say about him is true
enough, it would not do to recall him at present ;
it would give Bois le Comte2 all the advantage he
wishes for, and which would be injurious to our
interests and influence.

(2) With regard to Spain, a very decided mention is
made of the Queen herself in the speech which is to be
delivered by me to-morrow in the House of Lords.

We have great reason to know that, of late, the
Queen has positively declared her intention to remain
at Madrid to the very last.

Villiers'3 conduct has been, I fear, much misrepre-
sented, for his own opinions are not at all those of
the ultra Liberal kind ; and his only aim has been, to
be on good terms with the Spanish Ministry for the
time being.

(3) Concerning France, I need not repeat to you,
dear Uncle, how very anxious we all are to be upon the
best and most friendly terms with her, and to co-operate
with her.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 25th December 1837.

My DEAREST UNCLE, — ... You will, I am sure, be
happy to hear that this Session is happily closed, and
that the whole has gone off very satisfactorily, much
more so even than any of us could hope. I went on
Saturday to the House of Lords to give my Assent to
the Civil List Bill. I shall return to town on the 16th
of January, when Parliament meets again ; it meets
sooner than it was at first intended it should, on
account of the affairs of Canada.

1 Lord Howard de Walden, British Minister at Lisbon.

2 French Minister at Madrid.

8 British Ambassador at Madrid, afterwards fourth Earl of Clarendon, and
twice Foreign Secretary.

126 THE EDUCATION OF PRINCE ALBERT [CHAP, n
The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.1

LAKKKK, 26th December 1837.

My DEAREST CHILD, — You were somewhat irritable
when you wrote to me ! . . . Affairs stand now as
follows : the studies at Bonn take the whole of April,
and may be concluded at the beginning of May. From
May till the end of August, if you approved of the
visit, the time should be utilise. A sejour at Coburg
would not be of much use ; here we are generally absent
in the summer. To confide therefore the young gentle-
man to his Uncle Mensdorff2 for three months, would
give him so much time for some manly accomplish-
ments, which do no harm to a young man. To make
him enter the service would not do at all. What you
say about his imbibing principles of a political nature,
there is no great fear of that. First of all, Prague
is not a town where politics are at all agitated ; these
topics are very rarely touched upon ; besides Albert is
clever, and it is not at the eleventh hour that any-
body in three months will make him imbibe political
principles. Perhaps you will turn in your mind what
you think on the subject, and communicate me the
result of it.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

27th December 1837.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to
your Majesty, and acquaints your Majesty that he has
this morning received a letter from the Speaker3
consenting to remain until Whitsuntide. This is
inconvenient enough, but the delay relieves your

1 This letter refers to the course of study which Prince Albert was about
to pursue.

2 Count Emmanuel de Mensdorff-Pouilly, who married, in 1804, Sophia,
Princess of Saxe-Saalfeld-Coburg.

3 Mr James Aberoromby, afterwards Lord Dunfermline. He remained in
the Chair till 1839. He had little hold over the House, and many regrettable
scenes occurred.

1837] CANADA 127

present embarrassment upon this head, and puts off
changes until a period of the Session when public
affairs will be more decisively settled.

Lord Melbourne is sorry to have to inform your
Majesty that there was a good deal of difference of
opinion yesterday in the Cabinet upon the affairs of
Canada.1 All are of opinion that strong measures
should be taken for the repression of the insurrection,
but some, and more particularly Lord Howick, think
that these measures of vigour should be accompanied
by measures of amendment and conciliation. We are
to have a Cabinet again upon the subject on
Wednesday next, when Lord Melbourne hopes that
some practical result will be come to without serious
difference.

Queen Victoria to Viscount Melbourne.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 2Sth December 1837.

The Queen received Lord Melbourne's communica-
tion yesterday evening, and is glad to see that the
Speaker consents to remain a little while longer,
though, as Lord Melbourne says, it is still very in-
convenient.

The Queen regrets that there should have been any
difference of opinion with respect to Canada, but hopes
with Lord Melbourne that some final arrangement
may be come to next Wednesday.

The Queen is very sorry to learn that Lord
Melbourne will be detained in London until Saturday.
She omitted to ask Lord Melbourne when he thinks
it would be convenient for Lord Palmerston to come
down to Windsor for a few days, as it is the Queen's
wish to ask him in the course of the Recess.

The Queen is very thankful to Lord Melbourne for
his kind enquiries after her health ; she is sorry to say
she had one of her bad headaches yesterday, but feels
very well this morning and thinks a drive will quite
cure her.

1 See Introductory Note, p. 72.

128 ARMY ESTIMATES [CHAP, vi

Queen Victoria to Viscount Melbourne.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 29th December 1837.

The Queen received Lord Melbourne's two letters
yesterday evening, and another this morning enclosing
one from Lord Duncannon.1 The Queen is very much
gratified by the kind expressions in the letter she got
last night ; she is grieved to see Lord Melbourne is so
much oppressed with business.

The Queen thinks Lord Melbourne has acted with
the greatest judgment with respect to Sir J. Conroy,2
and highly approves the course he intends pursuing.

The Queen regrets that there should be so much
difficulty with respect to the Report of the Army
Estimates, but fervently trusts that no serious difficulties
will arise from it ; she will be very anxious to talk about
this and many other matters, when she sees Lord Mel-
bourne, which the Queen hopes (as Lord Melbourne says
nothing to the contrary) she will do on the 3rd or 4th.

The Queen thinks that it will be quite right if Lord
Melbourne writes to Lord John about the Staffordshire
Yeomanry. The Queen will be delighted to see Lady
John Russell's little girl, and would be very happy if
Lady John was to bring the Baby also. The Queen
begs Lord Melbourne to invite them (Lord and Lady
John) in her name on the 8th, and to stay till the llth.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are here,
and the Queen is very sorry to say, that from what
she sees and hears, she has reason to fear all is not as
it should be ; her mother is most markedly civil and
affectionate towards both the Duke and Duchess, and
spoke Politics with the former. The Queen wrill tell
Lord Melbourne more about this when she sees him.

The weather was beautiful yesterday, and the
Queen had a long drive and walk, which have done her
great good ; it is still finer to-day.

1 Commissioner of Woods and Forests and Lord Privy Seal.

2 Sir J. Conroy, who had been Comptroller to the Duchess of Kent,
made certain claims which it was not considered expedient to grant He
received a pension and a baronetcy.

183TJ CANADA 129

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

30th December 1837.

. . . Lord Melbourne will do his utmost to
compose these differences respecting Canada and the
Army,1 but your Majesty must contemplate the
possibility, not to say the probability, of his not being
able to succeed. It will not do for the sake of
temporary accommodation to sacrifice the honour of
your Majesty's Crown or the interests of your Majesty's
subjects.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

31st December 1837.

. . . Lord Melbourne has not yet been able to
leave London. In order to have a chance of arranging
these troublesome affairs, it is necessary continually to
see those who are principally engaged in them. From
a conversation which he has had this evening with
Lord Howick, Lord Melbourne has better hopes of
producing a general agreement upon Canadian affairs,
but the question of the administration of the Army,
which is of less immediate importance, is of more
difficulty. Your Majesty knows the importance
attached by the King of the Belgians to this matter.
The opinion of the Duke of Wellington is also strong
against the projected alteration. On the other hand
five Cabinet Ministers have pledged themselves to it by
signing the report, and consider themselves as having
publicly undertaken to the House of Commons that
some such measure shall be proposed. Lord Melbourne
has asked for the opinions of Lord Hill2 and Sir
Hussey Vivian3 in writing. When Lord Melbourne
receives them he must submit them to your Majesty
with as short and as clear a statement as he can make
of a question which is of a technical and official
character, and with which Lord Melbourne does not

1 See Introductory Notes for 1837 and 1838, pp. 72 and 131.

2 Commander-in-Chief.

8 Master-General of the Ordnance.
VOL. i. —9

130 SECRETARIES OF STATE [CHAP, vi

feel himself to be very familiar. Lord Melbourne
transmits a copy of the proposed Order in Council to
carry the recommendation of the report into effect,
which will acquaint your Majesty precisely what the
powers and duties are which it is intended to transfer
from the Secretary of State l to the Secretary-at-War.
It is the more necessary to be cautious, because it can
be done without taking the opinion or having recourse
to the authority of Parliament. Your Majesty will not
suppose that Lord Melbourne by laying before you the
whole case has an idea of throwing the weight of such a
decision entirely upon your Majesty. Lord Melbourne
will deem it his duty to offer your Majesty a decided
opinion upon the subject.

Lord Melbourne is much rejoiced to hear that your
Majesty enjoys Windsor. The Duchess of Sutherland,2
who appreciates both the grand and the beautiful,
could not be otherwise than delighted with it. ...

Lord Melbourne has the pleasure of wishing your
Majesty a happy and prosperous New Year.

1 The Secretaries of State (then three, now five in number) have co-
extensive authority, that is to say, any one of them can legally execute the
duties of all, although separate spheres of action are for convenience assigned
to them ; at that time the administration of Colonial and Military affairs
were combined, the Secretary-at-War not being a Secretary of State. After
the Crimean War a fourth Secretary was appointed, and after the Indian
Mutiny a fifth was added, entrusted severally with the supervision of Military
affairs and the administration of India. See letters of Lord Melbourne of
1st, 4th, and 5th November 1841.

* Harriet Elizabeth Georgiana, Duchess of Sutherland (1806-1868), was
the daughter of the sixth Earl of Carlisle, and married her cousin, Earl
Gower (1786-1861), who became Duke of Sutherland in 1833. On the
accession of the Queen, the Duchess of Sutherland became Mistress of the
Robes, a post which she held till 1841, and on three subsequent occasions.
The Duchess was a cultivated woman with many tastes, and made Stafford
House a great social centre. She was deeply interested in philanthropic and
social movements, such as the Abolition of Slavery, and had a strong
sympathy for national movements, which she showed by entertaining Garibaldi
in 1H64. She combined a considerable sense of humour with a rare capacity
for affection, and became one of the Queen's closest friends ; after the Prince
Consort's death she was for some weeks the Queen's constant companion.

INTRODUCTORY NOTE
TO CHAPTER VII

THE Melbourne Ministry were able to maintain themselves in
office during the year, but were too weak to carry important
measures. The prevailing distress led to much criticism of the
Poor Law Act in 1834, and the disturbances in Canada turned
the tide of emigration to Australia. But public interest in
politics was eclipsed by the gaieties of the Coronation, in which
all ranks partook. The events of Imperial importance else-
where centred in Jamaica and Canada, the apprenticeship
system in the former place leading to a renewal of the anti-
slavery agitation at home, and the passing of a Colonial Bill for
absolute emancipation. The Canadian troubles brought about
the passing of an Imperial Act for the suspension for two
years of the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada, and Lord
Durham, an impulsive but generous-hearted man, was sent out as
High Commissioner. Having dismissed the Executive Council
of his predecessor, he nominated a fresh one, and induced it to
pass a high-handed and wholly illegal ordinance of pains and
penalties against the rebels. Lord Brougham, rejoicing at the
opportunity of paying oft' old scores, castigated the Government,
especially Lord Glenelg, the Colonial Secretary, and carried a
measure censuring their Canadian policy. The Ministry dis-
allowed the ordinance of Lord Durham, who, finding himself
abandoned, resigned his Commission and returned home. While
he was boasting at Plymouth of his suppression of the rebellion,
tidings arrived of its recrudescence. Sir John Colborne was
appointed to succeed Lord Durham with full powers.

The Civil War continued in Spain through the year, and
intermittent rioting took place in Portugal, a country which was
now verging on bankruptcy. The old Dutch and Belgian con-
troversy as to the possession of Luxemburg was revived, the King
of Holland, who had obstinately withheld his concurrence for six
years from the Articles on the faith of which King Leopold
accepted the throne of Belgium, now showing overt hostility
in the disputed territory. As was natural, France was in
sympathy with Belgium, and the two countries entered into a
treaty of commerce and reciprocity.

131

CHAPTER VII

1838
Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

1st January 1838.

. . . Lord Melbourne feels most deeply the extreme
kindness of your Majesty's expressions. Whatever
may happen in the course of events, it will always be to
Lord Melbourne a source of the most lively satisfaction
to have assisted your Majesty in the commencement
of your reign, which was not without trouble and
difficulty, and your Majesty may depend that whether
in or out of office Lord Melbourne's conduct will
always be directed by the strongest attachment to
your Majesty's person, and by the most ardent desire
to promote your Majesty's interests, which from his
knowledge of your Majesty's character and disposition
Lord Melbourne feels certain will be always identified
with the interests of your People.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

Uth January 1838.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and has the honour of acknowledging your
Majesty's gracious communication, which he received
this evening. Lord Melbourne has this morning seen
Lord Durham upon the subject of his assuming the
Government of Canada,1 and has had a long conversa-
tion with him. Lord Melbourne is to receive his final
answer before the Cabinet to-morrow, which meets

1 In the room of Lord Gosford. See ante, p. 131.
132

1838] CANADA 133

at ten o'clock. Lord Durham is anxious that your
Majesty should express to him your wish, or rather,
as he phrased it, lay upon him your commands that
he should undertake this duty, and also that as his
absence will be but temporary, that Lady Durham1
should retain her situation in your Majesty's house-
hold. Lord Melbourne thinks that your Majesty
may properly gratify him in both these points. Lord
Durham made some other stipulations, which Lord
Melbourne will explain to your Majesty, but, upon
the whole, Lord Melbourne feels little doubt that he
will accept.

Lord Glenelg2 is on Monday to make a statement
to the House of Lords upon the subject of Canada,
on which a debate may not improbably arise by
which Lord Melbourne may be detained. On
Wednesday there is neither House of Lords nor
Cabinet dinner. Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday
will therefore be festive days, on which Lord
Melbourne will have great pleasure in obeying
your Majesty's commands and also on Monday, if
he should not be kept in the House of Lords.

Lord Melbourne thinks it was prudent in your
Majesty not to expose yourself to the cold of the
Chapel. He is himself better, but has still much
cough, though he has kept himself very quiet and
been very careful of his diet since he has been in
London.

Queen Victoria to Viscount Melbourne.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 15th January 1838.
(Half-past nine o'clock. )

The Queen has written approved on Lord
Melbourne's letter as he desired ; but adds a line to
express her satisfaction at Lord Durham's having
accepted the office of Governor General of Canada.

The Queen will be very happy to see Lord
Melbourne at half-past three.

1 Daughter of Earl Grey.

2 Colonial Secretary.

134 INFLUENCE OF THE CROWN [CHAP, vn

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

BRUSSELS, 16th January 1838.

MY DEARLY BELOVED CHILD,- ... 1 am very
grateful for Lord Melbourne's kind recollection of me.
I have a sincere regard for him, and I think that our
intercourse has satisfied him of one thing, that I
have nothing so much at heart than your welfare,
and what is for the good of your Empire. I wish very
much that you would speak with him on the subject
of what ought to be done to keep for the Crown the
little influence it still may possess. His views on this
important subject are the more trustworthy as he
always has belonged to the moderate Liberals, and
therefore has had the means of judging the matter
with great impartiality. Monarchy to be carried on
requires certain elements, and the occupation of the
Sovereign must be constantly to preserve these elements
or should they have been too much weakened by
untoward circumstances, to contrive by every means
to strengthen them again. You are too clever not to
know, that it is not the being called Queen or King,
which can be of the least consequence, when to the
title there is not also annexed the power indispensable
for the exercise of those functions. All trades must
be learned, and nowadays the trade of a constitutional
Sovereign, to do it well, is a very difficult one.

... I must end, and remain ever, most affec-
tionately, my dear child, your devoted Uncle,

LEOPOLD R.

Queen Adelaide to Queen Victoria.

<2Uh January 1838.

MY DEAREST NIECE, — Having just been informed
of your gracious consideration of, and your generosity
towards, the dear King's children,1 I must express to you

1 The eldest of the five illegitimate sons of William IV. and Mrs Jordan
had been created Earl of Munster, and his sisters and brothers had been given
the precedence of the daughters and younger sons of a Marquis. The Queen
now continued the same allowances as they had received from the late King.

the j-nLt-Lta.ti.u~e. .a-t Cli;i LSLCCAOT- Ccurfie

1838] DANIEL CTCONNELL 135

how deeply I feel this kind proof of your attachment
to the late King, whose memory you respect by the
generous continuance of their former allowances from
the Privy Purse. Nothing could have given me more
real satisfaction, and I trust and hope that they will
prove their gratitude and entire devotion to you by
their future conduct. Let me thank you, dearest
Victoria, from the bottom of my heart, and be assured
that the heavenly blessing of our beloved King will be
upon you for your generous kindness to those he loved
so much in this world.

I hope that you have not suffered at aU from the
severity of the weather, and are as well as all your
subjects can wish you to be, amongst whom there
is none more anxiously praying for your welfare and
happiness than, my dear niece, your most devoted and
affectionate Aunt, ADELAIDE.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 22nd February 1838.

My DEAR UNCLE, — ... I had a very brilliant
Levee again yesterday, at which O'Connell and all
his sons, son-in-law, nephew, etc., appeared. I received
him, as you may imagine, with a very smiling face ;
he has been behaving very well this year.1 It was
quite a treat for me to see him, as I had for long
wished it.

We are going on most prosperously here, which
will, I am sure, give you as much pleasure as it does
me. We have no fear for any of the questions.
Lord John Russell is much pleased with the temper
of the House of Commons, which he says is remark-
ably good, and the Duke of Wellington is behaving
uncommonly well, going with Ministers, and behaving
like an honest man should do. . . .

1 Ever since the accession, O'ConnelTs speeches had been full of expressions
of loyalty, and he had been acting in concert with the Whigs.

136 POSITION OF MINISTERS OF STATE [CHAP, vn

Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria.

STANHOPE STREET, 25th February 1838.

Viscount Palmerston presents his humble duty to
your Majesty, and with reference to your Majesty's
question upon the subjects to which Lord William
Russell's recent despatch relates, he has the honour
to state : that in the Governments of the Continent, and
more especially in those which have no representative
Assemblies, the second class of persons in the public
offices possess and exercise much more power and influ-
ence than the corresponding class of persons do in this
country. In England the Ministers who are at the
head of the several departments of the State, are liable
any day and every day to defend themselves in Parlia-
ment; in order to do this, they must be minutely
acquainted with all the details of the business of their
offices, and the only way of being constantly armed
\vith such information is to conduct and direct those
details themselves.

On the Continent, where Ministers of State are not
liable so to be called to account for their conduct, the
Ministers are tempted to leave the details of their
business much more to their Under-Secretaries and
to their chief clerks. Thus it happens that all the
routine of business is generally managed by these
subordinate agents ; and to such an extent is this
carried, that Viscount Palmerston believes that the
Ministers for Foreign Affairs, in France, Austria,
Prussia, and Russia, seldom take the trouble of wrriting
their own despatches, except, perhaps, upon some very
particular and important occasion.

Your Majesty will easily see how greatly such a
system must place in the hands of the subordinate
members of the public departments the power of
directing the policy and the measures of the Govern-
ment ; because the value and tendency, and the con-
sequences of a measure, frequently depend as much
upon the manner in which that measure is worked out,

1838] IN ENGLAND AND ABROAD 137

as upon the intention and spirit with which it was
planned.

Another circumstance tends also to give great power
to these second-class men, and that is their permanence
in office.

In England when, in consequence of some great
political change the Heads of Departments go out,
the greater part of the Under- Secretaries go out also;
thus the Under-Secretary (with two or three exceptions)
having come in with his Chief, has probably no more
experience than his Chief, and can seldom set up his
own knowledge to overrule the opinion, or to guide
the judgment, of his superior.

But on the Continent, changes of Ministers are
oftener changes of individual men from personal causes,
than changes of parties from political convulsions ; and
therefore when the Chief retires, the Under-Secretary
remains. There are consequently in all the public
offices abroad a number of men who have spent the
greater part of their lives in their respective depart-
ments, and who by their long experience are full of
knowledge of what has been done in former times, and
of the most convenient and easy manner of doing what
may be required in the time present. This affords to
the Chiefs an additional motive for leaning upon their
subordinates ; and gives to those subordinates still
more real influence.

This class of subordinate men has, from the fact of
its being possessed of so much power, been invested by
the jargon of the day with the title of " Bureaucratic "
— a name fabricated in imitation of the words " aristo-
cratic" and "democratic," each being compounded of
the word " cratic," which is a corruption from the Greek
word "kratos," which means power; and the prefix,
denoting the particular class of society whose power
is meant to be expressed. Thus " aristo-cratic " is the
power of the upper, or, as in Greek it is called, the
" aristos " class of society ; " demo-cratic " is the power
of the people, which in Greek is called the " demos " ;
and " bureau-cratic " is the power of the public offices

138 THE NEW POOR LAW [CHAP, vn

or "bureaus," for which latter the French name has
been taken instead of a Greek word.

It appears, then, to be the opinion of Lord William
Russell, that this second class of public men in Prussia
are animated by a desire to see the general policy of
their country rendered more national and independent
than it has hitherto been ; that for this purpose they
were desirous of urging on the Government to take
its stand against foreign influence upon some point
or other, not much caring what that point might be ;
that they thought it would be difficult to choose a
political question, because on such a question the King
of Prussia might be against them, and that conse-
quently they chose a religious question, on which
they knew they should have the King with them ;
and that accordingly they led the Government on
to a quarrel with the Court of Rome, and with the
Catholic or Austrian party in Germany, more with
a view to place Prussia in an independent national
position than from any particular importance which
they attached to the question itself upon which the
rupture was to be effected.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

2lst March 1838.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. The House sate until half-past eleven last
night. Lord Stanhope1 made a long declamatory
speech, very violent, but having in it nothing defined
or specific, and was answered by Lord Brougham in
a most able and triumphant defence and maintenance
of the late Act for Amending the Laws for the Relief
of the Poor.2

1 Philip Henry, 4th Earl.

2 Before 1834 a great source of public abuse was the out-door relief given
to able-bodied paupers, either in kind or money. The Act of that year was
based on the principle that no one must perish through the want of the bare
necessities of life. Poor Law Commissioners were established, England was
divided into Districts, and the Districts into Unions. Out-door relief was to

1838] PRESSURE OF BUSINESS 139

Lord Melbourne was very sorry to be prevented
from waiting upon your Majesty. He is very grateful
for your Majesty's enquiries, and feels very well this

morning.

Lord Minto1 told Lard Melbourne last night to
acquaint your Majesty that Lord Amelius Beauclerck,2
your Majesty's first Naval Aide-de-Camp, intended to
ask an Audience to-day of your Majesty, and that
the object of it was to request that he and the other
Aides-de-Camp might wear sashes. This was always
refused by the late King as being absurd and ridicu-
lous— as it is, particularly considering Lord Amelius's
figure — and your Majesty had perhaps better say that
you can make no change.

Lord Melbourne will be at St James's twenty
minutes before ten.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 4th April 1838.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — Vous ne men voudrez pas,
I sincerely hope, for not having written to you sooner
to thank you for your kind letter which I received last
week, but I really could not do so. As honesty is the
best policy, I will tell you the simple fact. I have
been out riding every day for about three hours, which
quite renovates me, and when I come home I have
consequently a good deal to do, what with seeing
people, reading despatches, writing, etc. You will, I
trust, now quite forgive your poor niece, whom you
so often call " the little Queen," which is, I fear, true ;
but her feelings of affection are not so small as her
body is, I can assure you.

be given, on the order of two justices, to poor persons wholly unable, from
age or infirmity, to work. But there was much opposition to the new law ;
it was considered a grievance that old couples were refused relief at home,
and that the sexes must be separated at the workhouse, to which the name of
"Bastille" began to be attached. In Devonshire it was even believed that
the bread distributed by the relieving officers was mixed with poisonous
ingredients.

1 The First Lord of the Admiralty.

2 A son of the eighth Duke of St Albans.

140 EDUCATION OF PRINCE ALBERT [CHAP, vn

The Prince de Ligne1 will be received with every
possible attention, I can promise ; it would have been
so without his being recommended ; his rank, and,
above all, his being one of your subjects, would of
course entitle him to a good reception from me. . . .

There is another sujct which I wish to mention to
you, et que Jai bien a cceur, which is, if you would
consult Stockmar with respect to the finishing of
Albert's education ; he knows best my feelings and
wishes on that subject. . . .

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

5th April 1838.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and is much distressed that, being in the
House of Lords, he was unable to answer your
Majesty's letter as soon as he received it. Lord
Melbourne went to the palace about half-past four,
but learning from the porter at the gate that your
Majesty was not returned, went away thinking that
there was not left time to see your Majesty before
the House of Lords. Lord Melbourne is very much
concerned that your Majesty should have hastened at
all, and most earnestly requests your Majesty never
will do so upon his account. Lord Melbourne hears
with great pleasure that your Majesty has had a
pleasant ride, and likes your horse. Lord Melbourne
is very well himself, and will wait upon your Majesty
to-morrow morning about ten minutes before ten.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 10th April 1838.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — I received your kind letter
of the 5th on Sunday, and return you my best thanks
for it. I shall, before I say another word, answer
your question about the horses which I ride, wrhich I

1 He was appointed to attend the Coronation as Minister Extraordinary
from King Leopold.

1838] FAVOURITE HORSES 141

do the more willingly as I have got two darlings, if
I may use that word. They are, both of them, quite
perfect in every sense of the word ; very handsome, full
of spirit, delightful easy-goers, very quiet, and never
shying at anything. Is not this perfection ? The one
called Tartar (which belonged to Lord Conyngham),
an Irish horse, is a very dark brown, a beautiful
creature ; the other, which Lord Uxbridge * got for me,
is called Uxbridge; he is smaller than Tartar, and is
a dark chestnut, with a beautiful little Arabian head.
I am afraid I shall have bored you with this long
account of my horses.

I am going to Windsor to-morrow afternoon, and
have got a great deal to do in consequence. . . .

Poor dear Louie 2 lingers on, but, alas ! I can
only say lingers; she does not gain strength. I
cannot say how it grieves me, I am so sincerely
attached to the good old soul, who has known me
ever since my birth. But I still entertain a hope
that she may get over it.

We shall have a fortnight's respite from our
Political Campaign. I trust we shall do as well as
we have done when Parliament meets again. Believe
me always, your devoted Niece, VICTORIA R.

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

13th April 1838.

. . . Concerning the education of our friend Albert,
it has been the best plan you could have fixed upon,
to name Stockmar your commissary-general ; it will
give unite faction et de f ensemble, which otherwise
we should not have had. I have communicated to
him what your uncle and the young gentleman seem

1 Henry, Earl of Uxbridge, afterwards second Marquis of Anglesey
(1797-1869).

2 Louisa Louis was born at Erbach in 1771. The Queen erected a tablet to
her memory in St Martin's-in-the-Fields, where she is described as " the
faithful and devoted friend of Princess Charlotte of Wales, and from earliest
infancy honoured by the affectionate attachment of Her Majesty Queen
Victoria." See Reminiscences, ante, p. 14.

142 EDUCATION OF PRINCE ALBERT [CHAP. MI

to wish, and what strikes me as the best for the
moment. Stockmar will make a regular report to
you on this subject. They will return to Bonn at
the beginning of May, and remain till the end of
August. ... I agree with this, as nothing enlarges
the mind so much as travelling. But Stockmar will
best treat this affair verbally with you. The young
gentlemen wished to pay me another visit at the
beginning of May, prior to their return to Bonn.
Nothing definite is, however, as yet settled about it.
On one thing you can rely, that it is my great anxiety
to see Albert a very good and distinguished young man,
and wo pains will be thought too much on my part if
this end can be attained.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

(Undated.)

Your Majesty will perceive by this box, which I
received this morning but had not time to open, that
Marshal Soult, Duke of Dalmatia 1 has been appointed
Ambassador to the Coronation.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

WINDSOR CASTLE, nth April 1838.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — ... You will by this time
have learnt the sad loss we have all sustained in the
death of dearest, faithful, excellent Louie, who breathed
her last, without a struggle or a suffering, on Sunday
night at nine o'clock. I don't think 1 have ever been
so much overcome or distressed by anything, almost,
as by the death of this my earliest friend ; it is the
first link that has been broken of my first and

1 Soult entered the French army in 1785 and became Marshal of France
1804. After distinguishing himself at Austerlitz in 1805, he was made Duke
of Dalmatia in 1807. Serving in the Peninsular War, he pursued Moore to
Corunna, and became Commander-in-Chief in Spain in 1809. Subsequently
he conducted the French retreat before Wellington in Southern France,
1813-1814; was banished, but recalled later and created a peer. He was
Minister of War 1830-1834.

1838] DEATHS OF OLD SERVANTS 143

infantine affections. I always loved Louie, and shall
cherish her memory as that of the purest and best
of mortals as long as I live 1 I took leave of her
before I left London on Wednesday, and never, never
shall I forget the blessing she gave me, and the grasp
she gave my hand 1 I was quite upset by it ! And
I feared and felt I should behold her on earth no
more ; it was, however, a beautiful lesson of calmness
and contentment and resignation to the will of her
God ! Prepared as she was at every moment of her
life to meet her heavenly Father, she was full of hope
of recovery, and quite unconscious of her approaching
end. You will, I am sure, dearest Uncle, feel the
loss of this excellent creature ; I cannot restrain my
tears while writing this. One great consolation I
have, which is, that I have been the means of making
her last days as happy as she could wish to be, after
having lost what she loved most !

. . . Poor Mason, our faithful coachman for so
many years, is also dead. These old servants cannot
be replaced ; and to see those whom one has known
from one's birth, drop off, one by one, is melancholy 1
You will think this letter a very sad one, but /
feel sad. . . .

Queen Adelaide to Queen Victoria.

MARLBOROUGH HOUSE, Ylih April 1838.

... I can well enter into all your feelings of regret
at the death of one so truly attached and so faithful
as dear old Louie had been to you from your infancy,
and I quite understand your grief ; yet I feel sure that
you will also rejoice for her, that she has been relieved
from her earthly sufferings. For her the change of
existence was a happy one ; good and pious as she
was, we may trust that her state at present is one of
felicity and bliss through the redeeming grace of our
Saviour.

144 THE CORONATION [CHAP, vn

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

nth April 1838.

. . . The Parliamentary affairs will, please Heaven,
continue to go on well ; I am more than ever bound to
wish it, as I am not anxious to exchange my clever
and well - informed friend Palmerston, with Lord
Aberdeen, for instance, of whose sweetness the Greek
negotiation1 has given me very fair means of judging.
Now I will conclude by touching on one subject which
concerns your great goodness to us. When we left
England you expressed a wish to see us at the time
of the Coronation, which was then believed to take
place at the end of May. More mature reflection has
made me think that a King and Queen at your dear
Coronation might perhaps be a hors-d'oeuvre, and 1
think, if it meets with your approbation, that it may
be better to pay you our respects at some other period,
which you might like to fix upon. I do not deny
that having been deprived by circumstances from the
happiness of wishing you joy at your birthday, since
1831, in person, I feel strongly tempted to make a
short apparition to see you, as seeing and speaking
is much pleasanter than ink and paper. . . .

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 25th April 1838.

MY BELOVED UNCLE, — . . . With respect to the
happiness of seeing you and my dearest Aunt, I shall
now respectfully state my feelings. It would have
made me very happy to see you both at the Corona-
tion, but I think upon the whole it is perhaps better
you should not do so. Then, with respect to your
coming for my old birthday, I must observe that I
could not enjoy you or my Aunt at all a mon aise.
First of all I could not lodge you, and if one is not
in the same house together, there is 720 real seeing

1 Referring to the offer of the throne of Greece to King Leopold in 1830.

1838] THE CORONATION 145

one another ; secondly, the town will be so full of all
sorts of foreigners that I should have no peace to see
you and Aunt quietly. If therefore, dearest Uncle,
it suits you and Aunt Louise, would you come about
the end of August, and stay with me as long as you
can ? I trust, dearest Uncle, que vous me comprendrez
bien, and that you are assured of the great happiness
it is for me to see you at any time.

Since I have written to you we have received from
Lord Granville the news of Marshal Soult's appoint-
ment as Ambassador for the Coronation, and of the
Due de Nemours' intention of coming here as a
spectator. You may be assured that I shall be de-
lighted to see the Duke, as 1 always am any of the
dear French family. With regard to Soult, I am sure
you are aware that whoever the King chose to send
would be equally well received by me and the
Government.

Queen Victoria to discount Melbourne.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 5th May 1838.

The Queen sends the papers relating to the Corona-
tion as Lord Melbourne wished. The Queen also
transmits the names of the young ladies who she
proposes should carry her train. If Lord Melbourne
sees any objection to any of these she hopes he will
say so.

The Queen has put down Lady Mary Talbot, as
being the daughter of the oldest Earl in the Kingdom *
and a Roman Catholic ; and Lady Anne Fitzwilliam,
as she is anxious to show civility to Lord Fitzwilliam
who has been very kind to the Queen.

Perhaps, when the names are agreed to, Lord
Melbourne would kindly undertake to speak or write
to the parents of the young ladies proposing it to them.

Lady Caroline Lennox.

Lady Adelaide Paget.

Lady Fanny Cowper.

i John, sixteenth Earl of Shrewsbury (1791-1852).
VOL. i. —10

146 ADDRESS FROM THE BISHOPS [CHAP,

Lady Wilhelmina Stanhope.
Lady Mary Talbot.
Lady Anne Fitzwilliam.
Lady Mary Grimston.
Lady Louisa Jenkinson.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

nth May 1838.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and thinks that your Majesty had better
direct Lord Conyngham to ask the Archbishop, before
the Audience, who has generally been there and how
it ought to be conducted.

Your Majesty had better read the Answer and
not give it to the Archbishop, as Lord Melbourne
apprehends the Archbishop does not give your Majesty
the Address.

Your Majesty had better say something kind to
each of the Bishops as they are presented. They are
presented to your Majesty in this manner as a sort
of privilege, instead of being presented at the Dra wing-
Room with others, and your Majesty should conduct
yourself towards them exactly as if they had been
presented in the usual circle.

The time is about half-past one, and your Majesty
had better be punctual so as not to delay the Dra wing-
Room.

In the same letter is enclosed a draft of a letter which it was
suggested by Lord Melbourne that the Queen should write
to the King of Portugal, with regard to the suppression of
the Slave Trade.

[Draft enclosed]

That you hope that the King and Queen of Portugal will not
consider the strong representations made by your Government on
the subject of the Slave Trade as arising from any desire to
embarrass them. That there is every disposition to make allow-
ance for the difficulties of Portugal, but allowance must also be
made for the feelings of the people of England ; that those

1838] A BRILLIANT BALL 147

feelings on the Slave Trade are as strong as they are just. That
England has made great sacrifices for the suppression of that
crime, that she has made sacrifices to Portugal, and that she has
been extremely indignant at finding that traffic so obstinately
continued to be sheltered and protected under the flag of Portugal.
That Portugal must not expect that England will much longer
refrain from taking effectual measures for preventing these practices.
That you have spoken thus openly because you wish them to be
aware of the truth, and that you entreat both the Queen and the
King to use their power and influence in procuring such a treaty
to be concluded without delay, as will satisfy England and
exonerate Portugal from the reproach under which she now
labours.

This is the substance of what might be written. It is perhaps
a little harshly worded, but your Majesty may soften it.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, *25th May 1838.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — I am most thankful for
your very kind letter, and for the beautiful little
sword, which delights me.

I have been dancing till past four o'clock this
morning ; we have had a charming ball, and I have
spent the happiest birthday that I have had for many
years ; oh, how different to last year ! Everybody
was so kind and so friendly to me.

We have got a number of Austrians and Milanese
here, among whom are a Prince Odescalchi, and a
Count Eugene Zichy renowned for his magnificent
turquoises and his famous valzing, a good-natured
elegant; we have also Esterhazy's daughter Marie
— now Countess Chorinsky — a Count and Countess
Grippa, and a Marquis and Marchioness of Trivalzi, etc.

Old Talleyrand * is at last dead. I hear he showed
wonderful composure and firmness to the last. He
was one of those people who I thought never would
die. Did you know what Pozzo said to somebody
here about him ? He said he (Talleyrand) would
not die yet, "par ce que le Diable ne voulait pas
I'avoir."

1 Died 17th May, aged eighty-four.

148 INDEPENDENCE OF BELGIUM [CHAP, vn

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

LAEKEN, 2nd June 1838.

... I have not all this time touched on our affairs,
from motives of great discretion, but as the battle
draws nigh,1 I cannot very well help writing a few
words on the subject. I found an Article in the
French Constitutionnel which paints our position in
pretty true colours. As it is not very long, I beg you
to have the goodness to read it. You have given
me so many proofs of affection, and your kind speech
at Windsor is so fresh in my memory, that it would
be very wrong in me to think that in so short a time,
and without any cause, those feelings which are so
precious to me could have changed. This makes me
appeal to those sentiments.

The independent existence of the Provinces which
form this Kingdom has always been an object of
importance to England ; the surest proof of it is,
that for centuries England has made the greatest
sacrifices of blood and treasure for that object. The
last time I saw the late King at Windsor, in 1836, he
said to me : "If ever France or any other Power
invades your country, it will be a question of imme-
diate war for England ; we cannot suffer that." I
answered him I was happy to hear him speak so, as
I also did not want any foreign Power to invade us. ...

All I want from your kind Majesty is, that you will
occasionally express to your Ministers, and particularly
to good Lord Melbourne, that, as far as it is compatible
with the interests of your own dominions, you do not
wish that your Government should take the lead in
such measures as might in a short time bring on the
destruction of this country, as well as that of your
uncle and his family.

Europe has enjoyed ever since 1833, in our part

1 The execution of the treaty of 1831, called the twenty-four Articles,
assigning part of Luxemburg to Holland, had been reluctantly agreed to by
Leopold, but the King of Holland withheld his assent for seven years.

1838] ANGLO-BELGIAN RELATIONS 149

•

of it, a state of profound peace and real happiness and
prosperity. None can deny that the measures which
I adopted to organise this country have greatly con-
tributed to this happy state of affairs ; this makes me
think that the changes which are to take place should
be brought about in a very gentle manner. . . .

I am sorry to have you to listen to so much about
politics, but it is not my fault ; I wished nothing so
much as to be left alone. I shall do all I can to bring
about a good conclusion, but it must not be forgotten
that these seven years all the dangers, all the trouble,
fell constantly to my share.

Now I will make haste to conclude, and remain
ever, my dearest Victoria, your truly devoted Uncle,

LEOPOLD R.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, Wth June 1838.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — It is indeed a long while
since I have written to you, and I fear you will think
me very lazy ; but I must in turn say, dearest Uncle,
that your silence was longer than mine, and that it
grieved me, and m'a beaucoup pcinee. I know, how-
ever, you have had, and still have, much to do. Many
thanks, my dear Uncle, for your very kind letter of the
2nd inst. . . .

It would indeed, dearest Uncle, be very wrong of
you, if you thought my feelings of warm and devoted
attachment to you, and of great affection for you, could
be changed. Nothing can ever change them ! Inde-
pendent of my feelings of affection for you, my beloved
Uncle, you must be aware that the ancient and
hereditary policy of this country with respect to
Belgium must make me most anxious that my
Government, not only should not be parties to any
measure that would be prejudicial to Belgium, but
that my Ministers should, as far as may not conflict
with the interests or engagements of this country, do

150 PROGRESS OF BELGIUM [CHAP, vn

everything in their power to promote the prosperity
and welfare of your Kingdom.

My Ministers, I can assure you, share all my
feelings on this subject, and are most anxious to see
everything settled in a satisfactory manner between
Belgium and Holland.

We all feel that we cannot sufficiently or adequately
express how much Belgium owes to your wise system
of government, which has rendered that country so
flourishing in every way, and how much all Europe
is indebted to you for the preservation of general
peace ; because it is certain that when you ascended
the throne of Belgium that country was the one from
which the occasion of a general war was much to be
feared ; whereas now it is become a link to secure
the continuance of peace ; and by the happy circum-
stance of your double near relationship to me and
to the King of the French, Belgium — which was in
former times the cause of discord between England
and France — becomes now a mutual tie to keep them
together.

This, my beloved Uncle, we owe to you, and it
must be a source of pride and gratification to you.

I perfectly understand and feel that your position
with respect to all these affairs is very difficult and
trying, and the feelings of your subjects are far from
unnatural ; yet I sincerely hope that you will use the
great influence you possess over the minds of the
leading men in Belgium, to mitigate discontent and
calm irritation, and procure acquiescence in whatever
arrangements may ultimately be found inevitable.

You are right in saying that I, though but a child
of twelve years old when you went to Belgium,
remember much of what took place, and I have since
then had the whole matter fully explained to me.
The Treaty of November 1831 was perhaps not so
advantageous to the Belgians as could have been
wished, yet it cannot have been thought very advan-
tageous to the Dutch, else they would have most
probably urged their Government before this time to

1838] FOREIGN POLICY 151

accept it ; besides, when these conditions were framed,
England was only one out of Jive Powers whose
concurrence was required, and consequently they were
made under very difficult circumstances. This treaty
having been ratified, it is become binding, and there-
fore it is almost impossible to consider it as otherwise,
and to set aside those parts of it which have been
ratified by all the parties.

1 feel I must in turn, dearest Uncle, entreat your
indulgence for so long a letter, and for such full
explanations, but I felt it my duty to do so, as you
had spoken to me on the subject.

You may be assured, my beloved Uncle, that
both Lord Melbourne and Lord Palmerston are most
anxious at all times for the prosperity and welfare of
Belgium, and are consequently most desirous of seeing
this difficult question brought to a conclusion which
may be satisfactory to you. Allow me once more
therefore, dearest Uncle, to beseech you to use your
powerful influence over your subjects, and to strive
to moderate their excited feelings on these matters.
Your situation is a very difficult one, and nobody
feels more for you than I do.

I trust, dearest Uncle, that you will, at all times,
believe me your devoted and most affectionate Niece,

VICTORIA R.

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

LAEKEN, [ ] June * 1838.
MY DEAREST, AND MOST BELOVED VICTORIA, - You

have written me a very dear and long letter, which has
given me great pleasure and satisfaction. I was much
moved with the expressions of truly felt affection,
which it contains, and I shall never again doubt your
affection for me, but rely on your dear heart and the
constancy of your character.

1 will now tell you honestly that I had some
misgivings ; I did not exactly think that you had

1 The day of the month is not given.

152 HOLLAND AND BELGIUM [CHAP, vn

quite forgotten me, but I thought I had been put aside
as one does with a piece of furniture which is no longer
wanted. I did not complain, because I fear if affection
is once on the decline, reproaches only diminish it the
faster. I therefore said nothing, but in a life full of
grief and disappointments like mine, the loss of your
affection would have been one of the most severe. It
was in this point of view that the declaration made
by Lord Palmerston at the beginning of May to the
Prussian Government chagrined me much.1 It was
premature, because the negotiation was not yet renewed.
It looked as if the English Government had been
anxious to say to the Northern Powers, who always
steadfastly protected Holland, " You imagine, perhaps,
that we mean to have egards for the uncle of the
Queen ; there you see we shall make even shorter work
with him now than we did under our late master."

This impression had been general on the Continent ;
they considered the declaration to Prussia in this way :
" La Heine et ses Ministres sont done entierement indiffe-
rents sur le compte du Roi L. ; cela change entierement
la position, et nous allons faire mains basses sur lui."
From that moment their language became extremely
imperious ; they spoke of nothing but acts of coercion,
bombardment, etc., etc. I firmly believe, because I
have been these many years on terms of great and
sincere friendship with Palmerston, that he did not
himself quite foresee the importance which would be
attached to his declaration. I must say it hurt me
more in my English capacity than in my Belgian, as
I came to this country from England, and was chosen
for that very reason. Besides, I am happy to say, I
was never as yet in the position to ask for any act
of kindness from you, so that whatever little service I
may have rendered you, remained on a basis of perfect
disinterestedness. That the first diplomatic step in
our affairs should seem by your Government to be
directed against me, created therefore all over the

1 Prussia was giving unmistakable evidence of a disposition to support
Holland against Belgium.

1838] CORONATION DAY 153

Continent a considerable sensation. I shall never ask
any favours of you, or anything that could in the least
be considered as incompatible with the interests of
England ; but you will comprehend that there is a
great difference in claiming favours and in being treated
as an enemy. . . .

I will conclude my overgrown letter with the assur-
ance that you never were in greater favour, and that I
love you dearly. Believe me, therefore, ever, my best
beloved Victoria, your devoted Uncle, LEOPOLD R.

Queen Adelaide to Queen Victoria.

MARLBORO' HOUSE,

At a quarter before 12 o'clock on the Coronation Day,
28th June 1838.

My DEAREST NIECE, — The guns are just announc-
ing your approach to the Abbey, and as I am not
near you, and cannot take part in the sacred ceremony
of your Coronation, I must address you in writing to
assure you that my thoughts and my whole heart are
with you, and my prayers are offered up to Heaven
for your happiness, and the prosperity and glory of
your reign. May our Heavenly Father bless and
preserve you, and His Holy Ghost dwell within you
to give you that peace which the world cannot give !
Accept of these my best wishes, and the blessing of
your most devoted and attached Aunt, ADELAIDE.

Extract from the Queens Journal.

Thursday, 28th June 1838.

I was awoke at four o'clock by the guns in the Park,
and could not get much sleep afterwards on account
of the noise of the people, bands, etc., etc. Got up
at seven, feeling strong and well; the Park presented
a curious spectacle, crowds of people up to Constitution
Hill, soldiers, bands, etc. I dressed, having taken a
little breakfast before I dressed, and a little after. At
half-past 9 I went into the next room, dressed exactly

154. WESTMINSTER ABBEY [CHAP, vn

in my House of Lords costume ; and met Uncle
Ernest, Charles,1 and Feodore (who had come a few
minutes before into my dressing-room), Lady Lans-
downe, Lady Normanby, the Duchess of Sutherland,
and Lady Barham, all in their robes.

At 10 I got into the State Coach with the Duchess
of Sutherland and Lord Albemarle and we began our
Progress. I subjoin a minute account of the whole
Procession and of the whole Proceeding, — the route,
etc. It was a fine day, and the crowds of people
exceeded what I have ever seen ; many as there were
the day I went to the City, it was nothing, nothing
to the multitudes, the millions of my loyal subjects
who were assembled in every spot to witness the Pro-
cession. Their good humour and excessive loyalty was
beyond everything, and I really cannot say //ore proud
I feel to be the Queen of such a Nation. I was alarmed
at times for fear that the people would be crushed and
squeezed on account of the tremendous rush and
pressure.

I reached the Abbey amid deafening cheers at a
little after half-past eleven ; I first went into a robing-
room quite close to the entrance where I found my
eight train-bearers : Lady Caroline Lennox, Lady
Adelaide Paget, Lady Mary Talbot, Lady Fanny
Cowper, Lady Wilhelmina Stanhope, Lady Anne Fitz-
william, Lady Mary Grimston, and Lady Louisa
Jenkinson — all dressed alike and beautifully in white
satin and silver tissue with wreaths of silver corn-ears in
front, and a small one of pink roses round the plait
behind, and pink roses in the trimming of the dresses.

After putting on my mantle, and the young ladies
having properly got hold of it and Lord Conyngham
holding the end of it, 1 left the robing-room and the
Procession began as is described in the annexed account,
and all that followed and took place. The sight was
splendid ; the bank of Peeresses quite beautiful all in
their robes, and the Peers on the other side. My young
train-bearers were always near me, and helped me

1 Prince Charles of Leiningen, the Queen's half-brother.

1838] THE ENTHRONISATION 155

whenever I wanted anything. The Bishop of Durham l
stood on the side near me, but he was, as Lord
Melbourne told me, remarkably maladroit, and never
could tell me what was to take place. At the begin-
ning of the Anthem where I've made a mark, I retired
to St Edward's Chapel, a dark small place immediately
behind the Altar, with my ladies and train-bearers —
took off my crimson robe and kirtle, and put on the
supertunica of cloth of gold, also in the shape of a
kirtle, which was put over a singular sort of little gown
of linen trimmed with lace ; I also took off my circlet
of diamonds and then proceeded bare-headed into the
Abbey ; I was then seated upon St Edward's chair,
where the Dalmatic robe was clasped round me by
the Lord Great Chamberlain. Then followed all the
various things ; and last (of those things) the Crown
being placed on my head — which was, I must own, a
most beautiful impressive moment ; all the Peers and
Peeresses put on their coronets at the same instant.

My excellent Lord Melbourne, who stood very
close to me throughout the whole ceremony, was
completely overcome at this moment, and very much
affected ; he gave me such a kind, and I may say
fatherly look. The shouts which were very great, the
drums, the trumpets, the firing of the guns, all at the
same instant, rendered the spectacle most imposing.

The Enthronisation and the Homage of, first, all
the Bishops, and then my Uncles, and lastly of all
the Peers, in their respective order was very fine. The
Duke of Norfolk (holding for me the Sceptre with a
Cross) with Lord Melbourne stood close to me on my
right, and the Duke of Richmond with the other Sceptre
on my left, etc., etc. All my train-bearers, etc., standing
behind the Throne. Poor old Lord Rolle, who is 82,
and dreadfully infirm, in attempting to ascend the
steps fell and rolled quite down, but was not the least
hurt ; when he attempted to re-ascend them I got up
and advanced to the end of the steps, in order to
prevent another fall. When Lord Melbourne's turn

1 Edward Maltby, 1770-1859.

156 RECEIVING HOMAGE [CUAP. vn

to do Homage came, there was loud cheering; they
also cheered Lord Grey and the Duke of Wellington ;
it's a pretty ceremony ; they first all touch the Crown,
and then kiss my hand. When my good Lord
Melbourne knelt down and kissed my hand, he pressed
my hand and I grasped his with all my heart, at which
he looked up with his eyes filled with tears and seemed
much touched, as he was, I observed, throughout the
whole ceremony. After the Homage was concluded
I left the Throne, took off my Crown and received
the Sacrament ; I then put on my Crown again, and
re-ascended the Throne, leaning on Lord Melbourne's
arm. At the commencement of the Anthem I de-
scended from the Throne, and went into St Edward's
Chapel with my Ladies, Train-bearers, and Lord
Willoughby, where I took off the Dalmatic robe,
supertunica, etc., and put on the Purple Velvet Kirtle
and Mantle, and proceeded again to the Throne, which
I ascended leaning on Lord Melbourne's hand.

There was another most dear Being present at this
ceremony, in the box immediately above the royal box,
and who witnessed all ; it was my dearly beloved
angelic Lehzen, whose eyes I caught when on the
Throne, and we exchanged smiles. She and Spilth,
Lady John Russell, and Mr. Murray saw me leave the
Palace, arrive at the Abbey, leave the Abbey and
again return to the Palace ! !

I then again descended from the Throne, and
repaired with all the Peers bearing the Regalia, my
Ladies and Train-bearers, to St Edward's Chapel, as it
is called ; but which, as Lord Melbourne said, was
more 2/wlike a Chapel than anything he had ever
seen ; for, what was called an Altar was covered with
sandwiches, bottles of wine, etc., etc. The Archbishop
came in and ought to have delivered the Orb to me,
but I had already got it, and he (as usual) was so con-
fused and puz/led and knew nothing, and — went away.
Here we waited some minutes, Lord Melbourne took
a glass of wine, for he seemed completely tired. The
Procession being formed, I replaced my Crown (which

1838] POPULAR ENTHUSIASM 157

I had taken off for a few minutes), took the Orb in
my left hand and the Sceptre in my right, and thus
loaded, proceeded through the Abbey— which resounded
with cheers, to the first robing-room ; where I found
the Duchess of Gloucester, Mamma, and the Duchess
of Cambridge with their Ladies. And here we waited
for at least an hour, with all my ladies and train-bearers ;
the Princesses went away about half an hour before I
did. The Archbishop had (most awkwardly) put the
ring on the wrong ringer, and the consequence was
that I had the greatest difficulty to take it off again,
which I at last did with great pain. Lady Fanny,
Lady Wilhelmina, and Lady Mary Grimston looked
quite beautiful. At about half-past four I re-entered
my carriage, the Crown on my head, and the Sceptre
and Orb in my hands, and we proceeded the same way
as we came — the crowds if possible having increased.
The enthusiasm, affection and loyalty was really touch-
ing, and I shall ever remember this day as the Proudest
of my life ! I came home at a little after six, really
not feeling tired.

At eight we dined. Besides we thirteen — my
Uncles, sister, brother, Spath, and the Duke's gentlemen
— my excellent Lord Melbourne and Lord Surrey
dined here. Lord Melbourne came up to me and said :
" I must congratulate you on this most brilliant day,"
and that all had gone off so well. He said he was not
tired, and was in high spirits. I sat between Uncle
Ernest * and Lord Melbourne ; and Lord Melbourne
between me and Feodore, whom he had led in. My
kind Lord Melbourne was much affected in speaking
of the whole ceremony. He asked kindly if I was
tired ; said the Sword he carried (the first, the Sword
of State) was excessively heavy. I said that the Crown
hurt me a good deal. He was so much amused at
Uncle Ernest's being astonished at our still having
the Litany. We agreed that the whole thing was a
very fine sight. He thought the robes, and particularly
the Dalmatic, "looked remarkably well." "And you

i The King of Hanover.

158 INCIDENTS OF THE CORONATION [CHAP, vn

did it all so well — excellent ! " said he with tears in his
eyes. He said he thought I looked rather pale and
" moved by all the people " when I arrived ; " and
that's natural ; and that's better." The Archbishop's
and Dean's copes, which were remarkably handsome,
were from James the Second's time ; the very same
that were worn at his Coronation, Lord Melbourne
told me. Spoke of the Bishop of Durham's awkward-
ness, Lord Rolle's fall, etc. Of the Due de Nemours
being like his father in face ; of the young ladies'
(train-bearers) dresses, which he thought beautiful ;
and he said he thought the Duchess of Richmond
(who had ordered the make of the dresses, etc., and had
been much condemned by some of the young ladies
for it) quite right. She said to him : " One thing I was
determined about ; that I would have no discussion
with their Mammas about it." Spoke of Talleyrand
and Soult having been very much struck by the
ceremony of the Coronation ; of the English being
far too generous not to be kind to Soult. Lord
Melbourne went home the night before, and slept
very deeply till he was woke at six in the morning.
I said I did not sleep well. Spoke of the Illumina-
tions and Uncle Ernest's wish to see them.

After dinner, before we sat down, we (that is,
Charles, Lord Melbourne and I) spoke of the numbers
of Peers at the Coronation, which, Lord Melbourne
said with the tears in his eyes, was unprecedented.
I observed that there were very few Viscounts ; he
said : " There are very few Viscounts," that they were
an odd sort of title and not really English ; that
they came from Vice-Coimtcs ; that Dukes and Barons
were the only real English titles ; that Marquises
were likewise not English ; and that they made people
Marquises when they did not wish to make them Dukes.
Spoke of Lord Audley who came as the First Baron,
and who Lord Melbourne said was a very odd young
man, but of a very old family, his ancestor was a Sir
Something Audley in the time of the Black Prince,
who, with Chandos, gained the Battle of Poictiers.

1838] PAGES OF HONOUR 159

I then sat on the sofa for a little while with Lady
Barham and then with Charles ; Lord Melbourne
sitting near me the whole evening. Mamma and
Feodore remained to see the Illuminations and only
came in later and Mamma went away before I did.
Uncle Ernest drove out to see the Illuminations.

I said to Lord Melbourne when I first sat down
that I felt a little tired on my feet ; " You must be
very tired," he said. Spoke of the weight of the
Robes, etc., etc., the Coronets ; and he turned round to
me with the tears in his eyes, and said so kindly : " And
you did it beautifully — every part of it, with so much
taste ; it's a thing that you can't give a person advice
upon ; it must be left to a person." To hear this,
from this kind impartial friend, gave me great and
real pleasure. Mamma and Feodore came back just
after he said this. Spoke of the Bishops' Copes, about
which he was very funny ; of the Pages who were
such a nice set of boys, and who were so handy, Lord
Melbourne said, that they kept them the whole time.
Little Lord Stafford, and Slane (Lord Mountcharles)
were pages to their fathers and looked lovely ; Lord
Paget (not a fine boy) was Lord Melbourne's page
and remarkably handy, he said. Spoke again of the
young ladies' dresses, about which he was very amusing ;
he waited for his carriage with Lady Mary Talbot and
Lady Wilhelmina; he thinks Lady Fanny does not
make as much show as other girls, which I would not
allow. He set off for the Abbey from his house at
half-past eight, and wras there long before anybody else ;
he only got home at half-past six and had to go round
by Kensington. He said there was a large breakfast
in the Jerusalem Chamber where they met before all
began ; he said laughing, that whenever the Clergy,
or a Dean and Chapter, had anything to do with
anything, there's sure to be plenty to eat.

Spoke of my intending to go to bed, etc., he said
" You may depend upon it, you are more tired than
you think you are." I said I had slept badly the night
before ; he said that was my mind, that nothing kept

160 EXTRA HOLIDAYS FOR SCHOOLS [CHAP, vn

people more awake than any consciousness of a great
event going to take place, and being agitated. He
was not sure if he was not going to the Duke of
Wellington's.

Stayed in the dining-room till twenty minutes past
eleven, but remained on Mamma's balcony looking at
the fireworks in Green Park which were quite beautiful.
Uncle Ernest, Charles, Feodore and the Ladies and
Gentlemen (like Lehzen, etc.) saw me leave the Palace,
arrive at the Abbey, leave the Abbey, and return
to the Palace. Got a long letter from Aunt Louise.

Queen Victoria to Viscount Melbourne.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 29ih June 1838.

The Queen is very anxious to hear if Lord
Melbourne got home safe, and if he is not tired,
and quite well this morning.

Lord Melbourne will be glad to hear that the
Queen had an excellent night, is not the least tired,
and is perfectly well this morning; indeed she feels
much better than she has done for some days.

The Queen hears that it is usual to ask for an
additional week's holidays for the boys at the various
Public Schools, on the occasion of the Coronation.
Perhaps Lord Melbourne will enquire about this, in
order that there may be no neglect on my part.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 2nd July 1838.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — Many thanks for two kind
letters, one which I got last Monday and one this
morning. The kind interest you take in me and
my country (of which, and of the nation, I'm more
proud than I ever was, since I've witnessed their
excessive affection and loyalty to me) makes me
certain that you will be glad to hear how beautifully
everything went off. It was a memorable and
glorious day for me. The millions assembled to

1838] REVIEW IN HYDE PARK 161

witness the progress to and from the Abbey was
beyond belief, and all in the highest good humour. It
is a fine ceremony, and a scene I shall ever remember,
and with pleasure. I likewise venture to add that
people thought I did my part very well.

The amiable Due de Nemours dined with me on
Friday, comes to my ball to-night, and dines again
with me on Wednesday. Pray tell dearest Aunt
Louise that I thank her much for her very kind
letter, and will avail myself of her kindness and not
write to her this mail.

Feodore is writing in my room, well and happy,
Uncle Ernest still very lame, and Charles well.
There's an account of the family. Ever and ever
your most devoted Niece, VICTORIA R.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

8th July 1838.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. As your Majesty does not ride, the question
is between driving down the line or not going down
it at all,1 and it appears to Lord Melbourne that the
first is the best, namely, to drive down ; but if your
Majesty feels a strong repugnance, there is no more
to be said.

Lord Melbourne thinks it safer and more prudent
that your Majesty should not ride ; but still it might
have been done, and if Lord Melbourne had thought
that your Majesty wished it much, he would not
have dissuaded it.

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

NEUILLY, 12th July 1838.

MY DEAREST VICTORIA, — I am very grateful for
your kind letter ; it is extremely meritorious, amidst
such fatigues and festivities and occupations of every

1 Referring to the Hyde Park review on the next day.
VOL. i. — 11

162 THE CORONATION [CHAP. MI

kind, to find a moment to write. I expressed already
the great satisfaction with which I read and heard
all the accounts of the Coronation, and I believe that
there never was anything like it. The only one
which in point of loyal demonstration may approach
it is that of George III., but I think it fell short
of yours.

I am happy to see that it has increased, if possible,
your affection and attachment to your country, and
this is in every respect a great blessing. You will
remember that I have never varied on that subject,
the great thing is to be the National Sovereign of
your own country, and to love its very faults. This
strengthens the mutual attachement, and that can
never be too strong. . . .

Believe me, ever, my dearest Victoria, your very
devoted Uncle, LEOPOLD R.

The whole of the family here offer their best
hommages.

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

NEUILLY, 90th July 1838.

I feel most grateful for your dear kind letter of
the 10th inst., which 1 received a few days ago.
I hear that the review was something most splendid,
and I feel always some regret at having been deprived
of the happiness of seeing you en fonction, which you
do in a degree of rare perfection. May the remem-
brance of all this long remain in your mind, to cheer
and strengthen you when occasionally there will be
a darker sky. . . .

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

10th August 1838.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to
your Majesty. The very difficult and embarrassing
situation in which Lord Durham and the Canadas and
the Ministry are left by the vote of the House of

1838] LORD DURHAM AND CANADA 163

Lords of last night, requires that a Cabinet should be
held to-day, and Lord Melbourne has directed one to
be summoned at two. Lord Melbourne will wait upon
your Majesty either before that hour or after about
four o'clock. The vote of last night and the Bill of
Lord Brougham l is a direct censure upon Lord
Durham. Lord Durham's conduct has been most
rash and indiscreet, and, as far as we can see,
unaccountable. But to censure him now would either
be to cause his resignation, which would produce
great embarrassment, and might produce great evil,
or to weaken his authority, which is evidently most
undesirable. . . .

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

10th August 1838.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and begs to inform you that the Cabinet
have determined to advise your Majesty to disallow
Lord Durham's ordinance, and to announce the same
to the House of Lords.2

This is absolutely necessary, but very disagreeable,
and will be very much so to Lord Durham.

The Queen of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

25th September 1838.

MY MOST BELOVED VICTORIA, — I can never thank
you enough for the dear letter which I found on my
table on arriving here, Sunday evening. It was most
kind of you to have written so soon after our
departure, and such an affectionate, good, kind letter.
The tears came to my eyes as I read it, and I felt
quite moved. Short as has been our stay, and great,
as always, the pain of leaving you, it has been a
great happiness for me to see you again, a happiness

1 This Bill (which emphasised the illegality of Lord Durham's ordinance)
was read a second time by 54 to 36. On the following day Lord Melbourne
announced to the Peers that Ministers had resolved to advise that the
ordinance should be disallowed.

2 See Introductory Note for the year, ante, p. 131.

164 GOVERNMENT OF CANADA [CHAP, vn

for which I shall always thank God, you, and your
dear Uncle. I need not add how very precious is
your affection to me, and how very grateful I am
for every new proof of it. You know my feelings
on this point, and you know they are better felt than
expressed. Your calling me Louise, and in such a
kind way, gave me great pleasure. Almost all those
dear to me call me so, and I think it looks more
affectionate ; I would fain say now sister-like, although
I am rather an old sister for you now. . . .

Leopold is half crazy with the steam-engine, and
particularly with the tools which you sent him. I
enclose here the expression of his gratitude. I wrote
exactly what he told me to write, and I did not add
a word. He has found again his kie (key), and he
wears it suspended to his neck by a blue riband, with
the Duchess's little seal. He felt deeply the attention
you had to have an L engraved on each tool, and
after his letter was closed he charged me to thank
you for it, and to tell you that it gave him great
pleasure. An iron spade was the greatest object of
his ambition, and he worked so hard yesterday with
it, that I feared he would hurt himself with the
exertion. He will go to-day to the races with us,
in the Scotch dress which the Duchess had the
kindness to send him. It fits very well, and he is
very proud of having a coat shaped like that of a
man. . . .

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

25th October 1838.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. . . .

Mr Stanley of the Treasury1 arrived in London
yesterday, and acquaints me that Lord Normanby
makes no secret of his willingness, and indeed his
desire, to undertake the government of Canada. It

1 " Ben " Stanley, afterwards Lord Stanley of Alderley, Secretary to the
Treasury.

1838] IRELAND AND O'CONNELL 165

would have been better if Lord Normanby had
acquainted Lord Melbourne quietly of this, and not
made it at once public to all the world. It is not
necessary to do anything at present. If Lord Durham
remains, which Lord Melbourne does not, however,
think likely, there will be no successor to be appointed,
and if he returns, the authority of Governor of Lower
Canada will devolve upon Sir John Colborne,1 in whose
hands it may be very safely left for the present.

If Ireland should be vacant, there is a strong feeling
amongst many that it would be nice to name the
Duke of Sussex. It is said that it would be popular
in Ireland, that the name of one of the Royal Family
would do good there, and that it would afford to
O'Connell a pretext and opportunity for giving up
his new scheme of agitation. It is also added that
the Duke would suffer himself to be guided on all
essential matters by the advice of his Chief Secretary,
and that he would content himself with discharging
the ceremonial duties. Here are the reasons for it —
your Majesty is so well acquainted with the reasons
on the other side, that it is unnecessary for me to
detail them.

I am afraid that times of some trouble are approach-
ing, for which your Majesty must hold yourself pre-
pared ; but your Majesty is too well acquainted with
the nature of human affairs, not to be well aware that
they cannot very well go on even as quietly as they
have gone on during the last sixteen months.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

±th November 1838.

Lord Melbourne is very well, but Sir James Clark,2
a Scotchman and a physician, and therefore neither
by country nor by profession very religious, detained

1 Field-Marshal Sir John Colborne, afterwards Lord Seaton, had been
Military Secretary to Sir John Moore, had commanded a brigade with great
distinction in the Peninsula, and had contributed greatly to the success of
the British Arms at Waterloo.

2 Physician-in-Ordinary to the Queen.

166 DEATH OF LADY JOHN RUSSELL [CHAP. v«

him from Church in order to go through the report
upon the state of Buckingham Palace. This is not
a very good excuse, but it is the true one. Lord
Melbourne is very grateful to your Majesty for your
enquiries, and having some letters to submit, will be
happy to attend upon your Majesty.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 6th November 1838.

MY DEAR UNCLE, — . . . We have all been much
distressed by the melancholy and untimely death of
poor Lady John Russell,1 which took place on the 1st.
She was safely confined on the 20th of October with a
little girl, who bears my name, and seemed to be going
on very well; but on Wednesday she began to sink
from weakness, not disease, and died at three o'clock on
Thursday. It is a dreadful blow to him, for he was so
attached to her, and I don't believe two people ever
were happier together. I send you his pretty letter to
me, which I think you may be interested to see ; he
is dreadfully beat down by it, but struggles manfully
against his grief, which makes one pity him more. She
has left four children by her first husband, now orphans,
the eldest a sweet girl twrelve years old, and two little
girls by Lord John ; the eldest of these two is two and
a half, and the youngest & fortnight. I had known her
very well and liked her, and I assure you I was dread-
fully shocked at it. You may also imagine what a loss
she is to poor Miss Lister, who has no mother, and
whose only sister she was. I fear, dear Uncle, I have
made a sad and melancholy letter of this, but I have
been so much engrossed by all this misery, and knowing
you take an interest in poor Lord John, that I let my
pen run on almost involuntarily.

We have very good accounts of the Queen- Dowager
from Gibraltar.

Please return me Lord John's letter when you have
done with it.

1 Daughter of Mr Thomas Lister. She had been widow of the second
Lord Ribblesdale, and married Lord John Russell in April 1835.

1838] SYMPATHY WITH LORD JOHN RUSSELL 167

Lord and Lady Howard1 have been here, and I
urged to him to bear Dietz as an inevitable evil, and
I think he seems very anxious to do what is right. I
have likewise written to Ferdinand, urging him and
Dietz to be reasonable.

Will you tell Aunt Louise that she will receive a
box containing the Limerick lace dress (just like
mine), which I lay at her feet. I fear, dear Uncle,
you will think I 'm making you my commissioner
de toilette, as in these two letters I have plagued you
with commissions on that subject. . . .

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

LAEKEN, 9th November 1838.

MY DEAREST VICTORIA, — Your kind and interesting
letter of the 6th reached me yesterday morning. I hail
in you those simple and unaffected feelings which it
contains. May you always preserve that great warmth
and truth of character which you now possess, and rest
assured that it will be an ornament to you, and the
means of finding the same truth and warmth of feeling
in others. Those who serve, from whatever motive it
may be, have always their eyes wide open on their
superiors, and no qualities impose so much on them the
necessity of respect, which they gladly avoid, than a warm
and noble character that knows how to feel for others,
and how to sympathise with their sorrows. I pity Lord
John from all my heart, having always had for him senti-
ments of the sincerest regard. I fear that as a political
man it may prove also a severe blow. All depends on
how he takes it, if he will wish to forget his grief by
occupying himself with political strife or if his greater
sensibility will make him wish to indulge it in solitude. ...

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

WINDSOR CASTLE, I2th November 1838.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — I was certain you would
take interest in and feel for poor Lord John ; he is, I
hear, still dreadfully shaken, and quite unequal to do

1 Charles Augustus, sixth Lord Howard de Walden, was the British
Minister at Lisbon, and afterwards (1846-1868) at Brussels.

168 LORD JOHN RUSSELL [CHAP, vn

any business at present. His chief consolation is in
attending to the children.

1 felt much for you, and still more for poor dear
Aunt Louise, when the sad separation from poor Marie1
took place ; it is so melancholy to see a dear relation
depart who is so ill.

I have this morning heard from Ferdinand that
the good Queen is at last confined after keeping us for
two months and more dans Fattcnte of the event. It
took place on the 3rd, and Ferdinand writes such
a funny letter, saying, "nous sommes tous bien
heureux surtout moi qui craignais que ce ne fut une
petite fille ce qui m'eut ete un peu desagreable, car en
fait d'enfants j'aime mieux les petits garcons, parcequ'ils
sont plus gais et plus tapageurs."2 Isn't this very good ?

I believe the King of the French is to be god-
father. . . .

discount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

20th November 1838.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and transmits a copy of Mr Macaulay's
letter.3 . . .

Lord Melbourne fears, from what he hears of the
language of Lord Howick and Mr Monson, that
much difficulty will be found in making arrangements
and deciding upon questions. But Lord Melbourne
will use every effort in his power in order to keep
the administration together and to carry on the
public service. Lord Melbourne hears with concern
from Mr Fox Maule that Lord John Russell does not
return to business as readily as Mr Maule had hoped
that he would, and Lord Melbourne fears that he
will not do whilst he remains at Cassiobury with
the children. Solitude and retirement cherish and
encourage grief. Employment and exertion are the
only means of dissipating it.

1 See post, p. 182.

2 The Prince received the title of Duke of Oporto.

8 Declining to join the Government. The original is not preserved among
the Queen's papers.

1838] CANADA AND LORD DURHAM 169

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

22nd November 1838.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and begs to acknowledge your Majesty's
gracious communication received yesterday. Lord
Melbourne had nothing particular to lay before your
Majesty, but still regrets that he did not write, as
your Majesty might have wished to hear from him.

Lord Melbourne returns the King of Portugal's1
letter, which, as your Majesty observes, is very rough
and ill-tempered with reference to Lord Howard.2
Lord Melbourne read it with much concern, as it
shows so much dislike and alienation, as renders it
very improbable that they should ever go on together
well and in a friendly spirit. Lord Melbourne fears
that the epithets applied to Lord Howard, though
very severe and full of resentment, are not entirely
ill-chosen and inappropriate.

All the Ministers, except Lord Duncannon3 and
Lord John Russell, dined here yesterday, and they all
appeared to be in very good humour and disposed to
co-operate in order to meet the difficulties by which
we are surrounded. . . .

With respect to Canada, Lord Melbourne feels that
it may be considered somewhat presumptuous in him to
undervalue danger, which is considered by those upon the
spot to be so great and so imminent, but still he cannot
feel the alarm which seems to be felt there. Lord
Durham, Lord Melbourne is convinced, exaggerates the
peril in order to give greater eclat to his own departure.
The worst symptom which Lord Melbourne perceives is
the general fear which seems to prevail there, and which
makes every danger ten times as great as it really is.

1 The birth of an heir on 16th September 1837, conferred on Prince
Ferdinand the right to the title of King.

2 See ante, p. 167.

3 Lord Duncannon (1781-1847), at this time Lord Privy Seal and First
Commissioner of Woods and Forests, was afterwards (as Earl of Bessborough)
Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland. He must not be confused with the Lord
Dungannon who sat in the House of Commons as Mr Hill-Trevor, from
1 830-1841 , and, as Viscount Dungannon was elected in 1843, but immediately
unseated on petition.

170 BELGIUM AND ENGLISH GOVERNMENT [CHAP, vn
The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

LAEKEN, 24<A November 1838.

MY DEAR VICTORIA, — Van Praet 1 is bearer of this
letter. The present moment being one of some import-
ance — which may, if imprudently managed, cause great
disturbances in the West of Europe, and exercise a
reaction on your own Government — I think it my
duty to inform you of what is going on.

I join a copy of a letter to Lord Palmerston. I
should feel obliged to you if you would read it in the
presence of good Lord Melbourne, in whose fairness and
sense of justice I must say I feel great confidence. . . .

I will not complain, only one subject I must touch
upon as really very unfair. That your Ministers should
take a line unfavourable to this country may be
explained by their political position, but why should
they press so much on the French Government ? I
really see no cause for it. England is in an excellent
position for a mediator, and for all parties it is highly
desirable that that position should be maintained.2

I will not plague with a longer letter. You know
from experience that I never ask anything of you. I
prefer remaining in the position of having rendered
services without wanting any return for it but your
affection ; but, as I said before, if we are not careful
we may see serious consequences which may affect
more or less everybody, and this ought to be the object
of our most anxious attention. I remain, my dear
Victoria, your affectionate Uncle, LEOPOLD R.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

2nd December 1838.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and returns this letter with the enclosures.

1 Van Praet, Jules, author of a History of Flanders, was Secretary of the
Belgian Legation in London in 1831, and took a leading part in the negotia-
tions which placed King Leopold on the throne.

2 King Leopold considered that the interests of Belgium were being
neglected by the four Powers, and in his speech at the opening of his
Parliament, on 13th November, stated amid loud acclamations that those

1838] BELGIUM AND HOLLAND 171

He has read it and them with great attention. Your
Majesty will probably think it right to acquaint the
King that your Majesty had already seen his letter
to Lord Palmerston.

Lord Melbourne cannot perceive the justice of the
King's complaint. For the sake of the King himself
and of the Belgian nation, we are most anxious to
settle speedily and definitively the questions so long
pending between Belgium and Holland, and which
arose from the separation of the two countries in
1830. We can only settle it by the agreement of the
four great Powers who constitute the Conference to
which the question was referred, viz., Austria, Prussia,
England, France. Of course it is of vital importance
for us to carry them all along with us, and for that
reason we press France. If she differs from us, there
is a ground immediately laid for difference and war.

Lord Melbourne would suggest that your Majesty
should say " that your great affection for the King,
as well as your anxiety for the interests of your own
country and your desire for the promotion of peace,
render you most solicitous to have the Belgian question
speedily and definitively settled ; that it appears to
you that it can only be settled by the agreement of
the four Powers who constitute the Conference, and that
therefore you cannot but wish most strongly to carry
France as well as the two others along with you." 1

discount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

3rd December 1838.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and begs to acquaint that as soon as he
arrived at half-past two, Sir George Grey2 ran in to
acquaint him that the whole insurrection in Canada

interests would be defended with perseverance and courage. The Deputies, in
reply, said that Belgium had consented to painful sacrifices only under a
formal guarantee by the Powers, which they now shrank from carrying out

1 See the Queen's letter of 5th December to the King of the Belgians.

2 Sir George Grey (1799-1882), at this time Under-Secretary for the
Colonies, afterwards Secretary of State successively for Home and Colonial
Affairs.

172 CANADA [CHAP, ni

was put down and suppressed.1 Despatches have been
received from Sir John Colborne to say that the British
turned out with the utmost alacrity, the volunteers
beat the French wherever they met them, the whole
are dispersed, and Sir John says that he feels no doubt
of the tranquillity of the Colony during the rest of
the winter. Unless, therefore, the Americans make
an attempt upon Upper Canada, all is well. Lord
Melbourne will have the pleasure of returning to
Windsor to-morrow, unless there should be any
impediment of which Lord Melbourne will inform
your Majesty.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 5th December 1838.

MY DEAR UNCLE, — I have to thank you for two
letters, one brought by Van Praet, and the other
received on Tuesday. Before I proceed further I
must tell you that both Lord Melbourne and I had
already seen your letter to Lord Palmerston, which
he sent to us immediately on receiving it. I have
read these letters with the greatest attention, and can
quite understand that your difficulties are great in
trying to restrain the eagerness and violence of some
of your people.

My great affection for you, of course, makes me
most anxious to see these troublesome and long
pending affairs settled, for the sake of a continuance of
peace and tranquillity ; but, dear Uncle, as it appears
to me that these affairs can only be settled by the
agreement of the four Powers, it is absolutely necessary
that France should go with us as well as the others,
and I think, dear Uncle, you wrong us in thinking

1 Lord Durham left Montreal for England on November 1, and, on landing
at Plymouth, boasted that he had effaced the remains of a disastrous rebellion.
On the 3rd of the same month, however, the insurrection broke out anew
in Lower Canada, while in Upper Canada many American " sympathyzers "
joined the insurgents there ; these were decisively defeated at Prescott.
This fight cost the British 45 in killed and wounded ; 159 of their opponents
(including 131 natives of the United States) were taken, and conveyed to
Kingston, to be tried by court-martial.

1838] THE EARL OF DURHAM 173

that we urged France too much and unfairly. You
must not, dear Uncle, think that it is from want of
interest that I, in general, abstain from touching
upon these matters in my letters to you ; but I am
fearful, if I were to do so, to change our present
delightful and familiar correspondence into a formal
and stiff discussion upon political matters, which would
not be agreeable to either of us, and which I should
deeply regret. These are my reasons, and I trust
you will understand them, and be convinced of my
unalterable and very great affection for you my
dearest Uncle, and of the great interest I take in all
that concerns your welfare and happiness and the
prosperity of your country. . . .

Pray give my affectionate love to Aunt Louise
and the children, and believe me always, your most
affectionate Niece, VICTORIA R.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

8th December 1838.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and has just received your Majesty's letters.
Lord Durham arrived yesterday evening,1 and Lord
Melbourne has just seen Mr Stanley, who has seen
him. He represents him as calm, but much hurt and
vexed at the last despatch which expresses your
Majesty's disapprobation of his conduct in issuing the
proclamation. Lord Durham said that he should
immediately write an answer to it, in which he should
state that he would communicate to the Government
all the information which he had collected upon the
state of the Canadas. That he should not ask an
audience of your Majesty. This is his present decision.
He may alter it ; if he should, and through any channel
request an audience, Lord Melbourne is now clearly of

1 Lord Durham stated at Devonport : " I shall, when Parliament meets,
be prepared to make a representation of facts wholly unknown here, and
disclosures which the Parliament and people have no conception of." At
Plymouth he boasted of his achievements, and said that his career of
complete success had been suddenly arrested.

174 RESIGNATION OF EARL OF DURHAM [CHAP. vn

opinion that your Majesty should merely say that an
answer will be sent and the propriety of granting an
audience may then be fully considered by your
Majesty's confidential servants. Mr Stanley represents
Lord Durham as not speaking with much violence or
asperity, but seeming to feel much the censure con-
veyed in the last despatch.

Your Majesty will receive from the Colonial Office a
precis of Sir John Colborne's despatches. Nothing can
be more honourable. The American force which made
an incursion into Upper Canada have all been taken
prisoners. . . .

Lord Melbourne thinks that as long as Lord Durham
is here and some communication has been received from
him, he had better remain to-night in London. He
will return to Windsor to-morrow. . . .

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

8th December 1838.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and begs to acquaint your Majesty that Lord
Glenelg has this evening received a letter from Lord
Durham, tendering formally his resignation, and stating
that his general report upon the affairs of Canada must
be delayed until the gentlemen connected with his
Mission return from that country, which they were to
leave on or about the 20th of last month, and therefore
may be shortly expected here. It will be necessary to
ask Lord Durham whether he has no intelligence of
immediate importance to give.

Queen Adelaide to Queen Victoria.

PALACE, VALETTA,* Wh December 1838.

MY DEAREST NIECE, --The English mail going
to-day gives me another opportunity to address you
and to name a subject to you which I think deserves
your consideration, and about which I feel most

i The Queen-Dowager was at this time cruising in the Mediterranean, and
made some stay at Malta.

1838] AN ENGLISH CHURCH FOR MALTA 175

anxious. It is the want of a Protestant church in
this place which I mean. There are so many English
residents here, it is the seat of an English Govern-
ment, and there is not one church belonging to the
Church of England. . . . The consequence of this
want of church accommodation has been that the
Dissenters have established themselves in considerable
numbers, and one cannot blame persons for attending
their meetings when they have no church of their own.

I address myself to you, as the Head of the
Church of England, and entreat you to consider well
this important subject, and to talk it over with your
Ministers and the Archbishop, in order to devise the
best means of remedying a want so discreditable to
our country. Should there be no funds at your
disposal to effect this object, most happy shall I feel
to contribute to any subscription which may be set
on foot, and I believe that a considerable sum may
be raised amongst the Protestants of this island, where
all parties are most anxious to see a proper place of
divine worship erected ; without assistance from Eng-
land, however, it cannot be effected. I therefore most
humbly and confidently submit this subject to you,
dearest Victoria, who will bestow upon your Prot-
estant subjects of this island an everlasting benefit
by granting them what they want most.1 . . .

I hope this will find you quite well and happy,
and that I shall soon again have the pleasure of
hearing from you. Give my affectionate love to
your dear Mother, and all my dear sisters, and believe
me ever, my dearest Niece, your most devoted and
faithfully attached Aunt, ADELAIDE.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

2lst December 1838.

. . . Lord Melbourne saw Mr Stephenson this morn-
ing and learns from him that the Duke of Sussex 2 is in

1 Queen Adelaide herself erected the church at a cost of £10,000.

2 The Duke of Sussex was anxious to be appointed Viceroy of Ireland.
Mr Stephenson was his Private Secretary. See ante, p. 165.

176 THE DUKE OF SUSSEX DISAPPOINTED [CHAP, vn

the highest degree discontented at being informed
decisively that there is no intention of sending him
to Ireland. He is very loud against the Government,
and is also very angry with Mr Stephenson, and the
latter expects that he shall receive his dismissal. . . .
Mr Stephenson assures Lord Melbourne that he has
mentioned this matter to no one but Lord Melbourne
and Lady Mary, and it is of importance that it should
be kept secret. Lord Melbourne thinks it his duty
to apprise your Majesty of the feelings of the Duke,
and of the possible origin of them.

Lord and Lady Holland return to London to-day
and Lord Melbourne is going to dine with them.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

2<2nd December 1838.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and cannot express how deeply concerned
he is to find himself restrained from obeying your
Majesty's commands, and repairing without delay to
Brighton. Both his duty and his inclination would
prompt him to do this without a moment's delay,
if he did not find it incumbent upon him to represent
to your Majesty the very important circumstances
which require his presence for two or three days longer
in London. The Session of Parliament approaches ;
the questions which are to be considered and prepared
are of the most appalling magnitude, and of the
greatest difficulty. Many of your Majesty's servants,
who fill the most important offices, are compelled
by domestic calamity to be absent, and it is absolutely
necessary that there should be some general superin-
tendence of the measures to be proposed, and some
consideration of the arrangements to be made. Lord
Melbourne assures your Majesty that he would not
delay in London if he did not feel it to be absolutely
necessary for your Majesty's service. . . .

1838] BRIGHTON 177

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

LAEKEN, 28th December 1838.

MY DEAREST VICTORIA, — I have to thank you for
two extremely kind and dear letters, which made me
very happy, and your kind heart would be pleased to
know how Jiappy. Sir H. Seymour1 gave me a very
favourable account of your dearest Majesty, and was
deeply gratified by your gracious reception.

I am glad to find that you like Brighton better
than last year. 1 think Brighton very agreeable at this
time of the year, till the east winds set in. It also
gives the possibility of seeing people without having
them on one's hands the whole day, as is the case
in the country. The pavilion, besides, is comfortable ;
that cannot be denied. Before my marriage it was
there that I met the Regent. Charlotte afterwards
came with old Queen Charlotte. How distant all this
already, but still how present to one's memory.

The portrait of your Aunt and Leopold is nicely
done. Don Leopoldo is like, and has at times even
a more intelligent look ; he would amuse you — he is
very original and very sly. I often call him the little
tyrant, because nobody knows so well de fairc otter
le monde . . . My most beloved Victoria, your devoted
Uncle, LEOPOLD R.

1 Sir Hamilton Seymour, Minister at Brussels.

VOL. i. — 12.

INTRODUCTORY NOTE
TO CHAPTER VIII

THE chief political event of the year (1839) at home arose out
of the troubles in Jamaica. In addition to the apprenticeship
question, the state of the prisons, much overcrowded owing to the
planters1 severity, had excited attention, and an Imperial Act was
passed for their regulation. To this action the Colonial Assembly
showed marked hostility, and, after the dissolution by Sir Lionel
Smith, the Governor, the new House was no more placable.
Accordingly, the home Government brought in a Bill, in April, to
suspend temporarily the Jamaica Constitution, but on a division
had a majority of five only in a house of five hundred and eighty-
three. The Ministers therefore resigned, and Sir Robert Peel was
sent for; a difficulty as to the Ladies of the Household, commonly
called the Bedchamber Plot, compelled him to resign the task,
and the Whigs, much injured in reputation, resumed office.
Some changes took place, Macaulay joining the Ministry, and
Lord Normanby, who had succeeded Lord Glenelg at the Colonial
Office, exchanging places with Lord John Russell, the Home
Secretary. The trial of strength over the Speakership ended in
a victory for the Ministerial candidate, Mr Shaw Lefevre, by a
majority of eighteen in a house of six hundred and sixteen.

Penny Postage was introduced by an Act of this session.

The Princes Ernest and Albert of Saxe-Coburg arrived on
a visit to the Queen in October, and on the 14th the Queen's
engagement to the latter was announced by herself to Lord
Melbourne. A few weeks later the Queen announced her betrothal
at a meeting of the Privy Council.

During the year risings in favour of the " people's charter "
took place in various parts of the country, especially Birmingham
and Newport, the six points demanded being the ballot, universal
suffrage, annual Parliaments, payment of members, the abolition of
a property qualification for members, and equal electoral districts.
At Newport one Frost, a linen draper whom Lord John Russell
had made a magistrate, headed a riot. He was tried with his
confederates by a special commission at Monmouth, and, with two
others, sentenced to death ; a sentence afterwards commuted.

In the East, war broke out between the Sultan Mahmoud
and the Pasha of Egypt, Mehemet Ali, who had originally
helped Turkey against Greece, but had since revolted and driven
the Turks from Svria. On that occasion (1833) Turkey had
been saved by Russian intervention, a defensive alliance, known
178

1839] INTRODUCTORY NOTE 179

as the treaty of Unkiar Skelessi, made between Russia and Turkey,
and Mehemet granted Syria as well as Egypt. On the revival of
hostilities, Ibrahim, son of Mehemet, defeated the Turkish Army
on June 24 ; a week later the Sultan Mahmoud died, and the
Turkish admiral treacherously delivered over the Turkish Fleet to
Mehemet at Alexandria. Once more the four Powers (Great
Britain, Austria, Prussia, and Russia), interfered to save the
Sultan. The Czar accepted the principle of a joint mediation,
the advance of the Egyptians was stopped, and the Sultan was
informed that no terms of peace would be accepted which had
not received the approval of the Powers. The terms were settled
at a congress held in London. Mehemet refused to accept the
terms, and was encouraged by France to persevere in his refusal.

The dispute between Belgium and Holland as to the Luxem-
burg territory was settled by a treaty in the course of the year.
Lord Durham presented his report on Canada, a document drafted
by Charles Buller but inspired by Lord Durham himself; though
legislation did not take place this year, this document laid the
foundation of the federal union of the Canadas, and of the Con-
stitution of other autonomous colonies, but for the present the
ex-Commissioner met with much censure for his indiscretions.

Our troops were engaged during the year against Dost
Mahommed, the Ameer of Afghanistan, a usurper who many years
earlier had driven Shah Sooja into exile. Lord Auckland, the
Viceroy of India, had sent Captain (afterwards Sir Alexander)
Burnes on a Mission to Cabul, and the Ameer had received him
hospitably at first, but subsequently dismissed him from his Court.
Lord Auckland thereupon resolved to restore Shah Sooja, and
in the autumn of 1838 issued a manifesto dethroning Dost
Mahommed. Operations were accordingly directed against him
under Sir John (afterwards Lord) Keane, who, on August 6, 1839,
entered Cabul and placed Shah Sooja on the throne. However open
to criticism, the news of this result was enthusiastically received
in England, and Lord Auckland was promoted to an Earldom.

In China a dispute of long standing became acute. With
the renewal of the East India Company's charter, in 1834,
the Chinese ports had been thrown open, and the opium trade
became a source of great profit to private traders. The importa-
tion of opium was forbidden by the Chinese Government ; but
the British Ministry connived, or appeared to connive, at the
trade, and its chief superintendent, Captain Elliot, and the opium
traders themselves, thought that in carrying it on they had the
British flag at their back. When the Government announced
that they were prepared to maintain the laws of China, Elliot,
not believing that the pledge would be rigidly adhered to, asked
that war-ships should proceed to China for the protection of
British life and property.

CHAPTER VIII

1839
Queen Victoria to the King of tJie Belgians.

PAVILION [BRIGHTON], 1st January 1839.

MY DEAR UNCLE, — ... I don't like your croaking
so about damp climates ; if a niece may venture to say
such a thing, I might almost say it is ungrateful to
your faithful and attached Belgians.

The Queen Dowager's letters do tantalise one a
good deal, I must own.1 You will see that old
Lord Clarendon2 is dead, which makes our friend
Villiers Earl of Clarendon, but I am afraid not with
a large income.

Lord Palmerston has been unwell and obliged to
go to Broadlands, where he still is. He had gone
through so much grief and labour, that it wras abso-
lutely necessary for him to recruit his strength. The
Normanbys spent two nights here.3 Lord Melbourne
is the only person staying in the house besides several
of my Court and my suite, and, I am sorry to say, is

1 Queen Adelaide had described the orange-trees and tropical fruits in the
gardens of the Palace of St Antonio Valetta.

2 John Charles, third Earl, Chief Justice-in-eyre, North of Trent. His
successor, who had been Minister to Spain since 1833, was afterwards the
celebrated Foreign Secretary.

8 Lord Normanby, at this time Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, became
successively during the ye.ir, Colonial and Home Secretary. Lady Normanby,
who had been a Lady-in- Waiting since the accession, was a daughter of the
first Lord Ravensworth.

180

1839] MURDER OF LORD NORBURY 181

not very well ; he has also had, I fear, too much
business to do.

Lady Breadalbane l is my new Lady of the Bed-
chamber, and a very nice person. Ever your devoted
Niece, VICTORIA R.

Forgive this short scrawl.

discount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

6th January 1839.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and returns his best and warmest thanks for
the very kind and gracious communication which he
had the honour and pleasure of receiving from your
Majesty yesterday evening. Your Majesty will have
seen in the newspapers that Lord Norbury was shot
at in his own grounds and dangerously wounded.2
Lord Melbourne learns to-day by a letter from Lord
Morpeth that Lord Norbury is since dead. This is
a shocking event, and will, of course, create a strong
sensation, much stronger than the death in the same
manner of several persons of inferior degree. It is
almost the first time that an attempt of this kind has
been directed against an individual of that rank or
station. . . .

Lord Melbourne has seen Sir Henry Halford,3 who
says that his pulse is low and his system languid. He
has prescribed some draughts, which Lord Melbourne
trusts will be of service, but he feels much depressed
to-day. He dined yesterday at Lady Holland's, where
he met Mr Ellice,4 civil and friendly enough in ap-
pearance, but Lord Melbourne fears hostile at heart,
and a determined partisan of Lord Durham. Lord
Durham has not yet made to Lord Glenelg the
promised communication of his report and plan, but
it is said that he will do so soon. . . .

1 Eliza, daughter of George Baillie of Jerviswood. Her brother afterwards
became tenth Earl of Haddington.

2 At Kilbeggan Abbey, County Meath. The murderer escaped.

8 The celebrated physician : he attended George IV. and William IV., as
well as Queen Victoria.

* Son-in-law of Lord Grey, as was also Lord Durham.

182 DEATH OF THE PRINCESS MARIE [CHAP.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, llth January 1839.

MY DEAR UNCLE, — The dreadful moment has
arrived, and dear Marie * is no more to bless her loving
relations with her presence on this earth of grief and
troubles ! It is a heavy dispensation, and one that it
is difficult to comprehend, but we must submit.

I thought it best to write to my poor dear Aunt,
for whom this will be a sad blow ; but I abstained
from doing so to the dear Queen of the French just as
yet. I have no letters, and only learnt the melancholy
event by the papers. Poor wretched Alexander 1 what
a loss, what a change for him, poor fellow !

You will, I am sure, regret that sweet amiable
creature, as poor Marie was, very much, having known
her so well, and her attachment to you was great.

I will not prolong this letter, but merely repeat how
much I feel for you all, and beg you to believe me,
your most affectionate Niece, VICTORIA R.

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

LAEKEN, 18th January 1839.

. . . Your Aunt as well as myself are very anxious
to be of use to poor Alexander. The dispositions of
the whole family are extremely kind towards him, but
he is shy and a little helpless, his present melancholy
situation is of course calculated to increase this. His
position puts me in mind of mine in 1817. . . . He,
besides, is surrounded by people who are kind to him.
Of George IV., then Regent, it was observed that
for years he had not been in such good spirits than
by the loss of his daughter. She was more popular
than himself — that was, since her marriage, her only
crime. . . .

I feel very grateful for Lord Melbourne's kindness
on the subject of our sad loss. He is so feeling and
kindhearted that he, much more than most men who

1 Princess Marie of Orleans, born 1813, sister to the Queen of the Belgians,
had married Prince Alexander of Wiirtemberg, in 1837.

1839] HOLLAND AND BELGIUM 183

have lived so much in the grande monde, has preserved
a certain warmth and freshness of feeling. . . .

Your cousins kiss your hands, and I remain, my
dearest Victoria, your devoted Uncle, LEOPOLD R.

Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria.

STANHOPE STREET, 27th January 1839.

Viscount Palmerston presents his humble duty to
your Majesty, and returns to your Majesty the ac-
companying papers which he received from Viscount
Melbourne. Your Majesty will have seen by Sir
Edward Disbrowe's1 despatches that the concentra-
tion of Dutch troops mentioned in these reports was
purely defensive, and was the consequence of the
military demonstrations previously made by the
Belgians ; and it appears, moreover, that the Dutch
force is inferior in number to the Belgian force
opposite to it ; and that affords an additional security
against the chance of an invasion of Belgium by the
Dutch. It is, however, undeniable that when two
armies are drawn up in face of each other, separated
by a small distance, and animated by mutual hatred,
the chances of collision become great and imminent.
But it is to be hoped in the present case that the
communication made by the Conference to the two
parties on Thursday last may avert the danger of
hostilities between the Dutch and Belgians.2

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 1th February 1839.

MY DEAR UNCLE, — I am much grieved to learn
that poor Philippe3 has given you such anxiety. My
poor Aunt ! it really is too much upon her to have
these cares added to her recent severe affliction. I
hope to God that I shall get news of Philippe's
complete recovery to-morrow.

I regret to hear that your Government gives you

1 Minister at the Hague.

2 See next page.

3 See ante, p. 81.

184 INTEREST IN BELGIUM [CHAP,

so much trouble, but trust that you will exert all
your influence, as you have so frequently done, to
persuade your Ministers to be reasonable, and not
to resist the favourable offers made to the Govern-
ment. Everybody here is exceedingly anxious for the
conclusion of these long pending affairs, and hope
that the answer from Belgium will soon arrive.1 You
will forgive me, dear Uncle, if I express to you my
earnest hope that these expectations may not be
disappointed, for I feel that since the Dutch have so
instantly accepted the proposition of the Conference,
Belgium would suffer in the eyes of this country
were she to delay, and, what I am still more fearful
of, my beloved Uncle, you might be blamed, and
suffer for what your Government may do. You will,
I know, forgive this freedom, which is prompted by
my great anxiety for your welfare and happiness
(which I know you are well aware of), and for the
preservation of the inestimable blessings of peace.
No one feels more for you than I do at this difficult
moment, nor than I have done throughout these
trying and embarrassing affairs. That all may be
peaceably and amicably settled is my earnest prayer.

Everything went off well yesterday,2 and we are
again launched into a political campaign, which it is
impossible not to contemplate with a certain degree
of anxiety.

Adieu ! my dear Uncle. Give my love to my dear
Aunt, and believe me, always, your most devoted
Niece, VICTORIA R.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

\0th February 1839.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and thinks it right and necessary to acquaint

1 The "twenty-four Articles, to which Belgium had acceded in 1831, had
then been rejected by Holland. Now, however, Holland wished to adopt
them. The Belgian Government vainly proposed different schemes, but at last
the Bill for ratifying the proposal of the Powers (made 23rd January 1839, and
accepted by Holland on 1 1th February) passed the Belgian chambers.

2 The Queen opened Parliament in person on 6th February.

1839] DISSENSION IN THE CABINET 185

your Majesty that the Cabinet yesterday was very
stormy and unpleasant. Lord John Russell brought
on the question of the Civil Government of the
Army, in a temperate and judicious manner, but
Lord Howick made a most violent speech, strongly
condemning the whole of the present system and
arraigning the conduct of the Treasury and other
Departments, saying that he should not throw up his
office because no measure was brought forward, but
that, when questioned upon the subject by Mr Hume
in the House of Commons, as it was certain that he
would be, he should say that Government would
do nothing upon the subject, until he (Mr Hume)
compelled them, and that he should express his
entire disapprobation of the present system, and
his reasons in detail for that disapprobation. Your
Majesty will perceive that nothing could be more
violent than this course. It was borne with great
patience by the rest of the Cabinet, although Mr Rice,1
against whom the greater part of Lord Howick's
speech was directed, felt himself most deeply hurt,
and so expressed himself in private afterwards to
Lord Melbourne. Upon the whole, Lord Melbourne
cannot but consider that affairs are in a most precari-
ous state, and that whilst there is so much discontent
fermenting within the Cabinet itself, there must be
great doubt of Lord Melbourne's being much longer
able to hold the Administration together.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

10th February 1839.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and is very sorry that his communication has
occasioned your Majesty so much alarm and uneasi-
ness. Lord Melbourne hopes that there is nothing
imminent and immediate, but this sort of outbreak
and contention may so soon become serious, that
Lord Melbourne thought it his duty to take an early

1 The Chancellor of the Exchequer.

186 THE DUKE OF LUCCA [CHAP, vm

opportunity of informing your Majesty of what had
taken place. Lord Melbourne would wait upon your
Majesty without delay, but trusts that this letter will
be sufficient to dispel any disquietude which his for-
mer communication may have excited.

Lord John Russell to Queen Victoria.

WILTON CRESCENT, <2Qth February 1839.

Lord John Russell presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and has the honour to report that Mr Charles
Villiers 1 moved yesterday, after a very able speech, that
the petitioners against the Corn Laws should be heard
at the Bar of the House.

Sir Robert Peel opposed the Motion on the ground
that he meant to resist any change in the Corn Laws.
He made a very skilful use of the returns of cotton,
etc., exported.

Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria.

STANHOPE STREET, 5th March 1839.

Viscount Palmerston presents his humble duty to
your Majesty, and requests to be honoured with your
Majesty's commands upon the accompanying letter
from Count Pollon.2 Viscount Palmerston at the
same time begs to state that he has reason to believe,
from what Count Pollon said to him in conversation
two days ago, that the Duke of Lucca3 has a notion
that Sovereign Princes who have had the honour of
dining with your Majesty, have been invited by note and
not by card. If that should be so, and if your Majesty
should invite the Duke of Lucca to dine at the Palace
before his departure, perhaps the invitation might be
made by note, instead of by card, as it was when the
Duke last dined at the Palace. Your Majesty may
think this a small matter, but the Duke is a small
Sovereign.

1 M.P. for Wolverhampton 1835-1898, becoming " Father of the House."

2 For many years Sardinian Minister in England.
8 Lucca was an independent Italian State.

1839J PORTUGAL 187

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

9th March 1839.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and feels very deeply the very kind and
gracious concern which your Majesty expresses for
his health, as well as your Majesty's solicitude and
interests upon all occasions. Lord Melbourne will take
your Majesty's advice, but his experience teaches him
that illness is not so easily put off, and that it will
have its course in spite of precaution. . . .

Lord Melbourne thinks, upon the whole, that your
Majesty had perhaps better write by messenger a
few lines of kindness and recollection. It can be no
descent on your Majesty's part to do so, and as we may
be obliged to take very strong measures with respect
to Portugal, it is as well that there should be no
appearance of any deficiency of affection or attention.
Lord Melbourne [thinks] that, for the reason given by
your Majesty, your Majesty may perhaps as well not
go to the play this evening, but is very sorry to hear
that your Majesty is low and out of spirits.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, Hth March 1839.

MY DEAR UNCLE, — Many thanks for two letters,
one which I received last Sunday, and the other
enclosing a letter from Stockmar this morning.
I am glad you agree with me about Victoire.1 Since
I wrote to you, I got these two letters from the
Portuguese children — as I disrespectfully but very
deservedly call them — which I send you, in order that
you may see how they wish Victoire to come to them,
which I fear and think is totally impracticable, for it
would never do for Victoire to go so far without her

1 Daughter of Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg, and married in April 1840
to the Due de Nemours.

188 UNCERTAINTY [CHAP, vnx

mother. Nevertheless, I thought it but right by
them to send you these letters, and I have written
to them giving them little hope.

The French Ministry are gone, and I am sure the
poor King will be much vexed by it. They talk of
Broglie as Minister for Foreign Affairs,1 but I am
afraid Thiers is inevitable. We are rather in fear of
Thiers here, but it is a pity that Louis Philippe
should show so much dislike to a man he must
take, for it will have the effect of a defeat.

I have no time to add more, but to beg you to
believe me, always, your most affectionate Niece,

VICTORIA R.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

22nd March 1839.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and begs to acquaint your Majesty that the
Cabinet have decided —

1. That it is impossible to acquiesce in the vote of
last night in the House of Lords.2

2. That it would not be justifiable to resign in the
face of the declaration which I made in the year 1836,
in the House of Lords, that I would maintain my
post as long as I possessed the confidence of the
Crown and of the House of Commons, particularly as
there is no reason to suppose that we have lost the
confidence of the House.

3. That the course to be pursued is to give notice
in the House of Commons to-night, that the sense of
that House will be taken immediately after the Easter
Holidays, upon a vote of approbation of the principles
of Lord Normanby's government of Ireland.

If we lose that question, or carry it by a small

1 After a provisional Cabinet, in which the Due de Montebello was Foreign
Minister, the King appointed a ministry with Soult as Premier and Foreign
Minister.

8 By 63 to 58 Lord Roden carried a motion for a Select Committee to
enquire into the state of Ireland ; the Ministry replied by obtaining a vote of
the House of Commons iu their favour by 318 to 296.

1839] A CHANGE OF RELIGION 189

majority, we must resign. If we carry it, we may go
on.

This is a plain statement of the case, and this
course will at least give your Majesty time to consider
what is to be done.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

BROCKET HALL,! 1st April 1839.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and has just received your Majesty's letters,
for which he returns many and warm thanks. Nothing
could be more prosperous than his journey down,
although it rained hard the greater part of the way.
Lord Melbourne slept well, and has walked out this
morning, although it was still showery. Nothing is
so fatiguing as the first exposure to the air of the
country and Lord Melbourne feels the influence of it.

Lord Melbourne returns the letters of the King of

the Belgians. He accounts very naturally for the
conduct of the poor Duchess,2 but she should have
recollected the extreme disadvantage and discredit
which attaches to a change of religion. Un gentil-
homme ne change jamais la religion, was the saying
of Napoleon, and is very just. It is difficult to under-
stand the movements and motives of parties in a
foreign country, and therefore Lord Melbourne does
not feel able to pronounce any opinion upon the
transactions in France. Lord Melbourne had seen

G 's letters, a pert jackanapes, who always takes

the worst view of every subject, and does as much
mischief as he can. . . .

Lord Melbourne is just starting for Panshanger.3
The evening is better than the morning was, but cold.

1 Lord Melbourne's house on the Lea, about three miles north of Hatfield.
Its construction was begun by Sir Matthew Lamb, and completed by his son,
Sir Peniston, the first Lord Melbourne.

2 Princess Alexander of Wiirtemberg. On her death-bed, she had ex-
pressed a wish to her husband that he should join the Roman Catholic Church.

8 Panshanger, not far distant from Brocket, the house of Lord Melbourne's
brother-in-law, Lord Cowper, and celebrated for its pictures, was bought by
Lord Chancellor Cowper, temp. Queen Anne.

190 ENGLAND AND BELGIUM [CHAP, vm

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 9th April 1839.

MY DEAR UNCLE, — ... I regret to learn you are
still not easy about your own affairs, but trust all will
now be speedily adjusted. You always allow me, dear
Uncle, to speak frankly to you ; you will, therefore, I
hope, not be displeased if I venture to make a few
observations on one or two parts of your letter.

You say that the anger of the Belgians is principally
directed against England.1 Now, I must say you are
very unjust towards us, and (if I could) I might be
even a little angry with you, dear Uncle. We only
pressed Belgium for her own good, and not for ours.
It may seem hard at first, but the time will come
when you will see that we were right in urging you
not to delay any longer the signature of the treaty.

I think that you will see in this frank expression
of my sentiments no wish to annoy or hurt you, but
only an anxious desire to prove to you that England
is Belgium's sincere friend, and that my Government
are ever desirous of doing what is in their power for
the welfare, security, and prosperity of yourself and
your kingdom.

I regret much the state of affairs in France,2 which
cannot but make us all somewhat anxious ; you will,
I hope, tell me what news you hear from Paris.

Pray, dearest Uncle, receive my best, my very
warmest, wishes for many happy returns of dear
Leopold's birthday, and also, though somewhat late,
for Philippe's birthday.

Give my love to my dear Aunt, and believe me,
always, your most devoted Niece, VICTORIA R.

1 He had written on 5th April : — " The feeling is strongest against
England, in which the people expected to see a support, and only found a
strong determination to decide everything against th#m and at their expense.
If there was a great explosion in France, it would not be astonishing to see
the people here join it ; it would rather be astonishing to see it otherwise, after
the kind treatment they received from the Powers. "

2 The King was for a time without any Ministry, and the meeting of the
Chambers had to be postponed.

1839] PRINCE ALBERT'S TOUR IN ITALY 191

Baron Stockmar to Queen Victoria.

NAPLES, 16th April 1839.

MADAM, — As it is some time that I had the
honour to address your Majesty, I hope that a further
account of our crusades will meet with a favourable
reception.

It is now somewhat better than a month that
we left Florence, I may say with regret, for we were
there very comfortably in every respect. On our
route to Rome we enjoyed the beautiful sight of the
cataract at Terni, the place where Queen Caroline
sojourned for some time. We were particularly fortu-
nate that day, as the brightest sunshine heightened
its picturesque effects beyond description. We found
old Rome yery full, and to see it and its ecclesiastic
governors to advantage, the Holy Week is certainly the
properest time. From morning to noon the Prince
was at seeing sights, and he made so good a use of his
time, that I don't think that something really remark-
able was left unseen. Upon this very principle, we paid
our respects to the Holy Father,1 of which interview
the Prince made so admirable a sketch, so very worthy
of H.B.,2 that I am very much tempted to send it for
the inspection of your Majesty. We assisted at the
Church ceremonies of the Holy Week from the
beginning to the end. The music of the Sistine
Chapel, which is only vocal, may be well considered
as unique, and has not failed to make a lasting im-
pression upon a mind so musical as the Prince's. . . .

I never think of your Majesty — and I take the
liberty of thinking very frequently of you — without
praying for health, serenity of mind, comfort and
success for you, and I can well say that I am from
my heart, your Majesty's sincerely attached and devoted
Servant, STOCKMAR.

1 Gregory XVI.

2 Initials adopted by Mr Doyle, father of Richard Doyle, in his Reform

Caricatures.

192 BELGIUM [CHAP, vm

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

I9tk April 1839.

... I am glad I extracted some spark of politics
from your dear Majesty, very kindly and nicely
expressed. I know that your generous little heart
would not have wished at any time but what was
good for a country in which you were much beloved.
But the fact is, that certainly your Government have
taken the lead in maintaining a condition which time
had rendered difficult to comply with. Physicians will
tell you that often an operation, which might have
been performed at one time, could not, without great
danger for the patient, be undertaken some years later.
We have not been listened to, and arrangements are
forced on us, in themselves full of seeds of danger,
when by consulting the real interests of Holland and
Belgium, both countries might have been placed on
a footing of sincere peace and good neighbourhood.
This country feels now humbled and desenchante with
its soi-disant political independence, as it pleased the
Conference to settle it. Thev will take a dislike to

a political state which wounds their vanity, and will,
in consequence of this, not wish it to continue. Two
things will happen, therefore, on the very first oppor-
tunity, either that this country will be involved in
war to better a position which it thinks too humiliating,
or that it will voluntarily throw up a nominal indepen-
dence in which it is now hemmed in between France
and Holland, which begins on the North Sea, and
ends, of all the things in this world, on the Moselle!
I think old Pirson, who said in the Chamber that
if the treaty was carried into execution I was likely
to be the first and last King of the country, was not
wrong. Whenever this will happen, it will be very
awkward for England, and deservedly so. To see, after
eight years of hard work, blooming and thriving
political plantations cut and maimed, and that by
those who have a real interest to protect them, is

1839] JAMAICA 193

very melancholy. I do not say these things with the
most distant idea of bringing about any change, but
only because in the high and very responsible position
in which Providence has placed you, it is good to
tell you the truth, as you ought to have weight and
influence on the affairs of Europe ; and England, not
being in the possibility of making territorial acquisi-
tion, has a real and permanent interest in the proper
maintenance of a balance of political power in Europe.
Now I will leave you to enjoy the beginning of Spring,
which a mild rain seems to push on prodigiously.
Believe me ever, my dear Victoria, your very attached
Uncle, LEOPOLD R.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

26th April 1839.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty and begs to inform your Majesty that the
result of the Cabinet has been a decision to stand by
the Bill as we have introduced it, and not to accede
to Sir Robert Peel's proposal. The Bill is for sus-
pending the functions of the Legislative Assembly of
Jamaica, and governing that island for five years by
a Governor and Council.1 If Sir Robert Peel should
persist in his proposal, and a majority of the House
of Commons should concur with him, it will be such
a mark of want of confidence as it will be impossible
for your Majesty's Government to submit to.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 30th April 1839.

MY DEAR UNCLE, — I have to thank you for your
last letter, which I received on Sunday. Though you
seem not to dislike my political sparks, I think it is
better not to increase them, as they might finally take
fire, particularly as I see with regret that upon this one
subject we cannot agree. I shall therefore limit myself

1 See Introductory Note, ante, p. 178.
VOL. i. — 13

194 JAMAICA [CHAP, vm

to my expressions of very sincere wishes for the welfare
and prosperity of Belgium.

The Grand Duke,1 after a long delay, is at length
to arrive on Friday night ; I shall put myself out of
my way in order to be very civil to such a great
personage. I am already thinking how I shall lodge
all my relations ; you must prepare Uncle Ferdinand
for its not being very ample, but this Palace, though
large, is not calculated to hold many visitors. . . .

Believe me, always, your very affectionate Niece,

VICTORIA R.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

1th May 1839.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and has to acquaint your Majesty that the
division upon the Jamaica Bill, which took place about
two this morning, was two hundred and ninety-nine
against the measure, and three hundred and four in
favour of it.2 Lord Melbourne has not heard from
Lord John Russell since this event, but a Cabinet will
of course be summoned early this morning, and Lord
Melbourne cannot conceal from your Majesty that in
his opinion the determination of the Cabinet must be
that the relative numbers upon this vote, joined to
the consideration of no less than nine members of
those who have hitherto invariably supported the
Government having gone against it now, leave your
Majesty's confidential servants no alternative but to
resign their offices into your Majesty's hands. They
cannot give up the Bill either with honour or satisfac-
tion to their own consciences, and in the face of such
an opposition they cannot persevere in it with any
hope of success. Lord Melbourne is certain that your
Majesty will not deem him too presuming if he ex-
presses his fear that this decision will be both painful
and embarrassing to your Majesty, but your Majesty

1 The hereditary Grand Duke of Russia, afterwards the Emperor
Alexander II.

2 The numbers are apparently incorrectly stated. The division was 294°
to 289.

1839] CHANGE OF MINISTRY IMMINENT 195

will meet this crisis with that firmness which belongs
to your character, and with that rectitude and sincerity
which will carry your Majesty through all difficulties.
It will also be greatly painful to Lord Melbourne to quit
the service of a Mistress who has treated him with such
unvarying kindness and unlimited confidence ; but in
whatever station he may be placed, he will always feel
the deepest anxiety for your Majesty's interests and
happiness, and will do the utmost in his power to
promote and secure them.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

7th May 1839.

The present circumstances have been for some time
so probable, or rather so certain, that Lord Melbourne
has naturally been led to weigh and consider maturely
the advice which, if called upon, he should tender to
your Majesty when they did arrive. That advice is,
at once to send for the Duke of Wellington. Your
Majesty appears to Lord Melbourne to have no other
alternative. The Radicals have neither ability, honesty
nor numbers. They have no leaders of any character.
Lord Durham was raised, one hardly knows how, into
something of a factitious importance by his own extreme
opinions, by the panegyrics of those who thought he
would serve them as an instrument, and by the manage-
ment of the Press, but any little public reputation
which he might once have acquired has been entirely
dissipated and destroyed by the continued folly of
his conduct in his Canadian Government. There is
no party in the State to which your Majesty can
now resort, except that great party which calls itself
Conservative, and of that party, his rank, station,
reputation and experience point out the Duke of
Wellington as the person to whom your Majesty
should apply.

Lord Melbourne therefore advises that your Majesty
should send for the Duke of Wellington, and should
acquaint him, provided your Majesty so feels, that you
were entirely satisfied with your late Government,

196 VIGILANCE ADVISED [CHAP, vm

and that you part from them with reluctance ; but
that as he and the party of which he is the head have
been the means of removing them from office, you nat-
urally look to him to advise you as to the means of
supplying their places and carrying on the business of
the country.

If the Duke should be unwilling to form the
Government himself, and should desire to devolve the
task upon Sir Robert Peel, Lord Melbourne would
advise your Majesty to accede to that suggestion ; but
Lord Melbourne would counsel your Majesty to be very
unwilling to suffer the Government to be formed by
Sir Robert Peel without the active assistance in office
of the Duke of AVellington.

With respect both to measures and appointments,
your Majesty should place the fullest confidence in
those to whom you entrust the management of affairs,
exercising at the same time, and fully expressing, your
own judgment upon both.

Your Majesty will do well to be from the beginning
very vigilant that all measures and all appointments are
stated to your Majesty in the first instance, and your
Majesty's pleasure taken thereon previously to any
instruments being drawn out for carrying them into
effect, and submitted to your Majesty's signature. It
is the more necessary to be watchful and active in this
respect, as the extreme confidence which your Majesty
has reposed in me may have led to some omission at
times of these most necessary preliminaries.

The patronage of the Lord Chamberlain's Depart-
ment is of the greatest importance, and may be made
to conduce at once to the beneficial influence of the
Crown, and to the elevation and encouragement of the
professions of the Church and of Medicine. This
patronage, by being left to the uncontrolled exercise
of successive Lord Chamberlains, has been administered
not only wastefully but perniciously. The physicians
to the late King were many of them men of little
eminence; the chaplains are still a sorry set. Your
Majesty should insist with the new Ministers that this

1839] DISTRESS OF THE QUEEN 197

patronage should be disposed of, not by the Lord
Chamberlain, but, as it has hitherto been during your
Majesty's reign, by your Majesty upon consultation
with your Prime Minister.

Queen Victoria to Viscount Melbourne.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 8th May 1839.

The Queen thinks Lord Melbourne may possibly
wish to know how she is this morning ; the Queen is
somewhat calmer ; she was in a wretched state till
nine o'clock last night, when she tried to occupy herself
and try to think less gloomily of this dreadful change,
and she succeeded in calming herself till she went to
bed at twelve, and she slept well ; but on waking this
morning, all — all that had happened in one short
eventful day came most forcibly to her mind, and
brought back her grief; the Queen, however, feels
better now ; but she couldn't touch a morsel of food
last night, nor can she this morning. The Queen
trusts Lord Melbourne slept well, and is well this
morning ; and that he will come precisely at eleven
o'clock. The Queen has received no answer from the
Duke, which is very odd, for she knows he got her
letter. The Queen hopes Lord Melbourne received
her letter last night.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

8th May 1839.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to
your Majesty, and is much grieved that he did not
answer your Majesty's letter yesterday evening, as your
Majesty desired, but he did not get it till late, and he
felt much tired and harassed by all that had passed
during the day. The situation is very painful, but it
is necessary for your Majesty to be prudent and firm.
It is of all things necessary not to be suspected of
any unfair dealing. Whilst Lord Melbourne holds his
office, everything of course may be written to him as
usual ; but still the resolutions for the formation of

198 INTERVIEW WITH WELLINGTON [CHAP, vm

the new Government will now commence, and it will
never do, whilst they are going on, either for
appearance or in reality, that Lord Melbourne should
dine with your Majesty, as he did before this
disturbance. It would create feeling, possibly lead to
remonstrance, and throw a doubt upon the fairness and
integrity of your Majesty's conduct. AH this is very
painful both to do and to say, but it is unavoidable ; it
must be said, and it must be done. Lord Melbourne
will wait upon your Majesty at eleven.1

Queen Victoria to Viscount Melbourne.

%th May 1839.

The Queen told Lord Melbourne she would give
him an account of what passed, which she is very
anxious to do. She saw the Duke for about twenty
minutes ; the Queen said she supposed he knew why
she sent for him, upon which the Duke said, No, he
had no idea. The Queen then said that she had had the
greatest confidence in her late Ministry, and had parted
with them with the greatest reluctance ; upon which the
Duke observed that he could assure me no one felt
more pain in hearing the announcement of their
resignation than he did, and that he was deeply grieved
at it. The Queen then continued, that as his party had
been instrumental in removing them, that she must
look to him to form a new Government. The Duke
answered that he had no power whatever in the House
of Commons, " that if he was to say black was white,2
they would say it was not," and that he advised me to
send for Sir Robert Peel, in whom I could place
confidence, and who was a gentleman and a man of

1 Lord Melbourne had made the not unnatural mistake of recommending
to the Queen, as members of her first Household, ladies who were nearly
related to himself and his Whig colleagues. No doubt these were the ladies
whom he knew best, and in whom he had entire confidence ; but he ought to
have had sufficient prescience to see that the Queen would probably form
strong attachments to the ladies who first served her ; and that if the appoint-
ments had not in the first instance a political complexion, yet that the Whig
tendencies which these ladies represented were likely to affect the Queen, in
the direction of allying her closely with a particular party in the State.

a Sic: an obvious mistake, for "black was black."

1839] THE DUKE'S SUPPORT 199

honour and integrity. The Queen then said she hoped
he would at all events have a place in the new Cabinet.
The Duke at first rather refused, and said he was so
deaf, and so old and unfit for any discussion, that if he
were to consult his own feelings he would rather not do
it, and remain quite aloof; but that as he was very
anxious to do anything that would tend to the Queen's
comfort, and would do everything and at all times that
could be of use to the Queen, and therefore if she and
her Prime Minister urged his accepting office, he would.
The Queen said she had more confidence in him than
in any of the others of his party. The Queen then
mentioned the subject of the Household, and of those
who were not in Parliament. The Duke did not give
any decisive answer about it, but advised the Queen not
to begin with conditions of this sort, and wait till the
matter was proposed. The Queen then said that she
felt certain he would understand the great friendship
she had for Lord Melbourne, who had been to her quite
a parent, and the Duke said no one felt and knew
tliat better than he did, and that no one could still be of
greater use to the Queen than Lord Melbourne. The
Duke spoke of his personal friendship for Lord
Melbourne, and that he hoped I knew that he had
often done all he could to help your (Lord Melbourne's)
Government. The Queen then mentioned her inten-
tion to prove her great fairness to her new Gov-
ernment in telling them, that they might know there
was no unfair dealing, that I meant to see you
often as a friend, as I owed so much to you. The Duke
said he quite understood it, and knew I would not
exercise this to weaken the Government, and that he
would take my part about it, and felt for me. He was
very kind, and said he called it " a misfortune " that
you had all left me.

The Queen wrote to Peel, who came after two, em-
barrassed and put out. The Queen repeated what she
had said to the Duke about her former Government,
and asked Sir Robert to form a new Ministry. He does
not seem sanguine ; says entering the Government in a

200 INTERVIEW WITH SIR ROBERT PEEL [CHAP, vm

minority is very difficult ; he felt unequal to the task,
and far from exulting in what had happened, as he
knew what pain it must give me, he quite approved
that the Duke should take office, and saw the
importance of it ; meant to offer him the post of
Secretary for Foreign Affairs, and if he refused, Lord
Aberdeen ; Lord Lyndhurst, Chancellor ; hoped to
secure Stanley and Graham ; Goulburn to be the
candidate for the Speaker's Chair ; he expects a severe
conflict then, and if he should be beat must either
resign or dissolve Parliament. Before this the Queen
said she was against a dissolution, in which he quite
agreed, but of course wished no conditions should be
made ; he felt the task arduous, and that he would
require me to demonstrate (a certain degree, if any I
can only feel) confidence in the Government, and that
my Household would be one of the marks of that. The
Queen mentioned the same thing about her Household,
to which he at present would give no answer, and said
nothing should be done without my knowledge or
approbation. He repeated his surprise at the course
you had all taken in resigning, which he did not expect.
The Queen talked of her great friendship for, and
gratitude to, Lord Melbourne, and repeated what she
had said to the Duke, in which Peel agreed ; but he
is such a cold, odd man she can't make out what he
means. He said he couldn't expect me to have the
confidence in him I had in you (and which he never
can have) as he has not deserved it. My impression is,
he is not happy and sanguine. He comes to me
to-morrow at one to report progress in his formation of
the new Government. The Queen don't like his manner
after — oh ! how different, how dreadfully different, to
that frank, open, natural and most kind, warm manner
of Lord Melbourne.1 The Duke I like by far better to

1 Lady de Grey had written to Peel on 7th May : — " The Queen has
always expressed herself much impressed with Lord Melbourne's open manner,
and his truth. The latter quality you possess, the former not.

" Now, dear Peel, the first impression on so young a girl's mind is ot
immense consequence, accustomed as she has been to the open and affectionate
manner of Lord Melbourne, who, entre nous, treats her as a father, and, with
all his faults, feels for her as such." — Sir Robert Peel, Parker, vol. ii. p. 389.

1839] LETTER FROM LORD MELBOURNE 201

Peel. The Queen trusts Lord Melbourne will excuse
this long letter, but she was so very anxious he should
know all. The Queen was very much collected, and
betrayed no agitation during these two trying Audiences.
But afterwards again all g-ave way. She feels Lord
Melbourne will understand it, amongst enemies to
those she most relied on and esteemed, and people
who seem to have no heart ; but what is worst of all
is the being deprived of seeing Lord Melbourne as
she used to do.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

9th May 1839.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. He has read with the greatest attention the
very clear and distinct account which your Majesty has
written of that which passed at the Audiences which
your Majesty has given to the Duke of Wellington
and Sir Robert Peel. Nothing could have been more
proper and judicious than your Majesty's conduct, and
they appear to have acted upon their part with propriety
and sincerity. Lord Melbourne has no doubt that
both with respect to him (Lord Melbourne) and to
themselves and their own feelings and position, they
expressed what they really think. The Duke was right
in saying that in general, in affairs of this nature, it is
best not to begin with conditions ; but this matter of
the Household is so personal to yourself, that it was
best to give an intimation of your feelings upon it in
the first instance. Lord Melbourne has little doubt that
if they could have acted from themselves, they would
have acceded to your Majesty's wish at once ; but your
Majesty must recollect that they have others to satisfy,
and must not attribute entirely to them anything that
is harsh and unreasonable. Lord Melbourne advises
your Majesty to urge this question of the Household
strongly as a matter due to yourself and your own

202 MELBOURNE ON PEEL [CHAP,

wishes ; but if Sir Robert is unable to concede it, it will
not do to refuse and to put off the negotiation upon it.
Lord Melbourne would strongly advise your Majesty
to do everything to facilitate the formation of the
Government. Everything is to be done and to be
endured rather than run the risk of getting into the
situation in which they are in France, of no party
being able to form a Government and conduct the
affairs of the country.1

The Dissolution of Parliament is a matter of
still more importance, and if this should be again
pressed upon your Majesty, Lord Melbourne would
advise your Majesty to reserve your opinion, not
to give a promise that you will dissolve, nor to
say positively that you will not. You may say that
you do not think it right to fetter the Prerogative
of the Crown by previous engagements, that a dis-
solution of Parliament is to be decided according to
the circumstances at the time, that you mean to
give full confidence to the Government that shall
be formed, and to do everything in your power
to support them, and that you will consider whether
Parliament shall be dissolved, when you are advised
to dissolve it and have before you the reasons for
such a measure.

Lord Melbourne earnestly entreats your Majesty
not to suffer yourself to be affected by any faultiness
of manner which you may observe. Depend upon it
there is no personal hostility to Lord Melbourne nor
any bitter feelings against him. Sir Robert is the
most cautious and reserved of mankind. Nobody
seems to Lord Melbourne to know him, but he is
not therefore deceitful or dishonest. Many a very
false man has a very open sincere manner, and vice
versa. . . .

Lord Melbourne earnestly hopes that your Majesty
is better this morning.

1 Alluding to the successive failures of Soult, Tbiers, and Broglie.

1839] LETTER FROM LORD PALMERSTON 203

Queen Victoria to discount Melbourne.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 9th May 1839.

The Queen cannot sufficiently thank Lord Mel-
bourne for his most kind letter, and for his excellent
advice, which is at once the greatest comfort and
of the greatest use to her ; the Queen will follow
it in every respect, and nothing of importance shall
be done without due reflection ; and she trusts Lord
Melbourne will help her and be to her what she told
him he was, and begged him still ever to be — a father
to one who never wanted support more than she does
now.

Lord Melbourne shall hear again after she sees
Peel this morning. . . .

The Queen has just now heard Lord Liverpool is
not in town.

The Queen hopes Lord Melbourne is able to
read her letters ; if ever there is anything he cannot
read, he must send them back, and mark what he
can't read.

Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria.

STANHOPE STREET, 9th May 1839.

Viscount Palmerston presents his humble duty to
your Majesty, and begs to return your Majesty his
grateful thanks for your Majesty's gracious com-
munication of this morning. It affords Viscount
Palmerston the most heartfelt satisfaction to know
that his humble but zealous endeavours to promote
the interests of his country, and to uphold the honour
of your Majesty's Crown, have had the good fortune
to meet with your Majesty's approbation ; and he
begs most respectfully to assure your Majesty that
the deep impression produced by the condescending
kindness which he has upon all occasions experienced
from your Majesty can never be effaced from his mind.

204 THE HOUSEHOLD [CHAP, vm

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

9th May 1839.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and begs to suggest that if Sir Robert Peel
presses for the dismissal of those of your Household
who are not in Parliament, you may observe that in
so doing he is pressing your Majesty more hardly
than any Minister ever pressed a Sovereign before.

When the Government was changed in 1830, the
principal posts of the Household were placed at the
disposal of Lord Grey, but the Grooms and Equerries
were not removed.

When Sir Robert Peel himself became Minister
in 1834, no part of the Household were removed except
those who were in Parliament.

When I became Prime Minister again in 1835, none
of the Grooms or Equerries were removed because
none of them were in Parliament.

They press upon your Majesty, whose personal
feelings ought from your circumstances to be more
consulted, a measure which no Minister before ever
pressed upon a Sovereign.

If this is put to him by your Majesty, Lord
Melbourne does not see how he can resist it.

Queen Victoria to Viscount Melbourne.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 9th May 1839.

The Queen writes one line to prepare Lord
Melbourne for what may happen in a very few hours.
Sir Robert Peel has behaved very ill, and has insisted
on my giving up my Ladies, to which I replied that
I never would consent, and I never saw a man so
frightened. He said he must go to the Duke of
Wellington and consult with him, when both would
return, and he said this must suspend all further pro-
ceedings, and he asked whether I should be ready to
receive a decision, which I said 1 should ; he was quite
perturbed — but this is infamous. I said, besides many

1839] PROPOSED NEW CABINET 205

other things, that if he or the Duke of Wellington
had been at the head of the Government when I came
to the Throne, perhaps there might have been a few
more Tory Ladies, but that then if you had come
into Office you would never have dreamt of changing
them. I was calm but very decided, and I think you
would have been pleased to see my composure and
great firmness ; the Queen of England will not submit
to such trickery. Keep yourself in readiness, for you
may soon be wanted.

Extract from the Queens Journal.

Thursday, 9th May 1839.

At half -past two I saw the Duke of Wellington. I
remained firm, and he told Sir Robert that I remained
firm. I then saw Sir Robert Peel, who stopped a few
minutes with me ; he must consult those (of whom I
annex the List) whom he had named :

The DUKE OF WELLINGTON . Secretary for Foreign Affairs.

Sir JAMES GRAHAM . . . Secretary for the Home Department.

LORD STANLEY Secretary for the Colonies.

LORD LYNDHURST .... Lord Chancellor.

LORD ELLENBOROUGH . . . President of the Board of Control.

Sir H. HARDINGE .... Secretary at War.

and he said he would return in two or three hours with
the result, which I said I should await.1

Queen Victoria to Viscount Melbourne.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 9th May 1839.

The Queen has received Lord Melbourne's letter.
Lord Melbourne will since have heard what has taken
place. Lord Melbourne must not think the Queen
rash in her conduct ; she saw both the Duke and Sir
Robert again, and declared to them she could not

1 It was a curious circumstance, much commented on at the time, that in
the Globe of 9th May, a ministerial evening paper, which would probably have
gone to press at two o'clock in the afternoon, the following paragraph appeared :
" The determination which it is well known Her Majesty has taken, not to
allow the change in the Government to interfere with the ladies of her Court,
has given great offence to the Tories."

206 THE LADIES [CHAP, vm

change her opinion. The Ladies are not (as the
Duke imagined was stated in the Civil List Bill) in
the place of the Lords ; and the Queen felt this was
an attempt to see whether she could be led and
managed like a child ; if it should lead to Sir Robert
Peel's refusing to undertake the formation of the
Government, which would be absurd, the Queen will
feel satisfied that she has only been defending her own
rights, on a point which so nearly concerned her person,
and which, if they had succeeded in, would have led
to every sort of unfair attempt at power ; the Queen
maintains all her Ladies, — and thinks her Prime Min-
ister will cut a sorry figure indeed if he resigns on this.
Sir Robert has gone to consult with his friends, and
will return in two or three hours with his decision.
The Queen also maintained the Mistress of the Robes,
for as he said only those who are in Parliament shall
be removed, I should like to know if they mean to
give the Ladies seats in Parliament ?

We shall see what will be done. The Queen would
not have stood so firmly on the Grooms and Equerries,
but her Ladies are entirely her own affair, and not the
Minister's.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

9th May 1839.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. Lord Melbourne had certainly never expected
that this demand would be urged, and therefore had
never advised your Majesty as to what was to be done
in such a case. Lord Melbourne strongly advises your
Majesty to hear what the Duke of Wellington and
Sir Robert Peel urge, but to take time before you come
to a peremptory and final decision.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

9th May 1839.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. This is a matter of so much importance,

1839] INTERVIEW WITH MELBOURNE 207

and may have such grave results, that any advice
which Lord Melbourne could give would be of little
importance unless it coincided with the opinions of
others, and particularly of all those who were and
intend still [to] continue to be his colleagues.

It will depend upon their determination whether
your Majesty is to be supported or not. The best
course will perhaps be that you should hear Sir
Robert Peel's determination, say nothing, but send for
Lord Melbourne, and lay the matter before him. Lord
Melbourne will then summon a Cabinet to consider of it.

Extract from the Queens Journal.

9th May 1839.

At half-past six came Lord Melbourne and stayed
with me till ten minutes past seven.

I then began by giving him a detailed account
of the whole proceeding, which I shall state here as
briefly as possible. I first again related what took
place in the two first interviews, and when I said
that the Duke said he had assisted my Government
often very much, Lord Melbourne said : " Well, that
is true enough, but the Duke did all he could about
this vote." "Well, then," I said, "when Sir Robert
Peel came this morning, he began first about the
Ministry. I consented, though I said I might have
my personal feelings about Lord Lyndhurst and Lord
Aberdeen, but that I would suppress every personal
feeling and be quite fair. I then repeated that I
wished to retain about me those who were not in
Parliament, and Sir Robert pretended that I had the
preceding day expressed a wish to keep about me
those who were in Parliament. I mentioned my wish
to have Lord Liverpool, to which Sir Robert readily
acceded, saying he would offer him the place of Lord
Steward, or of Lord in Waiting. He then suggested
my having Lord Ashley,1 which I said I should like,
as Treasurer or Comptroller. Soon after this Sir
Robert said : ' Now, about the Ladies,' upon which I

1 Afterwards Earl of Shaftesbury, the well-known Philanthropist

208 SIR ROBERT PEEL AND [CHAP, vm

said I could not give up any of my Ladies, and
never had imagined such a thing. He asked if I
meant to retain all. 'All,' I said. 'The Mistress
of the Robes and the Ladies of the Bedchamber ? '
I replied, 'Air — for he said they were the wives of
the opponents of the Government, mentioning Lady
Normanby * in particular as one of the late Ministers'
wives. I said that would not interfere ; that I never
talked politics with them, and that they were related,
many of them, to Tories, and I enumerated those of
my Bedchamber women and Maids of Honour ; upon
which he said he did not mean all the Bedchamber
women and all the Maids of Honour, he meant the
Mistress of the Robes and the Ladies of the Bed-
chamber ; to which I replied they were of more
consequence than the others, and that I could not
consent, and that it had never been done before.
He said I was a Queen Regnant, and that made
the difference. ' Not here,' I said — and I maintained
my right. Sir Robert then urged it upon public
grounds only, but I said here I could not consent.
He then begged to be allowed to consult with the
Duke upon such an important matter. I expressed
a wish also to see the Duke, if Sir Robert approved,
which he said he did, and that he would return with
the Duke, if I would then be prepared for the
decision, which I said I would. Well," I continued,
"the Duke and Sir Robert returned soon, and I first

i J. W. Croker wrote to the King of Hanover : —

" llth May 1839.

"... This is the sum of the whole affair. Sir R. Peel could not admit
that broad principle that all were to remain. Lady Normanby (whom the
Queen particularly wishes for), for instance, the wife of the very Minister
whose measures have been the cause of the change, two sisters of Lord
Morpeth, the sisters-in-law of Lord John Russell, the daughter of the Prhy
Seal and the Chancellor of the Exchequer. . . .

" Her Majesty's ball last night was, I am told, rather dull, though she
herself seemed in high spirits, as if she were pleased at retaining her
Ministers. She has a great concert on the 13th, but to both, as I hear, the
invitations have been on a very exclusive principle, no Tories being invited
who could on any pretence be left out. These are small matters, but every-
thing tends to create a public impression that Her Majesty takes a personal
and strong interest in the Whigs — a new ingredient of difficulty." — Croker
Papers, II. 347.

1839] THE LADIES OF THE HOUSEHOLD 209

saw the Duke, who talked first of his being ready
to take the post of Secretary for Foreign Affairs,
which I had pressed Peel to urge on him (the Duke
having first wished to be in the Cabinet, without
accepting office), and the Duke said, ' I am able to
do anything,' for I asked him if it would not be too
much for him. Then I told him that I had been
very well satisfied with Sir Robert yesterday, and
asked the Duke if Sir Robert had told him what
had passed about the Ladies. He said he had, and
then I repeated all my arguments, and the Duke
his ; but the Duke and Sir Robert differed consider-
ably on two points. The Duke said the opinions of
the Ladies were nothing, but it was the principle,
whether the Minister could remove the Ladies or
not, and that he (the Duke) had understood it was
stated in the Civil List Bill, 'that the Ladies were
instead of the Lords,' which is quite false, and I
told the Duke that there were not twelve Lords, as
the expense with the Ladies would have been too
great." Lord Melbourne said: "There you had the
better of him, and what did he say ? " " Not much,"
I replied. I repeated many of my arguments, all
which pleased Lord Melbourne, and which he agreed
to, amongst others, that I said to the Duke was
Sir Robert so weak that even the Ladies must be
of his opinion? The Duke denied that. The Duke
then took my decision to Sir Robert, who was waiting
in the next room ; after a few minutes Sir Robert
returned. After stopping a few minutes, as I have
already stated, Sir Robert went to see his colleagues,
and returned at five : said he had consulted with
those who were to have been his colleagues, and that
they agreed that, with the probability of being beat
the first night about the Speaker, and beginning with
a Minority in the House of Commons, that unless
there was some (all the Officers of state and Lords
I gave up) demonstration of my confidence, and if I
retained all my Ladies this would not be, "they
agreed unanimously they could not go on." I replied

VOL. i. — 14

210 MIDNIGHT CABINET [CHAP, vm

I would reflect, that I felt certain I should not change
my mind, but that I should do nothing in a hurry,
and would write him my decision either that evening
or the next morning. He said, meanwhile, he would
suspend all further proceedings.

I also told Lord Melbourne that I feared I had
embarrassed the Government, that I acted quite
alone. Lord Melbourne saw, and said I could not
do otherwise. " I must summon the Cabinet," said
Lord Melbourne, at half-past nine. " It may have
very serious consequences. If we can't go on with
this House of Commons, we may have to dissolve
Parliament, and we don't know if we may get as
good a House of Commons." I begged him to come,
and he said: "111 come if it is in any time — if it's
twelve ; but if it's one or two, I'll write."

After dinner (as usual with the Household) I
went to my room, and sat up till a quarter past two.
At a quarter to two I received the following letter
from Lord Melbourne, written at one o'clock : —

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

Wth May 1839 (1 A.M.).

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. The Cabinet has sate until now, and, after
much discussion, advises your Majesty to return the
following answer to Sir Robert Peel : —

" The Queen having considered the proposal made
to her yesterday by Sir Robert Peel, to remove the
Ladies of her Bedchamber, cannot consent to adopt
a course which she conceives to be contrary to usage,
and which is repugnant to her feelings."1

1 Greville asserts that the plan adopted by the outgoing Cabinet, of
meeting and suggesting that this letter should be despatched, was " utterly
anomalous and unprecedented, and a course as dangerous as unconstitu-
tional. . . . They ought to have explained to her that until Sir Robert
Peel had formally and finally resigned his commission into her hands, they
could tender no advice. . . . The Cabinet of Lord Melbourne discussed
the proposals of that of Sir Robert Peel, and they dictated to the Queen
the reply in which she refused to consent to the advice tendered to her
by the man who was at that moment her Minister. " — Orevilles Journal, 12th
May 1839.

1839] THE REPLY TO SIR ROBERT PEEL

Queen Victoria to Sir Robert Peel.

Wth May 1839.

The Queen having considered the proposal made
to her yesterday by Sir Robert Peel, to remove the
Ladies of her Bedchamber, cannot consent to adopt
a course which she conceives to be contrary to usage,
and which is repugnant to her feelings.1

Queen Victoria to Viscount Melbourne.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, Wth May 1839.

The Queen wrote the letter before she went to
bed, and sent it at nine this morning ; she has received
no answer, and concludes she will receive none, as Sir
Robert told the Queen if the Ladies were not removed,
his party would fall directly, and could not go on, and
that he only awaited the Queen's decision. The Queen
therefore wishes to see Lord Melbourne about half-past
twelve or one, if that would do.

The Queen fears Lord Melbourne has much trouble
in consequence of all this ; but the Queen was fully
prepared, and fully intended to give these people a fair
trial, though she always told Lord Melbourne she knew
they couldn't stand ;' and she must rejoice at having got
out of the hands of people who would have sacrificed
every personal feeling and instinct of the Queen's to
their bad party purposes.

How is Lord Melbourne this morning ?

Queen Victoria to Viscount Melbourne.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, Wth May 1839.

Half-past one will do as well as one ; any hour will do
that Lord Melbourne likes, for the Queen will not go out.
There is no answer from Peel.

1 Sixty years later the Queen, during a conversation at Osborne with Sir
Arthur Bigge, her Private Secretary, after eulogising Sir Robert Peel, said :
" I was very young then, and perhaps I should act differently if it was all to
be done again."

212 THE QUEEN SUSPECTS A PLOT [CHAP, vm

The Queen is wonderfully well considering all the
fatigue of yesterday, and not getting to bed till near
half-past two, which is somewhat of a fatigue for
to-night when the Queen must be very late. Really
all these Fetes in the midst of such very serious and
anxious business are quite overwhelming.

Queen Victoria to Viscount Melbourne.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 10th May 1839.

The Queen forgot to ask Lord Melbourne if he
thought there would be any harm in her writing to
the Duke of Cambridge that she really was fearful
of fatiguing herself, if she went out to a party at
Gloucester House on Tuesday, an Ancient Concert on
Wednesday, and a ball at Northumberland House on
Thursday, considering how much she had to do these
last four days. If she went to the Ancient Concert
on Wednesday, having besides a concert of her own
here on Monday, it would be four nights of fatigue,
really exhausted as the Queen is.

But if Lord Melbourne thinks that as these are only
to be English singers at the Ancient Concert, she ought
to go, she could go there for one act ; but she would
much rather, if possible, get out of it, for it is a
fatiguing time. . . .

As the negotiations with the Tories are quite at an
end, and Lord Melbourne has been here, the Queen
hopes Lord Melbourne will not object to dining with
her on Sunday?

Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria.

\0th May 1839.

Sir Robert Peel presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and has had the honour of receiving your
Majesty's note of this morning.

In respectfully submitting to your Majesty's
pleasure, and humbly returning into your Majesty's
hands the important trust which your Majesty had

183.0] RESIGNATION OF SIR ROBERT PEEL 213

been graciously pleased to commit to him, Sir Robert
Peel trusts that your Majesty will permit him to
state to your Majesty his impression with respect to
the circumstances which have led to the termination
of his attempt to form an Administration for the
conduct of your Majesty's Service.

In the interview with which your Majesty honoured
Sir Robert Peel yesterday morning, after he had sub-
mitted to your Majesty the names of those whom he
proposed to recommend to your Majesty for the
principal executive appointments, he mentioned to
your Majesty his earnest wish to be enabled, with
your Majesty's sanction, so to constitute your Majesty's
Household that your Majesty's confidential servants
might have the advantage of a public demonstration
of your Majesty's full support and confidence, and
that at the same time, as far as possible consistently
with that demonstration, each individual appointment
in the Household should be entirely acceptable to
your Majesty's personal feelings.

On your Majesty's expressing a desire that the
Earl of Liverpool 1 should hold an office in the House-
hold, Sir Robert Peel requested your Majesty's per-
mission at once to offer to Lord Liverpool the office
of Lord Steward, or any other which he might prefer.

Sir Robert Peel then observed that he should
have every wish to apply a similar principle to the
chief appointments which are filled by the Ladies of
your Majesty's Household, upon which your Majesty
was pleased to remark that you must reserve the
whole of those appointments, and that it was your
Majesty's pleasure that the whole should continue
as at present, without any change.

The Duke of Wellington, in the interview to which
your Majesty subsequently admitted him, understood
also that this was your Majesty's determination,
and concurred with Sir Robert Peel in opinion that,
considering the great difficulties of the present crisis,

1 Charles Cecil Cope Jenkinson, third Earl, 1784-1851, became Lord
Steward in 1841.

THE QUEEN'S JOURNAL [CHAP, vm

and the expediency of making every effort in the
first instance to conduct the public business of the
country with the aid of the present Parliament, it
was essential to the success of the Commission with
which your Majesty had honoured Sir Robert Peel
that he should have that public proof of your Majesty's
entire support and confidence which would be afforded
by the permission to make some changes in that part
of your Majesty's Household which your Majesty
resolved on maintaining entirely without change.

Having had the opportunity, through your Majesty's
gracious consideration, of reflecting upon this point,
he humbly submits to your Majesty that he is reluc-
tantly compelled, by a sense of public duty and of the
interests of your Majesty's service, to adhere to his
opinion which he ventured to express to your Majesty.

He trusts he may be permitted at the same
time to express to your Majesty his grateful acknow-
ledgments for the distinction which your Majesty
conferred upon him by requiring his advice and
assistance in the attempt to form an Administration,
and his earnest prayers that whatever arrangements
your Majesty may be enabled to make for that purpose
may be most conducive to your Majesty's personal
comfort and happiness, and to the promotion of the
public warfare.

Extract from the Queens Journal.

Friday, 10th May 1839.

Lord Melbourne came to me at two and staved

with me till ten minutes to three. I placed in his
hands Sir Robert Peel's answer, which he read. He
started at one part where he (Sir Robert) says, " some
changes " — but some or all, I said, was the same ; and
Lord Melbourne said, " I must submit this to the
Cabinet." Lord Melbourne showed me a letter from
Lord Grey about it — a good deal alarmed, thinking
I was right, and yet half doubtful ; one from Spring
Rice, dreadfully frightened, and wishing the Whig

1839] CABINET MINUTE 215

ladies should resign ; and one from Lord Lansdowne
wishing to state that the ladies would have resigned.
Lord Melbourne had also seen the Duke of Richmond ;
and Lord Melbourne said we might be beat ; I said I
never would yield, and would never apply to Peel
again. Lord Melbourne said, " You are for standing
out then?" I said, "Certainly." I asked how the
Cabinet felt. " John Russell, strongly for standing
out," he said ; " Duncannon, very much so ; Holland,
Lord Minto, Hobhouse and the Chancellor, all for
standing out ; Poulett Thomson too, and Normanby
also ; S. Rice and Howick alarmed."

CABINET MINUTE.
Present.

The LORD CHANCELLOR. The LORD JOHN RUSSELL.

The LORD PRESIDENT. The VISCOUNT PALMERSTON.

The LORD PRIVY SEAL. The VISCOUNT HOWICK.

VISCOUNT MELBOURNE. The VISCOUNT MORPETH.

The MARQUIS OF NORMANBY. Sir JOHN HOBHOUSE, Bart.

The EARL OF MINTO. The CHANCELLOR OF THE Ex-
The CHANCELLOR OF THE DUCHY CHEQUER.

OF LANCASTER. Mr POULETT THOMSON.

Her Majesty's Confidential Servants having taken
into consideration the letter addressed by Her Majesty
to Sir Robert Peel on the 10th of May, and the reply
of Sir Robert Peel of the same day, are of opinion
that for the purpose of giving to an Administration that
character of efficiency and stability and those marks
of the constitutional support of the Crown, which are
required to enable it to act usefully for the public
service, it is reasonable that the great offices of the
Court and the situations in the Household held by
members of either House of Parliament should be
included in the political arrangements made on a
change of Administration ; but they are not of opinion

21 G WHIGS RESUME OFFICE [CHAP, vm

that a similar principle should be applied or extended
to the offices held by Ladies in Her Majesty's House-
hold.1

Her Majesty's Confidential Servants are therefore
prepared to support Her Majesty in refusing to assent
to the removal of the Ladies of her Household, which
Her Majesty conceived to be contrary to usage, and
which is repugnant to her feelings, and are prepared
to continue in their offices on these grounds.

Viscount Howick concurs in the opinion expressed
in the foregoing Minute that the removal of the
Ladies of Her Majesty's Household ought not to form
part of the arrangements consequent upon a change
of Administration, and shares in the readiness his
colleagues have declared to support Her Majesty in
acting upon this opinion ; but he thinks it his duty
to state his conviction that the immediate resumption
of their offices by Her Majesty's Confidential Servants
is not the mode in which their support can be most
effectively afforded, and is not calculated to promote
the good of Her Majesty's service.

He conceives that before it is determined that the
present Administration should be continued, further
explanation should be sought with Sir Robert Peel,
by which it is not impossible that his concession to
Her Majesty's just objection to the removal of the
Ladies of her Household might have been obtained,
while the endeavour to arrive at this result, even
though unsuccessful, would at all events tend to
secure additional support to Her Majesty's present
Servants, and thus to enable them to surmount those
difficulties, which have recently compelled them
humbly to tender their resignations to Her Majesty,
and which he fears will be found not to have been
diminished by the course it has now been determined
to pursue.

In humbly submitting this opinion to Her Majesty,
Viscount Howick begs permission to add that he

1 This paragraph was read by Lord John Russell to the House of Commons,
during the course of the Ministerial explanations on 13th May.

1839] BALL AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE 217

nevertheless acquiesces in the determination of his
colleagues, and will render them the best assistance
in his power in their endeavour to carry on Her
Majesty's service.

Queen Victoria to Viscount Melbourne.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, llth May 1839.

The Queen is very anxious to hear that Lord
Melbourne has not suffered from the ball last night,
as it was very hot at first. The beginning was rather
dull and heavy, but after supper it got very animated,
and we kept it up till a quarter past three ; the Queen
enjoyed herself very much and isn't at all tired ; she
felt much the kindness of many of her kind friends,
who are her only real friends. Lady Cowper and Lord
and Lady Minto, the Duchess of Somerset, and Lord
Anglesey were particularly kind. On the other hand,
there were some gloomy faces to be seen, and the
Duchess of Gloucester was very cross.

The Queen is ashamed to say it, but she has for-
gotten when she appointed the Judge Advocate ; when
will the Cabinet be over ?

The Queen danced the first and the last dance with
the Grand Duke,1 made him sit near her, and tried to
be very civil to him, and I think we are great friends
already and get on very well ; I like him exceedingly.

Queen Victoria to Viscount Melbourne.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 12th May 1839.

The Queen anxiously hopes Lord Melbourne is
quite well this morning, and has not suffered from the
dinner at Pozzo's.

The Queen wishes to know if she ought to say
anything to the Duchess, of the noble manner in which
her Government mean to stand by her ? The account
in the Observer of the whole proceeding is the most

1 The hereditary Grand Duke of Russia, afterwards the Emperor
Alexander II.

218 LORD JOHN RUSSELL AND SIR R. PEEL [CRAP, vm

correct both as to details and facts, that the Queen
has yet seen ; were they told what to put in ? There
was considerable applause when the Queen entered
the Theatre, which she, however, thought best and
most delicate not to encourage, and she was cheered
when she drove up to the Theatre and got out, which
she never is in general.

The Grand Duke came and sat with the Queen
in her box, for at least half an hour last night — and
the Queen asked him if he knew exactly what had
happened, which he said he did not — and the Queen
accordingly gave him an account of what passed,
and he was shocked at Sir Robert Peel's proposal,
thought his resignation on that account absurd, and was
delighted at the continuance in office of my present
Government.

The Queen supposes and fears that Lord Melbourne
dines with the Lansdownes to-morrow, but she wishes
to know if Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday would
suit him ?

Lord Melbourne must not forget the List of our
Supporters in the House of Commons, which the
Queen is very anxious to have as soon as possible. If
Lord Melbourne can dine here to-morrow the Queen
would be glad, of course.

Lord John Russell to Queen Victoria.

13th May 1839.

Lord John Russell presents his humble duty to
your Majesty, and has the honour to report that he
this day made his statement to the House, in answer
to Sir Robert Peel.

Sir Robert Peel made a skilful, and not unfair
statement. He, however, spoke only of his intention
of changing some of the Ladies of the Bedchamber.
But he did not say that he had made this intention
clear to your Majesty ; only that he had so arranged
the matter with his political friends. The popular
impression is greatly in favour of the course pursued
by your Majesty.

1839] THE QUEEN ON THE CRISIS 219

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

Uth May 1839.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and is most sorry to hear that your Majesty
does not feel well. It is very natural that your
Majesty does not. Lord Melbourne does not believe
that there was anything wanting in your Majesty's
manner yesterday evening,1 but depend upon it, if
there was, every allowance would be made for the
fatigue and anxiety which your Majesty has gone
through, and for the painful and embarrassing situation
in which your Majesty is still placed.

Lord Melbourne will wait upon your Majesty at
two, and will have the honour of conversing with your
Majesty upon Peel's speech.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 14th May 1839.

MY DEAR UNCLE, — I begin to think you have
forgotten me, and you will think I have forgotten you,
but 1 am certain you will have guessed the cause of
my silence. How much has taken place since Monday
the 7th to yesterday the 13th. You will have easily
imagined how dreadful the resignation of my Govern-
ment— and particularly of that truly inestimable and
excellent man, Lord Melbourne — was for me, and you
will have felt for me ! What I suffered I cannot
describe ! To have to take people whom I should have
no confidence in, ... was most painful and disagreeable ;
but I felt I must do it, and made up my mind to
it — nobly advised and supported by Lord Melbourne,
whose character seems to me still more perfect and
noble since I have gone through all this.

1 At the State Concert

220 THE QUEEN ON THE CRISIS [CHAP,

I sent for the Duke of Wellington, who referred
me to Peel, whom I accordingly saw.

Everything fair and just I assented to, even to
having Lord Lyndhurst as Chancellor, and Sir H.
Hardinge and Lord Ellenborough in the Cabinet ; I
insisted upon the Duke in the Foreign Office, instead
of Lord Aberdeen. . . . All this I granted, as also to
give up all the Officers of State and all those of my
Household who are in Parliament.

When to my utter astonishment he asked me to
change my Ladies — my principal Ladies ! — this I of
course refused ; and he upon this resigned, saying, as he
felt he should be beat the very first night upon the
Speaker, and having to begin with a minority, that
unless he had this demonstration of my confidence
he could not go on!

You will easily imagine that I firmly resisted this
attack upon my power, from these people who pride
themselves upon upholding the prerogative ! I acted
quite alone, but I have been, and shall be, supported
by my country, who are very enthusiastic about it, and
loudly cheered me on going to church on Sunday.
My Government have nobly stood by me, and have
resumed their posts, strengthened by the feelings of
the country. . . .

Pray tell my dearest Aunt that I really cannot write
to her to-day, for you have no conception of what I
have to do, for there are balls, concerts, and dinners
all going on besides. — Adieu 1 my beloved Uncle. Ever
your devoted Niece, VICTORIA R.

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

LAEKEN, 17 th May 1839.

MY DEAREST VICTORIA, — I feel deeply grateful
for your very kind and interesting letter, which reached
me yesterday, inclusive of the papers.

You have passed a time of great agitation and
difficulty, which will, however, contribute to enlarge

1839] APPROVAL OF KING LEOPOLD 221

the circle of your experience. / approve very highly
of the whole mode in which you proceeded ; you acted
with great good faith and fairness, and when finally
propositions were made which you considered you
could not submit to, you were very right to resist
them. The march of the whole affair is very clear
and fair, and does you great credit. . . . Peel in
making his demand misjudged you ; he remembered
George IV., and even the late King, and dreamt of
Court influence of people near the Sovereign. You
have the great merit, for which you cannot be too
much praised, of being extremely honest and honourable
in your dealings. If you had kept Peel, you would
have acted honestly by him, without any Lady's
having a chance of doing him a bad turn. When
he asked the measure as an expression of your great
confidence in him it was not fair, because you had
not wished to take him ; he was forced upon you,
and therefore, even if you had granted his request,
nobody would have seen in it a proof of your confi-
dence in him, but rather a sacrifice to a far-stretched
pretence.

Besides, that he was to have encountered difficulties
as a Minister was partly the consequence of the
policy of his party, and you were not bound to give
him any assistance beyond what he had a right to
ask as a Minister. I was sure that Lord Melbourne
would give you both the fairest and the most honour-
able advice in this painful crisis. He was kind enough
last year to speak to me on the subject, and I could
but approve what he said on the subject. Altogether,
keeping now your old Ministers you will have reason
to congratulate yourself on the result ; it is likely to
strengthen them, by showing the Radicals what may
be the consequences.

Rumour spoke of their wishing to add some
Radicals to the Cabinet; I don't see that they could
improve the Ministry by it, which is perfectly well
composed as it is at present, and new elements often
have a dissolving effect. It was very kind of you

222 A SMALL LIBERAL MAJORITY [CHAP,

to have explained everything so clearly to me, but I
deserve it for the great interest I take in all that
concerns you. . . .

Lord John Russell to Queen Victoria.

6th June 1839.

Lord John Russell presents his humble duty to
your Majesty, and has the honour to report that Sir
Robert Peel's Bill1 was discussed yesterday in the
House of Commons, with great fairness and an entire
absence of party spirit.

Viscount Melbourne will have acquainted your
Majesty with the result of the Cabinet of yesterday.
It appears to Lord John Russell that the Liberal
party, with some explanation, will be satisfied with
the state of things for the present, and that the great
difficulties which attend the complete union of the
majority will be deferred till the commencement of
next Session. It is always well to have some breathing-
time.

Lord John Russell to Queen Victoria.

WILTON CRESCENT, llth June 1839.

Lord John Russell presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and has the honour to state that the division
of last night was extremely encouraging to the future
prospects of the Government.

Combined with the division on the Speakership,2 it
shows that the Liberal party have still a clear though
small majority in the House of Commons, and that
it may probably not be necessary to resort to a dissolu-
tion. Indeed, such a measure in present circumstances
would be of very doubtful issue.

Lord John Russell stated last night that he would
not divide on the Canada resolutions, but move for
leave to bring in a Bill.

1 The Jamaica Bill for the temporary suspension of the constitution.
8 Mr Shaw Lefevre was elected by 317 against 299 for Mr Goulburn.

1839] THE PENNY POSTAGE 223

Lord John Russell to Queen Victoria.

6th July 1839.

Lord John Russell presents his humble duty to
your Majesty, and has the honour to report that
Mr Rice yesterday brought forward his financial state-
ment with great ability.

He moved a resolution in favour of a penny postage,
which Sir Robert Peel declared it to be his intention to
oppose on the report. This will be on Friday next.
This seems a mistake on the part of the Opposition.1

Queen Victoria to Viscount Melbourne.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 12th July 1839.
(20 minutes to 12.)

The Queen is really quite shocked to see that her
box was taken to Lord Melbourne to Park Lane, and
she fears (by the manner in which Lord Melbourne's
note is written), that he was at dinner at Lady
Elizabeth H. Vere's when he got it. The Queen
had imagined that the House of Lords was still
sitting, and therefore desired them to take the box
there, but never had intended it should follow him
to dinner; she begs Lord Melbourne to excuse this
mistake which must have appeared so strange.

Did the dinner go off well at Lady Elizabeth H.
Vere's, and were there many people there ? Did Lord
Melbourne go to Lady R. Grosvenor's party or did
he go home ?

The Queen hopes Lord Melbourne is quite well
and not tired.

Monday at two o'clock for the Judge Advocate.

The Queen hears Lady Sandwich is very much
delighted at her appointment.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 15th July 1839.

MY DEAR UNCLE, — I have no letter from you, but
hope to get one soon. . . .

1 The penny postage scheme came into operation on 10th January 1840.

224 THE QUEEN AND PRINCE ALBERT [CHAP, vm

I shall send this letter by a courier, as I am
anxious to put several questions to you, and to
mention some feelings of mine upon the subject of
my cousins' visit, which I am desirous should not
transpire. First of all I wish to know if Albert is
aware of the wish of his Father and you relative to
me 1 Secondly, if he knows that there is no engage-
ment between us ? I am anxious that you should
acquaint Uncle Ernest, that if I should like Albert,
that I can make no final promise this year, for, at the
very earliest, any such event could not take place
till tico or three years hence. For, independent of
my youth, and my great repugnance to change my
present position, there is no anccicty evinced in this
country for such an event, and it would be more
prudent, in my opinion, to wait till some such demon-
stration is shown, — else if it were hurried it might
produce discontent.

Though all the reports of Albert are most favour-
able, and though I have little doubt I shall like him,
still one can never answer beforehand tor feelings, and
I may not have the feeling for him which is requisite
to ensure happiness. I maij like him as a friend, and
as a cousin, and as a brother, but not more ; and should
this be the case (which is not likely) I am very
anxious that it should be understood that 1 am not
guilty of any breach of promise, for / never gave
any. I am sure you will understand my anxiety,
for I should otherwise, were this not completely
understood, be in a very painful position. As it
is, I am rather nervous about the visit, for the
subject I allude to is not an agreeable one to me.
I have little else to say, dear Uncle, as I have
now spoken openly to you, which I was very, very
anxious to do.

You will be at Paris, I suppose, when you get
this letter, and I therefore beg you to lay me at the
feet of the whole family, and to believe me ever your
very devoted Niece, VICTORIA R.

. cS/if bfrin&e (ooi^sort
1640

<Jrcin I /j I- portrait i"y~lcrhtv ^S-arbrLcL<ff aA Ju-uc&inaJiam /alac

/arc .

1839] THE DUCHESS OF BRAGANZA 225

Queen Victoria to discount Melbourne.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 20th July 1839.

The Queen anxiously hopes Lord Melbourne has
slept well, and has not suffered from last night. It
was very wrong of him not to wish the Queen good-
night, as she expected he would in so small a party,
for she saw that he did not go away immediately after
supper. When did he get home ? It was great
pleasure to the Queen that he came last night. We
kept up the dancing till past three, and the Queen
was much amused, and slept soundly from four till
half-past ten, which she is ashamed of. She is quite
well, but has got a good deal of cold in her head ;
she hopes to see Lord Melbourne at two.

Queen Victoria to Viscount Melbourne.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 25th July 1839.

The Queen has seen the Duchess of Braganza,1 who,
though a good deal changed, is still handsome, and
very amiable ; she seemed so glad, too, to see the
Queen again. The child 2 is grown a dear fine girl.
Lord Palmerston thought it right that I should ask
her to dinner also on Saturday and take her to the
Opera ; and on Sunday, as she came on purpose to
see the Queen, and goes on Monday.

On Sunday (besides Lord Melbourne) the Queen
proposes asking Palmerston, Normanby, Uxbridge, and
Surrey, and no one else except the Duchess's suite.
The Queen hopes Lord Melbourne will approve of
this. He will not forget to let the Queen know how
the debate is going on, at about nine or ten, as she
will be curious to know. She trusts he will not suffer
from the fatigue of to-night.

1 The stepmother of Donna Maria, Pedro I. assumed the title of Duke of
Braganza after his abdication.

2 Probably the princess known as " Chica," afterwards Princesse de JoinviiJe.
VOL. i. — 15

226 SYRIA [CHAP, viii

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

ST CLOUD, 26th July 1839.

. . . Everything is pretty quiet, and the grace
accordee a Barbes 1 has put down the rage against the
King personally, at least for some little time. The
affairs of the Orient interest a good deal. I think that
it is better the Porte should be on a favourable footing
with Mehemet Ali than if that gentleman had pushed
on in arms, as it will put the casus foederis out of the
question, and the Turks will not call in the assistance
of the Russians. Whoever pushed the late Sultan into
this war has done an act of great folly, as it could
only bring the Porte into jeopardy.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

3rd August, 1839.

Lord Melbourne will wait upon your Majesty at
a quarter before five, if possible, but there is much
to discuss at the Cabinet. The Capitan Pasha has
taken the Turkish fleet to Alexandria,2 and Mehemet
Ali says that he will not give it up to the Sultan
until he dismisses the Grand \7izir, and acknowledges
the hereditary right of the Pasha to the countries
which he at present governs. This is to make the
Sultan his subject and his vassal.

The accounts from Birmingham are by no means
good.3 There has been no disturbance of the peace,
but the general disposition is both violent and
determined.

1 Armand Barbes the leader of a fatal riot in Paris was sentenced to death ;
a sentence afterwards remitted.

2 The Viceroy of Egypt had revolted against the Porte, and on 8th June
the Sultan purported to deprive him and Ibrahim, his son, of their dignities.
War was declared, and the Turkish fleet despatched to Syria. But the
Admiral treacherously sailed to Alexandria, and the Ottoman troops, under
Hafiz, who had succeeded Mehemet Ali in the Government of Egypt, were
utterly routed. With the traitorous conduct of the Turkish Admiral,
Disraeli, a few years later, compared Peel's conversion to Free Trade.

8 Chartist riots were very frequent at the time. See Introductory Note,
ante, p. 178.

1839] AT THE OPERA 227

Queen Victoria to Viscount Melbourne.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, Mh August 1839.

The Queen hopes Lord Melbourne is quite well
this morning, and did not sit up working very late
last night ; the Queen met him twice yesterday in the
Park, and really wondered how anybody could ride,
for she came home much hotter than she went out, and
thought the air quite like as if it came out of an oven ;
to-day we can breathe again. It was intensely hot at
the Opera ; the Queen Dowager visited the Queen in
her box, as did also the young Grand Duke of Weimar,
who is just returned from Scotland, and whom the
Queen has asked to come after dinner to-morrow. The
Queen has not asked the Duke of Sussex to come after
dinner to-morrow, as she thought he would be bored
by such a sort of party ; does not Lord Melbourne
think so ? and she means to ask him to dinner soon.

The Queen has not asked Lord Melbourne about
any days this week besides to-morrow (when she trusts
he may be able to come, but she does not know what
there is in the House) and Wednesday ; but perhaps
Lord Melbourne will consent to leave Thursday and
Friday open in case he should be able to come one or
both of those days.

Queen Victoria to Viscount Melbourne.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 4th August 1839.

The Queen has just received Lord Melbourne's
letter ; and wishes to know if Lord Melbourne means
by " to-day " that he is also coming to see her this
afternoon (which she does not expect) as well as this
evening? for she did not ask him in her note of this
morning if he would come to-night (for she felt sure
of that), but if he could come to-morrow, about which
he has not answered her, as to whether he expects
there will be anything of great length in the House
of Lords. Lord Melbourne will forgive the Queen's

228 PROPOSED VISIT OF [CHAP,

troubling him again, but she felt a little puzzled by his
letter ; she sent him a card for Wednesday without
previously asking him, as she thought that would suit
him, and hopes it does ?

The Queen will follow Lord Melbourne's advice
respecting the Duke of Sussex.

We have just returned from hearing not only a
very long, and very bad, but also, a very ludicrous,
sermon.

The heat is somewhat less, but the Queen is
undecided as to driving out or not.

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

LAEKEN, 9th August 1839.

... I am sorry that you are less pleased with the
old Duke, but party spirit is in England an incurable
disease. These last two years he had rendered
essential service to the "present Administration ; perhaps
he has been soured by last summer's events. It was
my intention to have answered your questions sooner,
but from Paris I had not the means. Now the time
draws so near when I hope to have the happiness of
seeing you, that I think it will be better to treat the
matter verbally, the more so as my most beloved
Majesty is easily displeased with what may be written
with the best intention, instead that in conversation
the immediate reply renders any misunderstanding,
however small, very difficult ; and as I do not wish to
have any great or small with you, and see no occasion
for it, I will give my answer de vive voix.

Now comes a subject which will astonish you.
I am charged de sonder your will and pleasure on
the following subject. The King my father-in-law
goes to Eu, where he hopes to remain till the 5th or
6th of September. Having at his disposition some
very fine steamers, his great wish would be to go over
to Brighton, just for one afternoon and night, to offer
you his respects in person. He would in such a case

1839] THE KING OF THE FRENCH 229

bring with him the Queen, my Aunt, Clementine,1
Aumale and Montpensier. The first step in this
business is to know what your pleasure is, and to
learn that very frankly, as he perfectly understands
that, however short such a visit, it must be submitted
to the advice even of some of your Ministers. What
renders the thing very difficult, in my opinion, is that
in a country like France, and with so many Ministerial
difficulties, the King to the last hour will hardly know
if he can undertake the thing. As, however, the first
object is to know your will, he begged me to ascertain
that, and to tell you that if you had the smallest objec-
tion you would not be carried away by the apprehension
of hurting him by telling me honestly that you did
not see how the affair could be arranged, but to speak
out, that he knew enough how often objections may
arise, and that even with himself he could only be
sure of the thing at the last moment.

Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria.

FOREIGN OFFICE, 19th August 1839.

Viscount Palmerston presents his humble duty to
your Majesty, and in submitting the accompanying
private letter from the Earl Granville2 begs to state
that neither Viscount Melbourne nor Viscount
Palmerston are of opinion that it would be expedient
that your Majesty should send an Ambassador
Extraordinary to compliment the young Sultan3 on

1 Who afterwards married Queen Victoria's cousin, Prince Augustus
(Gusti) of Coburg.

a The first Earl Granville (1773-1846), formerly Ambassador Extra-
ordinary to the Russian Court, at this time Ambassador at Paris.

8 Abdul Medjid, a lad of sixteen, succeeded the Sultan Mahmoud.
The majority of the Powers agreed to place him under the protection of
Europe, and to warn Mehemet Ali that the matter was for Europe, not him,
to decide. France, however, wished to support Mehemet, and direct the
Alliance against Russia. But Nicholas I. of Russia was prepared to support
England as far as regarded the affairs of Turkey and Egypt, and to close the
Dardanelles and Bosphorus to war-ships of all nations, it being stipulated that
Russian ships of war only were to pass the Bosphorus, as acting under the
mandate of Europe in defence of the Turks. See further, Introductory Notes
for 1839 and 1840.

230 ENGLAND AND THE SULTAN [CHAP,

his accession. The circumstances connected with
his accession are indeed fitter matter for condolence
than for congratulation, and he would probably be
better pleased by the restoration of his fleet than
by the arrival of Ambassadors Extraordinary. More-
over, it has not been customary for the Sovereign of
England to send such missions upon the accession of
Sultans.

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

OSTENDE, 21th August 1839.

. . . The King's intention would be to leave Eu in
the evening, let us say at eight or nine o'clock, and
to land, perhaps at ten or eleven, at Brighton on the
following morning. He would have the honour of
dining with you, and would re-embark in the evening
of the same day, so as to be back on the following
morning at Eu. He will therefore, as you see, not
sleep in England.

If you cannot give any pied-a-terre in the
Palace for these few hours, they will remain in an
hotel. But I must say that as the King and Queen
put themselves to some inconvenience in coming to
see you, it would be rather desirable to offer them
rooms in the Palace, which I think might be easily
managed. As far as we are concerned it docs not
matter if we are housed in an hotel or where we
bivouac. I will charge Van de Weyer to take rooms
for us somewhere. . . .

Do not imagine that I have done the least to bring
this about for my own satisfaction, which is very
limited in this business, but the King wished much
to see you once, and so did the Queen, who abhors
sailing more than anybody, and this is perhaps the
only opportunity which may ever offer of doing it,
even with some political benefit, as it certainly is

1839] LOUIS PHILIPPE'S VISIT 231

desirable that it should appear that the two maritime
Powers are on good terms. ... And now, God
bless you ! Ever, my dearest Victoria, your devoted
Uncle, LEOPOLD R.

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

OSTENDE, 25th August 1839.
(La St Louis. )

MY DEAR VICTORIA, — To keep up the fire of letters,
I write again, having received this morning interesting
news. As I must forward this letter by Calais, and
know not who may read it in these times of curiosity,
I am forced to be guarded ; but the news are as follows,
of the 23rd — curious coincidence, as your letter was
also of that date — that, the moment approaching, many
and serious difficulties arise, and that the expedition
was considered imprudent by some people, that, besides,
the presence would perhaps be required, before the
possible departure, at the usual home of the person
interested, that therefore for the present it would
perhaps be best to give it up. I must say that I am
most happy that matters have come to this pass, because
it would have been next to impossible to arrange affairs
properly in proper time. You may now consider
everything as over, and settle your plans without
reference to it.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 26th August 1839.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — I had already written you
a letter when I received your two very kind ones,
and I shall therefore not send my first. My friendship
for the dear King and Queen makes me, as you may
easily understand, wish most exceedingly to see them,
and to make the acquaintance of the Queen and all

232 THE VISIT POSTPONED [CHAP, vm

the family. And I feel the immense kindness of
them all in wishing to see me, and in coming over
for only a few hours. Politically it would be wished
by us all, and the only difficulty I see is the following,
which is, that / do not fed quite equal to going to
Brighton and receiving them all, so soon after the
Prorogation.1 I do not feel well ; I feel thoroughly
exhausted from all that I have gone through this
Session, and am quite knocked up by the two little
trips I made to Windsor. This makes me fear, un-
certain as it all is, with such a pressure of business, so
many affairs, and with so much going on, that I should
be unequal to the journey and the whole thing. This,
and this alone, could make me express a wish that
this most kind visit should take place next year instead
of this year. I feel such regret really in saying this
— I should so wish to see them, and yet I feel I am
not quite up to it. You will understand me, dear
Uncle, I am certain, as I know the anxiety you
always express for my health. For once I long to
leave London, and shall do so on Friday. If you
could be at Windsor by the 4th, I should be delighted.
The dear Ferdinands, whom I all dearly love, will
await you here. I have had so much to do and so
many people to see, that I feel quite confused and
have written shockingly, which you must forgive.
Ever your devoted Niece, VICTORIA R.

Queen Victoria to Viscount Melbourne.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 26th August, 1839.
(10 minutes to 12.)

The Queen has received both Lord Melbourne's
notes ; she was a good deal vexed at his not coming,
as she had begged him herself to do so, and as he wrote
to say he would, and also as she thinks it right and of
importance that Lord Melbourne should be here at

1 On 27th August

1839] PREPARING THE SPEECH 233

large dinners ; the Queen insists upon his coming to
dinner to-morrow, and also begs him to do so on
Wednesday, her two last nights in town, and as she
will probably not see him at all for two days when she
goes on Friday ; the Queen would wish to see Lord
Melbourne after the Prorogation to-morrow at any
hour before five he likes best.

The Queen has been a good deal annoyed this
evening, at Normanby's telling her that John Russell
was coming to town next Monday in order to change
with him.1 Lord Melbourne never told the Queen that
this was definitely settled, on the contrary, he said it
would " remain in our hands," to use Lord Melbourne's
own words, and only be settled during the Vacation ;
considering all that the Queen has said on the subject
to Lord Melbourne, and considering the great con-
fidence the Queen has in Lord Melbourne, she thinks
and feels he ought to have told her that this was
settled, and not let the Queen be the last person to
hear what is settled and done in her own name ; Lord
Melbourne will excuse the Queen's being a little eager
about this, but it has happened once before that she
learnt from other people what had been decided on.

The Queen has such unlimited confidence in Lord
Melbourne that she knows all that he does is right,
but she cannot help being a little vexed at not being
told things, when she is accustomed to great confidence
on Lord Melbourne's part.

Lord Melbourne may rely on the Queen's secrecy
respecting Howick ; he knows the Queen always keeps
things to herself; Normanby hinted at his wish to get
rid of Howick.

The Speech is safely arrived, has been read over
twice, and shall not be forgotten to-morrow ; the Queen
wishes they would not use such thin and slippery paper
— for it is difficult to hold with nervous, and, as Lord
Melbourne knows, shaking hands. The Queen trusts
Lord Melbourne will be less tired in the morning.

1 See Introductory Note, ante, p. 178.

234 UNCLE AND NIECE [CHAP, vm

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

OSTENDE, 21st September 1839.

MY DEAREST VICTORIA, — Your delightful little
letter has just arrived and went like an arrow to my
heart. Yes, my beloved Victoria ! I do love you
tenderly, and with all the power of affection which
is often found in characters who do not make much
outward show of it. I love you for yourself, and I
love in you the dear child whose welfare I carefully
watched. My great wish is always that you should
know that I am desirous of being useful to you,
without hoping for any other return than some little
affection from your warm and kind heart. I am even
so far pleased that my eternal political affairs are
settled, as it takes away the last possibility of
imagining that I may want something or other. I
have all the honours that can be given, and I am,
politically speaking, very solidly established, more so
than most Sovereigns in Europe. The only political
longing I still have is for the Orient, where I perhaps
shall once end my life, unlike the sun, rising in the
West and setting in the East. I never press my
services on you, nor my councils, though I may say
with some truth that from the extraordinary fate
which the higher powers had ordained for me, my
experience, both political and of private life, is great.
I am always ready to be useful to you when and
where it may be, and I repeat it, all I want in return
is some little sincere affection from you. . . .

And now I conclude for to-day, not without express-
ing again my satisfaction and pleasure at having seen
you yesterday morning with your dear honest face,
looking so dear in your morning attire. Our time
was spent very satisfactorily, and only the weather
crossed our wishes, and to that one can submit when
everything else is delightful. Once more, God bless
you ! Ever, my dearest Victoria, your devoted Uncle,

LEOPOLD R.

1839] COMING VISIT OF PRINCE ALBERT 235

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 25th September 1839.

MY DEAR UNCLE, — You will, I think, laugh when you
get this letter, and will think I only mean to employ
you in stopping my relations at Brussels, but I think
you will approve of my wish. In the first place I
don't think one can reckon on the Cousins arriving
here on the 30th. Well, all I want is that you should
detain them one or two days longer, in order that they
may arrive here on Thursday, the 3rd, if possible early.
My reason for this is as follows : a number of the
Ministers are coming down here on Monday to stay
till Thursday, on affairs of great importance, and as
you know that people are always on the alert to make
remarks, I think if all the Ministers were to be down
here when they arrive, people would say — it was to
settle matters. At all events it is better to avoid
this. I think indeed a day or two at Brussels will
do these young gentlemen good, and they can be
properly fitted out there for their visit. Ever yours
devotedly, VICTORIA R.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 1st October 1839.

MY DEAR UNCLE, — I received your kind letter on
Sunday, for which many thanks. The retard of these
young people puts me rather out, but of course cannot
be helped. I had a letter from Albert yesterday saying
they could not set off, he thought, before the 6th. I
think they don't exhibit much empressement to come
here, which rather shocks me.

I got a very nice letter from dear Alexander
yesterday from Reinhardtsbrun ; 1 he says Albert is
very much improved, but not taller than Augustus.
His description of him is as follows : — "Albert, I
found, had become stronger and more handsome ; still
he has not grown much taller ; he is of about the

1 A picturesque castle, about eight miles from Gotha.

236 A CHARM AGAINST EVIL [CHAP, vm

same size as Augustus ; he is a most pleasant, intelli-
gent young man. I find, too, that he has become
more lively than he was, and that sits well on him,
too." (Translation.} I think you may like to hear
this, as I know Alexander is a very correct observer
of persons, and his opinion may be relied upon. He
adds that Albert plagues Leopold beyond measure.

I shall take care and send a gentleman and
carriages to meet my cousins, either at Woolwich or
the Tower, at whichever place you inform me they
land at. The sooner they come the better. I have
got the house full of Ministers. On Monday the
Queen Dowager is coming to sleep here for two
nights ; it is the first time, and will be a severe trial.
Ever your devoted Niece, VICTORIA R.

Queen Victoria to Viscount Melbourne.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 1th October 1839.

The Queen sends the little charm which she hopes
may keep Lord Melbourne from all evil, and which it
will make her very happy if he will put [? it with] his
keys. If the ring is too small Lord Melbourne must
send it back to her, and she will have it altered.

The Queen has made up her mind at length to ask
Lady Clanricarde, as Lord Melbourne wishes it so much.
Shall Surrey invite her, or Lord Palmerston ? and from
Thursday to Friday ?

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

WINDSOR CASTLE, Sth October 1839.

MY DEAR UNCLE, — I have to thank you for three kind
letters of the 1st, 4th, and 5th, the last which I received
yesterday. I received another letter from Alex. M.
yesterday, since Ernest's arrival, and he says that they
have determined on setting off, so as to embark at
Antwerp on the 9th and be here after all on the 10th !
I suppose you will have also heard. I shall therefore
(unless I hear from you to the contrary) send one of my
equerries and two carriages to the Tower on Thursday.

1839] ARRIVAL OF THE COUSINS 237

I am sorry to hear of the serious disturbances at
Ghent ; I trust it is all got under now. If you should
hear anything more of Roi Guillaume's1 marriage,
pray let me hear it, as it is such an odd story. Old
Alava, who was here for two nights last week, told
me he knew Pauline (TOultremont many years ago,
when she was young and very gay and pretty, but
that he wonders much at this marriage, as the King
hates Catholics. Alava is rayonnant de bonheur.

I told Lord Melbourne of your alarms respecting
the financial crisis, which we did not bring on — those
wild American speculations are the cause of it — and
he desires me to assure you that we will pursue as
moderate and cautious a course as possible.

The Queen Dowager came here yesterday and
stays till to-morrow ; she is very cheerful and in good
spirits. . . .

I must conclude in haste. Ever your devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

Many thanks for the two supplies of ortolans, which
were delicious.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

WINDSOR CASTLE, \<2th October 1839.

MY DEAR. UNCLE, — ... The dear cousins arrived
at half-past seven on Thursday, after a very bad and
almost dangerous passage, but looking both very well,
and much improved. Having no clothes they could
not appear at dinner, but nevertheless debuted after
dinner in their neglige. Ernest is grown quite hand-
some ; Albert's beauty is most striking, and he so
amiable and unaffected — in short, very fascinating ;
he is excessively admired here. The Granvilles and
Lord Clanricarde2 happened just to be here, but are

1 William I. , King of the Netherlands, was greatly attached to the Roman
Catholic Countess d'Oultremont, and in October 1840, being sixty-seven,
abdicated his Crown to marry her. He was father of the Prince of Orange,
who succeeded him.

2 Ulick John, first Marquis of Clanricarde (1802-1874), Ambassador at
St Petersburg, afterwards Lord Privy Seal.

238 A MOMENTOUS DECISION [CHAP, vra

gone again to-day. We rode out yesterday and
danced after dinner. The young men are very amiable,
delightful companions, and I am very happy to have
them here ; they are playing some Symphonies of
Haydn under me at this very moment ; they are
passionately fond of music.

In the way of news I have got nothing to tell you
to-day. Everything is quiet here, and we have no
particular news from abroad. In Spain the Fueros1
seem to give sad difficulty to the Cortes.

Ever, my dearest Uncle, your devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 15th October 1839.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — This letter will, I am sure,
give you pleasure, for you have always shown and
taken so warm an interest in all that concerns
me. My mind is quite made up — and I told Albert
this morning of it ; the warm affection he showed
me on learning this gave me great pleasure. He
seems perfection, and I think that I have the
prospect of very great happiness before me. I love
him more than I can say, and I shall do everything
in my power to render the sacrifice he has made
(for a sacrifice in my opinion it is) as small as I
can. He seems to have a very great tact — a very
necessary thing in his position. These last few days
have passed like a dream to me, and I am so much
bewildered by it all that I know hardly how to
write ; but I do feel very, very happy.

It is absolutely necessary that this determination
of mine should be known to no one but yourself, and
Uncle Ernest — till the meeting of Parliament — as it
would be considered otherwise neglectful on my part
not to have assembled Parliament at once to have
informed them of it. ... Lord Melbourne, whom I of
course have consulted about the whole affair, quite

1 Certain rights and privileges of the Basques.

1839] MELBOURNE'S CONGRATULATIONS 239

approves my choice, and expresses great satisfaction
at the event, which he thinks in every way highly
desirable. Lord Melbourne has acted in this business,
as he has always done towards me, with the greatest
kindness and affection.

We also think it better, and Albert quite approves
of it, that we should be married very soon after
Parliament meets, about the beginning of February ;
and indeed, loving Albert as I do, I cannot wish it
should be delayed. My feelings are a little changed,
I must say, since last Spring, when I said I couldn't
think of marrying for three or four years; but seeing
Albert has changed all this.

Pray, dearest Uncle, forward these two letters to
Uncle Ernest (to whom I beg you will enjoin strict
secrecy, and explain these details, which 1 have not
time to do) and to faithful Stockmar.

I think you might tell Louise of it, but none of
her family. I should wish to keep the dear young
gentlemen here till the end of next month. Ernest's
sincere pleasure gave me great delight. He does so
adore dearest Albert. Ever, dearest Uncle, your
devoted Niece, VICTORIA R.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 16th October 1839.

Lord Melbourne will be ready to wait upon your
Majesty at a little before one.

Lord Melbourne reads with great satisfaction your
Majesty's expression of feeling, as your Majesty's
happiness must ever be one of Lord Melbourne's first
objects and strongest interests.

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

WIESBADEN, 24th October 1839.

MY DEAREST VICTORIA, — Nothing could have given
me greater pleasure than your dear letter. I had,
when I saw your decision, almost the feeling of old

240 KING LEOPOLD'S SATISFACTION [CHAP,

Zacharias — " Now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in
peace ! ' Your choice had been for these last years
my conviction of what might and would be best for
your happiness ; and just because I was convinced of
it, and knowing how strangely fate often deranges
what one tries to bring about as being the best plan
one could fix upon, the maximum of a good arrange-
ment, I feared that it would not happen. In your
position, which may and will, perhaps, become in
future even more difficult in a political point of view,
you could not exist without having a happy and an
agreeable intcrieur.

And I am much deceived — which I think I am
not — or you will find in Albert just the very qualities
and dispositions which are indispensable for your
happiness, and which will suit your own character,
temper, and mode of life. You say most amiably
that you consider it a sacrifice on the part of Albert.
This is true in many points, because his position will
be a difficult one ; but much, I may say all, will
depend on your affection for him. If you love him,
and are kind to him, he will easily bear the burthen
of the position ; and there is a steadiness and at the
same time cheerfulness in his character which will
facilitate this. I think your plans excellent. If
Parliament had been called at an unusual time it
would make them uncomfortable, and if, therefore,
they receive the communication at the opening of
the Session it will be best. The marriage, as you
say, might then follow as closely as possible.

Lord Melbourne has shown himself the amiable
and excellent man I always took him for. Another
man in his position, instead of your happiness, might
have merely looked to his own personal views and
imaginary interests, not so our good friend ; he saw
what was bestybr you, and I feel it deeply to his praise.

Your keeping the cousins next month with you
strikes me as a very good plan. It will even show
that you had sufficient opportunity of judging of
Albert's character.

1839] AUSTRIA AND THE PORTE

On the 22nd Prince Metternich came to see me.
He was very kind, and talked most confidentially
about political affairs, particularly the Oriental concerns.1
M. de Brunnow had been with him. The short of his
views is this : he wishes that the Powers could be
unanimous, as he sees in this the best chance of
avoiding measures of violence against the Pasha of
Egypt, which he considers dangerous, either as not
sufficiently effective, or of a nature to bring on
complications most earnestly to be avoided, such as
making use of Russian troops.

Austria naturally would like to bring about the
best possible arrangement for the Porte, but it will
adhere to any arrangement or proposition which can
be agreed upon by England and France. He is,
however, positive that Candia must be given back
to the Porte, its position being too threatening, and
therefore constantly alarming the Porte. He made
me write the import of our conversation to King
Louis Philippe, which I did send after him to
Frankfort, where he was to forward it to Paris.
Perhaps you will have the goodness to communicate
this political scrap to good Lord Melbourne with
my best regards. He spoke in praise of Lord
Beauvale.2 The Prince is better, but grown very old
and looking tired. It gave me great pleasure to see
him again.

I drink the waters now four days, and can therefore
not yet judge of their good or bad effects. My
palpitations are rather increased here ; if my stupid
heart will get diseased I shall soon be departing for
some other world. I would it could be soon then.

Till further orders I shall say nothing to your
Mother, Charles, or Feodore.

Now I will conclude with my best blessings, and
remain, my dearest and most beloved Victoria, your
devoted Uncle, LEOPOLD R.

1 See Introductory Notes for 1839 and 1840.

2 Frederick Lamb, younger brother of Lord Melbourne, Ambassador
Extraordinary at Vienna, who had recently been made a Peer.

VOL. i. — 16

242 THE QUEEN'S HAPPINESS [CHAP,

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 29/A October 1839.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — Your most kind and most
welcome letter of the 24th arrived yesterday, and
gave me very, very great pleasure. I was sure you
would be satisfied and pleased with our proceedings.

Before I proceed further, I wish just to mention
one or two alterations in the plan of announcing the
event.

As Parliament has nothing whatever to say respect-
ing the marriage, can neither approve or disapprove
it (I mean in a manner which might affect it), it is
now proposed that, as soon as the cousins are gone
(which they now intend to do on the 12th or 14th
of November, as time presses) I should assemble all
the Privy Councillors and announce to them my
intention. . . .

Oh ! dear Uncle, I do feel so happy ! I do so
adore Albert ! he is quite an angel, and so very, very
kind to me, and seems so fond of me, which touches
me much. 1 trust and hope I shall be able to make
him as happy as he ought to be ! I cannot bear
to part from him, for we spend such happy delightful
hours together.

Poor Ernest has been suffering since Wednesday
last with the jaundice, which is very distressing and
troublesome, though not alarming. ... I love him
dearly too, and look upon him quite as a brother.

What you say about Lord Melbourne has given
me great pleasure ; it is very just and very true.
There are not many such honest kind friends to be
found in this world. He desires me to say that he is
deeply sensible of your good opinion, and that he can
have no other object than that which he considers
best to secure my happiness, which is closely connected
with the well-being of the country.

1839] QUEEN LOUISE'S CONGRATULATIONS 243

I am glad you saw Prince Metternich, and that
you were satisfied with the interview.

I hope and trust you may derive much benefit
from your stay at Wiesbaden. Pray name me to
good Stockmar, and believe me, always, your most
devoted Niece and Child, VICTORIA R.

The Queen of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

LAEKEN, 9th November 1839.

MY MOST BELOVED VICTORIA, — Your Uncle has
already told you, I trust, with what feelings of deep
affection and gratitude I received the so interesting'
and important communication which you permitted
him to make to me ; but I was longing for an oppor-
tunity to speak to you myself of the great subject
which fills now our hearts, and to tell you how very
grateful I have been, I am, and will ever be, for the
confidence and trust which you so kindly placed in
me. All I can say is that you did full justice to my
feelings, for nothing could interest more my heart than
your marriage, my most dearly loved Victoria, and I
could not have heard even of that of Clementine with
more anxious affection and sisterly love. I cannot
really tell you with words how deeply and strongly
I was moved and affected by the great news itself,
and by your dear, unaffected, confiding, happy letter.
When I received it I could do nothing but cry, and
say internally, " May God bless her now and ever ! "
Ah ! may God bless you, my most beloved Victoria !
may He shower on you His best blessings, fulfil all your
heart's wishes and hopes, and let you enjoy for many,
many years the happiness which the dearest ties of
affection alone can give, and which is the only real one,
the only worthy of the name in this uncertain and
transitory world !

I have seen much of dear Albert two years

244 QUEEN LOUISE'S CONGRATULATIONS [CHAP, vm

ago, I have watched him, as you may well think, with
particular care, attention, and interest, and although
he was very young then, I am well convinced that he
is not only fit for the situation which he is now called
to fulfil, but, what is still more important in my eyes,
that he has all those qualities of the heart and the mind
which can give and ensure happiness. I think even
that his disposition is particularly well calculated to
suit yours, and I am fully confident that you will
be both happy together. What you tell me of your
fear of not being worthy of him, and able to make him
sufficiently happy, is for me but a proof more of it.
Deep affection makes us always diffident and very
humble. Those that we love stand so high in our
own esteem, and are in our opinion so much above
us and all others that we naturally feel unworthy
of them and unequal to the task of making them
happy : but there is, I think, a mingled charm in this
feeling, for although we regret not to be what we
should wish to be for them, feeling and acknowledging
the superiority of those we love, and must always love
and respect, is a great satisfaction, and an increasing
and everlasting one. You will feel it, I am sure, as
well as I do. . . .

You will excuse my blots and hurried scribbling
when I will tell you that in order to profit of the
private messenger which goes to-morrow morning I
write to you at ten in the evening, a thing quite
unusual for me, and even rather forbidden : but after
having been deprived of expending my heart for so
many days, I could not avail myself of the present
opportunity. When I write to you by the ordinary
messenger I will continue to be silent; but I trust
you will permit me to say some time a word, when a
safe opportunity presents itself, for my heart is with
you more than I can tell. I would that I could
see you, when it could be, for an hour. I remain,
my most beloved Victoria, ever and ever your most
affectionate LOUISE.

1839] LETTERS TO THE ROYAL FAMILY 245

Queen Victoria to the Duke of Sussex.

WINDSOR CASTLE, \<Mh November 1839.

MY DEAR UNCLE, — The affection which you have
shown me makes me feel certain that you will take
interest in an event which so nearly concerns the future
happiness of my life ; I cannot, therefore, delay any
longer to inform you of my intended marriage with
my Cousin Albert, the merits of whose character are
so well known by all who are acquainted with him,
that I need say no more than that I feel as assured
of my own happiness as I can be of anything in this
world.

As it is not to be publicly known, I beg you not
to mention it except to our own Family.

I hope you are well and enjoying yourself. Believe
me always your affectionate Niece, VICTORIA R.1

Queen Victoria to Queen Adelaide.

WINDSOR CASTLE, November, 1839.

MY DEAR AUNT, — Your constant kindness and the
affection you have ever shown me make me certain that
you will take much interest in an event which so nearly
concerns the future happiness of my life ; I cannot,
therefore, any longer delay to inform you of my
intended marriage with my Cousin Albert. The merits
of his character are so well known to all who are
acquainted with him, that I need say no more than
that I feel as assured of my own happiness as I can be
of anything here below, and only hope that I may be
able to make him as happy as he deserves to be. It
was both my duty and my inclination to tell you of this
as soon as it was determined upon ; but, as it is not

1 Similar letters with slight variations were written to the Duke of
Cambridge, the Princess Augusta, the Princess Sophia, the Duchess of
Gloucester, the Princess Sophia Matilda, the King of Hanover, and the
Princess Elizabeth (Landgravine of Hesse-Homburg).

246 NEWS NOT ANNOUNCED PUBLICLY [CHAP, vm

to be yet publicly announced I beg you not to mention
it except to our own Family. I thank you much for
your kind letter, and rejoice to hear you have enjoyed
yourself so much. Believe me always your very affec-
tionate Niece, VICTORIA R.

Queen Victoria to Viscount Melbourne.

WINDSOR CASTLE, ISth November 1839.

The Queen just writes two lines to send Lord
Melbourne the accompanying civil letter from the
Queen Dowager, and to give him an account of the
visit of the Cambridges. They were all very kind
and civil, George grown but not embellished, and
much less reserved with the Queen, and evidently
happy to be clear of me. He gave a very indifferent
account of the King of Greece, but a favourable one
of the Queen.

The Duchess said she had expected the Queen
would marry Albert, and was not surprised at the event.
They were very discreet and asked no questions, but
described the Duchess of Gloucester to be suffering
much from the necessity of keeping the secret.

The weather cleared up, and the Queen has just
returned from a walk. She hopes Lord Melbourne
got safe to London in spite of the wet and the water
on the road ; and she hopes he will take great care of
himself. She would be thankful if he would let her
know to-morrow if he will dine with her also on
Thursday or not.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 19th November 1839.

MY DEAR UNCLE, — Many thanks for your kind
letter of the 5th, received last week. I am in a great
hurry, and therefore have only time to write to you
a line to tell you, first, that on the 15th I wrote to

1839] LETTER TO THE PRIN7CE ALBERT 247

all the Royal Family announcing the event to them,
and that they answered all very kindly and civilly ;
the Duchess of Cambridge and Augusta, with the
Duke and George, came over on purpose to con-
gratulate me yesterday ; secondly, that the marriage
is to be publicly announced in an Open Council on
the 23rd, at Buckingham Palace, where I am going
to-morrow. I return here after the Council on the
23rd. I am so happy to think I need not then
conceal my feelings any longer. I have also written
to the King of Hanover and the Landgravine,1 and to
all our relations abroad. I hope, dear Uncle, you will
not have ill-treated my dearest Albert ? I am very
anxious to hear from him from Wiesbaden. Ever
your devoted Niece, VICTORIA R.

[The following extracts of letters from the Queen
to Prince Albert were written partly in English
and partly in German. The English portions
are printed in italics, the German, translated,
in ordinary type. These letters are all written
in terms of profound affection, which deepened
very shortly into complete and absolute devotion
to the Prince.]

Queen Victoria to the Prince Albert.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 2lst November 1839.

... It is desired here that the matter should be
declared at Coburg as soon as possible, and immediately
after that I shall send you the Order.2

Your rank will be settled just before you come
over, as also your rank in the Army. Everything
will be very easily arranged. Lord Melbourne showed
me ^esterday the Declaration, which is very simple
and nice. I will send it you as soon as possible. . . .

1 Princess Elizabeth (1770-1840), daughter of George III. and widow of
the Landgrave Frederick Joseph Louis of Hesse-Homburg.
a The Garter.

248 THE PRINCE'S RELIGION [CHAP, vm

Lord Melbourne told me yesterday, that the whole
Cabinet are strongly of opinion that you should not be
made a Peer. I will write that to Uncle. . . .

22nd November 1839.

. . . Lord Melbourne has just been with me, and
greatly wishes the Declaration to be made at Coburg
as soon as possible. He also desired me to ask you
to see if you can . . . a short History of the House
of Saxe-Coburg, who our direct ancestors were, and
what part they took in the Protestant, or rather
Lutheran, religion; he wishes to hear this in order
to make people here know exactly "who your ancestors
arc, for a few stupid people here try to say you are
a Catholic, but nobody will believe it. Send (it) as
soon as possible ; perhaps good Mr Schenk would
write it out in English. . . .

As there is nothing to be settled for me, we require
no treaty of marriage ; but if you should require any-
thing- to be settled, the best will be to send it here.
Respecting the succession, in case Ernest should die
without children, it would not do to stipulate now, but
your second son, if you had one, should reside at
Coburg. That can easily be arranged if the thing
should happen hereafter, and the English would not
like it to be arranged now. . . .

Queen Victoria to the Prince Albert.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 23rd November 1

. . . Just arrived here, 5.30. Everything has gone
off very well. The Council * was held at two o'clock ;
more than a hundred persons were present, and there
I had to read the Declaration. It was rather an awful

1 A Special Meeting of the Privy Council was held on the 23rd November,
to receive the Queen's intimation of her engagement. The Queen wrote in
her journal : -

" I went in ; the room was full, but I hardly knew who was there. Lord
M. I saw, looking at me with tears in his eyes, but he was not near me. I
then read my short Declaration. I felt my hands shook, but I did not make
one mistake. I felt more happy and thankful when it was over."

1839] ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE COUNCIL 249

moment, to be obliged to announce this to so many people,
many of whom were quite strangers, but they told me I
did it very well, and I felt so happy to do it.

Good Lord Melbourne was deeply moved about
it, and Uxbridge likewise ; it lasted only two or three
minutes. Everybody, they tell me, is very much pleased,
and I wish you could have seen the crowds of people who
cheered me loudly as I left the Palace for Windsor.
I am so happy to-day ! oh, if only you could be here !
I wish that you were able to participate in all the
kindness which is shown to me. To-day I can only
send you the Declaration.1 The description of the whole
I will send after this. . . .

Send me as soon as possible the report of the
announcement at Coburg. I wear your dear picture
mornings and evenings, and wore it also at the
meeting of the Conscil.

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

WIESBADEV, 22nd November 1839.

MY DEAREST VICTORIA, — I was delighted with your
dear little letter. You write these kind of letters
with a very great facility, and they are generally so
natural and clever, that it makes one very happy to

1 J. W. Croker wrote to Lady Hardwicke : —

November 1839.

"... She then unfolded a paper and read her declaration, which you will,
before this can reach you, have seen in the newspapers. I cannot describe to
you with what a mixture of self-possession and feminine delicacy she read the
paper. Her voice, which is naturally beautiful, was clear and untroubled ;
and her eye was bright and calm, neither bold nor downcast, but firm and
soft. There was a blush on her cheek which made her look both handsomer
and more interesting ; and certainly she did look as interesting and as
handsome as any young lady I ever saw.

" I happened to stand behind the Duke of Wellington's chair, and caught
her eye twice as she directed it towards him, which I fancy she did with a
good-natured interest. . . . The crowd, which was not great but very
decent, I might almost say respectable, expressed their approbation of the
Duke of Wellington and Sir R. Peel, and their disapprobation of the
Ministers very loudly. Lord John and Lord Normanby, they tell me, were
positively hooted. . . . Lord Melbourne . . . seemed to me to look care-
worn, and on the whole the meeting had a sombre air." — Croker Papers,
II. 359.

250 A MARRIAGE TREATY [CHAP,

receive them. I had written less of late, because I
thought you occupied more agreeably than to read my
letters. I have on purpose kept back a courier, to
be able to send you the latest news from here of
M. Albert. The young people arrived here only on the
20th, in the morning, having very kindly stopped at
Bonn. I find them looking well, particularly Albert ;
it proves that happiness is an excellent remedy, and
keeps people in better health than any other. He is
much attached to you, and moved when he speaks of
you. He is, besides, in great spirits and gaiety, and
full of fun ; he is a very amiable companion.

Concerning the peerage, that is a matter to be
considered at any time ; the only reason why I do
wish it is, that Albert's foreignership should disappear
as much as possible. I have, in different circumstances
to be sure, suffered greatly from my having declined
conditionally the peerage when it was offered me in
1816.1 Your Uncle2 writes to you in German; as far
as I understood him he speaks of the necessity of a
marriage treaty ; that is a matter of course. There is,
however, something additional to be regulated con-
cerning the possible succession in the Coburg-Gotha
dominions, there being betwixt it and Albert but good
Ernest. Some regulation becomes therefore necessary,
at least reasonable. The Duke wishes also to know if
the treaty is to be made in England or in Germany.
Should the last of the two be fixed upon, he thinks
that one of your Ministers abroad would be the proper
person for it. Ever, my dear Victoria, your devoted
Uncle, LEOPOLD R.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 26tk November 1839.

MY DEAR UNCLE, — I thank you for your kind
letter which I received the day before yesterday ; but
I fear you must have been very dull at Wiesbaden. . . .

1 The Dukedom of Kendal was offered to, and, after consideration, declined
by, Prince Leopold.

2 The Duke of Saxe-Coburg (Ernest I.).

1839] QUESTION OF A PEERAGE 251

Everything went off uncommonly well on the 23rd,
but it was rather formidable ; l eighty- two Privy
Councillors present ; everybody very much pleased —
and I was loudly greeted on leaving the Palace after
the Council.

The whole Cabinet agree with me in being strongly
of opinion that Albert should not be a Peer ; indeed,
I see everything against it and nothing for it ; the
English are very jealous at the idea of Albert's
having any political power, or meddling with affairs
here — which I know from himself he will not do.

As Wiesbaden is half-way (or thereabouts) to
Coburg, I take the liberty of enclosing a large letter
to Albert, which I beg you to send on to him.

We are quite flooded here, and the road to
Datchet is quite impassable. Ever your devoted
Niece, VICTORIA R.

discount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

27th November 1839.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. . . .

A little civility would be well bestowed upon
Lord and Lady Tankerville, and might not be without
its effect, but if your Majesty does not like it, it
cannot be helped.

The others also shall, if possible, be kept in good
humour.

The misrepresentation respecting Prince Alexander 2
your Majesty will see corrected in the Morning
Chronicle of that morning, but of course your
Majesty will not expect that this contradiction will
put an end to bitter and offensive remarks. It will
now be said that, knowing the true religion, he has
given over his children to the false, and that he has
sacrificed their eternal welfare to his own worldly

1 Greville mentions that the Queen's hands trembled so, that she could
hardly read the Declaration which she was holding.

2 Prince Alexander of Wurtemberg.

252 ENGLISH SUSCEPTIBILITIES [CHAP.

objects.1 There is nothing which cannot be turned
in an hostile and malignant manner by malignity and
perverted ingenuity.

Can your Majesty inform Lord Melbourne what
is the arrangement respecting King Leopold's children ?
They are, Lord Melbourne presumes, to be brought up
Roman Catholics.

Lord Melbourne earnestly hopes to hear that your
Majesty is better and more free from pain. He is
himself very well.

Queen Victoria to the Prince Albert.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 27th November 1839.

• ••••••

The English are very jealous of any foreigner
interfering in the government of this country, and
have already in some of the papers (which are
friendly to me and you] expressed a hope that you
would not interfere. Now, though I know you never
would, still, if you were a Peer they would all say,
the Prince meant to play a political part. I am
certain you will understand this, but it is much
better not to say anything more about it now,
and to let the whole matter rest. The Tories
make a great disturbance (saying) that you are a
Papist, because the words "a Protestant Prince" have
not been put into the Declaration — a thing which
would be quite unnecessary, seeing that I cannot
marry a Papist. . . .

Queen Victoria to the Prince Albert.

29th November 1839.

I had a talk with Lord Melbourne last night.
He thinks your view about the Peerage question
quite correct. Uncle seems to me, after all, much
more reasonable about it. We had a good talk this
morning about your arrangements for our marriage,

1 See ante, p. 189.

1839] LETTER FROM DONNA MARIA 253

and also about your official attendants, and he1 has
told me that young Mr Anson (his private secretary),
who is with him, greatly wishes to be with you. I
am very much in favour of it, because he is an
excellent young man, and very modest, very honest,
very steady, very well-informed, and will be of much
use to you. He is not a member of the House of
Commons, which is also convenient ; so long as Lord
Melbourne is in office he remains his Secretary — but
William Cowper2 was also for some time Secretary
to his Uncle, and at the same time my Groom-in-
Waiting. Lord Melbourne feared it was not advisable
for you to have Mr Anson, and also his uncle, but I
told him that did not matter if the people are fit for
the posts. . . .

Queen Maria II. of Portugal to Queen Victoria.

LISBOVKE, 1st December 1839.

MA BIEN CHERE VicToiRE, — Hier ayant recu la
communication de votre mariage avec Albert, je ne
veux pas tarder un seul instant a vous en feliciter
sur votre heureux choix, et en meme temps vous
prier de croire aux vceux sinceres que je forme pour
votre bonheur, avec votre excellent cceur il n'est pas
possible le contraire. Permettez que je vous disc que
votre choix ne m'a pas du etonner, car sachant com-
bien Albert est bon, vous ne pouviez pas choisir un
autre dont vous fussiez aussi sure qu'il puisse vous
rendre aussi heureuse comme vous le meritez, chere
Victoire. Pour que tous mes souhaits soient exauces je
vous desire un bonheur aussi complet que Test le
mien. Qu' Albert soit comme Ferdinand et vous serez
parfaitement heureuse. Adieu ! ma chere Victoire. Je
vous prie de me croire, votre devouee Cousine,

MARIE.

Ferdinand vous fait dire mille choses.

1 Lord Melbourne.

a Afterwards William Cowper-Temple, and Lord Mount Temple, author of
the well-known amendment to the Education Act of 1870.

254 HOUSEHOLD APPOINTMENTS [CHAP,

Queen Victoria to the Prince Albert.

WINDSOR CASTLE, Sth December 1839.

As to your wish about your gentlemen, my dear
Albert, I must tell you quite honestly that it will not
do. You may entirely rely upon me that the people
who will be about you will be absolutely pleasant
people, of high standing and good character. These
gentlemen will not be in continual attendance on you;
only on great occasions, and to accompany you "when
you go anywhere, and to dinners, etc. Seymour is your
confidential attendant, and also Schenk and Anson?
zchom Lehzen has written to you about.

Old Sir George Anson has been told of your gracious
wish to have him as Groom of the Bedchamber and is
delighted.

I can only have Lords, and they will not be Peers,
but Lords, the eldest sons of Dukes or Marquesses,
or Earls (Counts), and who as far as possible are not
in Parliament, for then they need not change, but
your people are appointed by you and not by me
(nominally}, and therefore unless they were to vote
against my Government (which would be awkward]
they need not change. You may rely upon my care
that you shall have proper people, and not idle and
not too young, and Lord Melbourne has already
mentioned several to me who would be very suitable. . . .

I have received to-day an ungracious letter from
Uncle Leopold. He appears to me to be nettled
because I no longer ask for his advice, but dear Uncle
is given to believe that he must rule the roast every-
where. However, that is not a necessity. As he has

1 Mr George Anson had been Private Secretary to Lord Melbourne ; it
was on Lord Melbourne's recommendation that the Queen appointed him
Private Secretary to Prince Albert The Prince was inclined to resent the
selection, and to think that in the case of so confidential an official he should
have been allowed to make his own nomination. But they became firm
friends, and the Prince found Mr Anson 's capacity, common sense, and
entire disinterestedness of the greatest value to him. Later he became
keeper of the Prince's Privy Purse, and died in 1849.

1839] THE MAYOR OF NEWPORT KNIGHTED 255

written to Melbourne, Melbourne will reply to him
on every point, and will also tell him that Stockmar
ought to come here as soon as possible to arrange
everything about the treaty. That will be a very
good thing, because Stockmar understands all English
things so well.

The Second, as you always called Palmerston, is to
be married within the next few days to Lady Cowper,
the sister of my Premier (Primus] ; I have known
this for a long time, but Melbourne asked me not
to tell it to any one. They are, both of them, above
fifty, and I think that they are quite right so to act,
because Palmerston, since the death of his sisters, is
quite alone in the world, and Lady C. is a very
clever woman, and much attached to him ; still, I feel
sure it will make you smile.

(Continued on the 9th}. — To-day I have had a
Conseil, and then I knighted the Mayor of Newport J
(who distinguished himself so much in that riot of the
Chartists 2) ; he is a very timid, modest man, and was
very happy when I told him orally how exceedingly
satisfied I am with his conduct. . . . The officers have
been rewarded too. ... I am plaguing you already
with tiresome politics, but you will, in that, find a ,
proof of my [confidence] love,3 because I must share
with you everything that rejoices me, everything that
vexes or grieves me, and I am certain you will take
your part in it. ...

To-day I saw Lord William Russell — you know
him, don't you ? I forgot to tell you that you will
have a great officer of State at the head of your
Household, who is called the Groom of the Stole ; it
is a position in the Court for prestige only, without
any business ; he will be a Peer. . . .

1 Mr T. Phillips, the Mayor of Newport, Monmouthshire, had behaved
with great coolness and courage during the riot on 4th November. He read
the Riot Act among showers of bullets before ordering the troops to fire.

2 Frost, Williams, and others, afterwards convicted at Monmouth.

8 The Queen had begun the word " confidence " but struck it out and
substituted "love."

256 HOUSEHOLD APPOINTMENTS [CHAP,

Continued 10th December. — I am very impatient
at your bust not having yet arrived ; the Duchess of
Sutherland wrote to me she had seen it in Rome,
and it was so beautiful ! . . .

Who has made the little copy which you sent me,
and who the original ? Feodore writes to me so much
about you. . . .

We expect Queen Adelaide to-day, who will stay
here until the day after to-morrow. Melbourne has
asked me to enquire of you whether you know Lord
Grosvenor ? He is the eldest son of the Marquis of
Westminster, and does not belong to any party ; he
is not in Parliament. He is very pleasant, speaks
German very well, and has been a good deal on the
Continent. If he accepts, he might be one of your
gentlemen. Lord Melbourne is particularly desirous of
doing everything that is most agreeable to you. I have
a request to make, too, viz., that you will appoint
poor Clark your physician ; you need not consult him
unless you wish it. It is only an honorary title, and
would make him very happy. . . .

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 9th December 1839.

MY DEAR UNCLE, — ... I was quite miserable at
not hearing from Albert for ten days ; such a long
silence is quite insupportable for anyone in my posi-
tion towards Albert, and I was overjoyed on receiving
yesterday the most dear, most affectionate, delightful
long letter from him. He writes so beautifully, and
so simply and unaffectedly. I hope, dear Uncle, you
received my last letter (quite a packet) for Albert,
on the 5th or 6th ? I send you another now. I
fear I am very indiscreet about these letters, but I
have so much to tell him, and it will only last two
months, so that I trust you will forgive it, and forward
them.

1839] THE WORD "PROTESTANT" 257

I mentioned the topics you spoke of to me in
your letter to our good friend Lord Melbourne, and
as he is writing, I leave it to him to explain to you,
as he writes so much better than I do. He will
explain to you why the word Protestant was left out
in the Declaration, which I think was quite right ;
for do what one will, nothing will please these
Tories. ... I shall be delighted to see Stockmar
here, for so many reasons, and the quicker he comes
the better. . . .

I have a favour to ask you, dear Uncle, which I
hope you will grant, unless it should be indiscreet in
me. It is, if you have still got Aunt Charlotte's bust
at Claremont, if you would give it to me to put in the
Gallery here, where you would see it oftener than you
do at Claremont, and I am so anxious there should be
one of her here.

We have vile weather, cold and foggy ; such fogs
we have here ! I move to London for good on the 9th
or 10th of January. Ever your devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

Queen Victoria to the Prince Albert.

WINDSOR CASTLE, \\th December 1839.

. . . I like Lady A very much too, only she is a

little strict and particular, and too severe towards others,
which is not right ; for I think one ought always to be
indulgent towards other people, as I always think if we
had not been well brought up and well taken care of,
we might also have gone astray. That is always my
feeling. Yet it is always right to show that one does
not like to see what is obviously wrong ; but it is very
dangerous to be too severe, and I am certain that as a
rule such people always greatly regret that in their
youth they have not been as careful as they ought
to have been. I have explained this so badly, and
written it so badly, that I fear you will hardly be
able to make it out.

VOL. i. — 17

258 THE PRINCE'S COAT-OF-ARMS [CHAP,

Queen Victoria to the Prince Albert.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 15th December 1839.

. . . Again no letter from you ! . . . Lord Melbourne
left here this morning, but comes back to-morrow
evening, after the wedding of his sister. I hope he will
remain here, because I am fond of him, and because
he has a share in all my happiness, and is the only
man with whom I can speak without gene on every-
thing, which I cannot do with my Court.

" Islay"1 is still plagued by him every evening — a
thing which he much enjoys — and constantly begs for
the spectacles. I forgot to tell you that Karl has
given me a pretty little Rowley, who likewise lives
in the house. The multitude of dogs is really terrible !

The ceremony of Declaration must have been very
fine and touching, and I am most happy that the good
people of Coburg are so pleased with our marriage. . . .
Dec. 17th. — I have spoken to Lord M. about your
wish, and he says — what is my own opinion too —
that your people ought to be as much as possible out of
Parliament when they have hardly any politics., which
is the best thing — as your Household must not form
a contrast to mine — and therefore you could not have
violent Tories amongst your people ; but you may be
quite certain that both I and Lord Melbourne will take
the greatest care to select respectable and distinguished
people, and people of good character. Perhaps Lord
Grosvcnor may be your Groom of the Stole, though
he is no Peer ; but his rank and family are so high
that he would do very well; and, besides, not belonging
to any party, and being out of Parliament, is such
a great advantage.

The design of our Arms without supporters is
unfortunately not finished, but I send you a little
drawing which I have made of it myself. The report
of Sir William Woods I beg you will send back, but
the Arms you can keep.

I add a little pin as a small Christmas present.
I hope you will sometimes wear it.

1 A pet dog of the Queen's.

1839] A PROTESTANT PRINCE 259

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

LAEKK.V, 14th December 1839.

My DEAREST VICTORIA, — I lived in the hope of
receiving some letters for you from Albert, but nothing
is arrived to-day. Your dear long letter gave me
great pleasure. Before I answer some parts of it, I
will say a few words on Lord Melbourne's letter.
Perhaps you will be so good to tell him that it
gratified me much. It is the letter of an honest and
an amiable statesman, practical and straightforward.
In the omission of the word " Protestant " he was
probably right, and it is equally probable that they
would have abused him — maybe even more if he
had put it in. There is only this to say, however :
the Ernestine branch of the Saxon family has been,
there is no doubt, the real cause of the establishment
of Protestantism in Germany, and consequently in
great parts of Northern Europe. This same line
became a martyr to that cause, and was deprived of
almost all its possessions in consequence of it. Recently
there have been two cases of Catholic marriages, but
the main branch has remained, and is, in fact, very
sincerely Protestant. Both Ernest and Albert are
much attached to it, and when deviations took place
they were connected more with new branches trans-
planted out of the parent soil than with what more
properly must be considered as the reigning family.

The Peerage question may remain as it is, but it
will not be denied that the great object must be to
make Albert as English as possible, and that nothing
will render this more difficult than a foreign name. . . .

I shall be most happy to see poor Charlotte's bust
in the Gallery at Windsor, and it is kind of you to
have had the thought. She was a high and noble-
minded creature, and her affection and kindness for
me very great. She had placed the most unbounded
confidence in me ; our principle had been never to let
a single day pass over any little subject of irritation.
The only subjects of that sort we had were about the

260 A MISSING LETTER [CHAP, vm

family, particularly the Regent, and then the old
Queen Charlotte. Now I must conclude with my
best love. Ever my dearest Victoria, your devoted
Uncle, LEOPOLD R.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

WINDSOR CASTLE, \1th December 1839.

MY DEAR UNCLE, — Many thanks for your two
most kind letters. I suppose I may send for Aunt
Charlotte's bust, for which I am most grateful — and
say I have your authority to do so ? You are very
kind to think about my stupid health ; I don't think
I ever, at least not for very long, have walked so
regularly as I have done this last month — out in fog,
and mist, and wind, and cold. But I cannot be
otherwise than agitated ; getting no letter makes me
ill, and getting them excites me, . . .

I have much to write, and therefore cannot make
this a long letter, but one thing more I must mention.
The very day of the Declaration in Council, on the
23rd ult., I sent off a letter to Albert, by Van de
Weyer, saying it was to be forwarded sans dclai to
Coburg ; now, Albert never has received that letter,
which was a long one, and thanks me for two,
of the 26th and 29th. This vexes me much, and
I can't help thinking the letter is lying either
at Wiesbaden or Brussels. Would you graciously
enquire, for I should not like it to be lost.

Forgive my writing such a letter so full of myself.
Ever dearest Uncle, your devoted Niece, VICTORIA R.

Queen Victoria to the Prince Albert.

WINDSOR CASTLE.

Tlie 22nd. — I have but little time to write. The
Duchess of Sutherland is here, who admires you much,
and is very sympathetic. . . .

The 23rd. — - Your letter of the 15th just received. I
will now answer at once. It is, as you rightly suppose,
my greatest, my most anxious wish to do everything most

1839] THE PRINCE AND MR ANSON 261

agreeable to you, but I must differ with you respecting
Mr Anson. . . . What I said about Anson giving you
advice, means, that if you like to ask him, he can and
will be of the greatest use to you, as he is a very well-
informed person. He will leave Lord Melbourne as
soon as he is appointed about you. With regard to
your last objection, that it would make you a party
man if you took the Secretary of the Prime Minister
as your Treasurer, I do not agree in it ; for, though
I am very anxious you should not appear to belong
to a Party, still it is necessary that your Household
should not form a too strong contrast to mine, else they
will say " Oh, we know the Prince says he belongs to no
party, but we are sure he is a Tory ! ' Therefore it is
also necessary that it should appear that you went with
me in having some of your people who are staunch
Whigs; but Anson is not in Parliament, and never
was, and therefore he is not a violent politician. Do
not think, because I urge this, Lord M. prefers it;
on the contrary he never urged it, and I only do it as
I know it is for your own good. You will pardon this
long story. It will also not do to wait till you come to
appoint all your people. I am distressed to tell you what
I fear you do not like, but it is necessary, my dearest,
most excellent Albert. Once more I tell you that you
can perfectly rely on me in these matters. . . .

Queen Victoria to the Prince Albert.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 26th December 1839.

. . . The Historical Sketch has interested us greatly ;
Lord Melbourne read it through immediately. I
greatly thank you also for the genealogical tree you
sent me.

Now, my dearest, to be about what is not so
pleasant or amusing. I mean, now for business. I always
think it safer to write that in English, as I can explain
myself better, and I hope you can read my English, as I
try to be very legible. I am much grieved that you feel
disappointed about my wish respecting your gentlemen,

262 APPOINTMENT OF TREASURER [CHAP,

but very glad that you consent to it, and that you feel
confidence in my choice. Respecting the Treasurer, my
dearest Albert, 1 have already written at great length
in my last letter, so I will not say muck more about it to-
day, but I will just observe that, tho" I fully understand
(indeed no one could feel more for you in the very trying
position you will be placed in than I do) your feelings,
it is absolutely necessary that an Englishman should be
at the head of your affairs ; therefore (tho' I will not
force Mr Anson on you) I ask you if it is not better to
take a man in whom I have confidence, and whom I know
well enough to trust perfectly, than a man who is quite
a stranger, and whom I know nothing of?

I am very glad that your father knows Lord
Grosvenor. As to the Tories, I am still in a rage ; l
they abuse and grumble incessantly in the most
incredible manner.

I will tell good Lord Melbourne that you are very
grateful. That you will write to him is very nice of
you, and makes me glad. I shall always feel very
happy if you, my dearest Albert, will be very friendly
to this good and just man ; and I am convinced that,
when you will know him more intimately, you will be
as fond of him as I am. No one is more abused by bad
people than Lord M. — and nobody is so forgiving. . . .

I have just learned that my two uncles, the Dukes
of Sussex and Cambridge (to whom Lord M. had
written) very willingly consent to let you take precedence
of them ; it was, of course, necessary to ask them about

1 1 • • • •

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 27th December 1839.

MY DEAR UNCLE, — Just two words (though you
don't deserve half a one, as your silence is unpardonable)
to say I have just heard from Albert, who, I am glad
to say, consents to my choosing his people ; so one

1 Lit. raging (Wiithend). The phrase was a favourite one of King
Leopold's from whom the Queen had adopted it.

1839] THE PRINCE AND LORD MELBOURNE 263

essential point is gained, and we have only the Treasurer
to carry now. I am sure, as you are so anxious Albert
should be thoroughly English, you will see how
necessary it is that an Englishman should be at the
head of his financial affairs.

I see that you wrote to Lord Melbourne that you
were glad to hear I took more walking exercise, but
I must tell you that ever since I have done so I sleep
badly, and feel unwell ! If the weather would only
allow me to ride I should be quite well. Ever your
devoted Niece, VICTORIA R.

Queen Victoria to the Prince Albert.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 30th December 1839.

... I here enclose Lord Melbourne's letter. I
have read it, and / think that nothing could be better ;
it is just what I told you, and it is the honest and
impartial advice of a very clever, very honest, and very
impartial man, whose greatest wish is to secure your
and my happiness. Follow this advice and you may
be sure of success. Lord Melbourne told me that he
had it written on purpose in a clear hand, by one of
his secretaries, as he thought and feared you would not
be able to read his own hand, which I daresay would
have been the case, as he writes a very peculiar hand ;
he has therefore only signed it.

I saw to-day the Duke of Cambridge, who has
shown me your letter, with which he is quite delighted
— and, indeed, it is a very nice one. The Duke told
Lord Melbourne he had always greatly desired our
marriage, and never thought of George ; but that / do
not believe.

I must conclude, my dearest, beloved Albert. Be
careful as to your valuable health, and be assured that
no one loves you as much as your faithful VICTORIA.

INTRODUCTORY NOTE
TO CHAPTER IX

THE marriage of the Queen and Prince Albert took place amid
great splendour and general rejoicings on the 10th of February ; the
general satisfaction being unaffected by the tactless conduct of
Ministers who, by not acting in conjunction with the Opposition,
had been defeated on the question of the amount of the Prince's
annuity, the House of Commons reducing it from ,£50,000 to
,£30,000.

At home, the Privilege Question aroused great interest, a
point which for months convulsed the Courts and Parliament being
whether a report, ordered by the House to be printed, of a
Committee appointed by the House was protected by privilege
against being the subject of an action for libel. The Courts
having decided that it was not, an Act was passed to alter the
rule for the future, but meanwhile the sheriffs had been
imprisoned by the House for executing the judgment in the
usual course.

The Ministry tottered on, getting a majority of nine only
on their China policy, and twenty-one on a direct vote of confi-
dence. The Bill for the union of the two Canadas was, however,
passed without difficulty.

An attempt by a barman named Oxford to assassinate the
Queen on Constitution Hill fortunately failed, and Oxford was
committed, after trial, to a lunatic asylum. In July, the pros-
pect of an heir being born to the throne led to the passing of
a Regency Bill, naming Prince Albert Regent, should the Queen
die leaving issue ; the Duke of Sussex alone entered a formal
protest against it.

Afghanistan continued unsettled, and Lord Auckland's policy
seemed hardly justified by the unpopularity at Cabul of Shah
Sooja ; Dost Mahomed still made efforts to regain his position,
but he ultimately surrendered to Sir William Macnaghten, the
British envoy at Cabul. The disputes with China continued, and
hostilities broke out ; British ships proceeded to China, and Chusan
was captured.

In France an attempt against the Government was made by
Louis Napoleon, who landed at Boulogne in a British steamer,
was captured and sentenced to life imprisonment. More serious
difficulties between this country and France arose out of Eastern

264

1840] INTRODUCTORY NOTE 265

affairs. The Four Powers, England, Russia, Austria, and Prussia,
had addressed an ultimatum to Mehemet, requiring him to evacuate
North Syria, France declining to take part in the conference on the
subject. An Anglo- Austrian army undertook to eject him, St Jean
d'Acre was stormed, and France thrust into a position of unwilling
isolation. Thiers, who had been made Minister, expected that
Mehemet would be able to retain his conquests, and for a time
it looked as though France would interfere to protect him.
Ultimately, in spite of some ostentatious preparations in France,
peaceful councils prevailed, and Thiers found it advisable to retire
in favour of Guizot.

In Holland, William I. (then sixty-seven) abdicated in favour
of his son, the Prince of Orange (William II.). The need of a
younger and firmer ruler was the reason officially stated in the
Royal Proclamation. The real reason was probably the King's
attachment to the Roman Catholic Countess d'Oultremont, whom
he now privately married, combined with the humiliation he felt at
having been finally worsted in 1839 on the Belgian question,
when he was obliged to forego all claims on the provinces of
Limburg and Luxemburg.

CHAPTER IX
1840

Queen Victoria to the Prince Albert.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, llth January 1840.

Stockmar is here ; I saw him yesterday and
to-day, and have begged him to explain to you
all the Court affairs, and the affairs concerning the
Treaty, in my name. He will explain to you the
Treasury affair, and will do it much better than I
should. I am very happy to see him again, and to
have him here ; he can give such good advice to both
of us, and he understands England so fully. . . . Stocky
(as I always used to call him) is so sensible about every-
thing, and is so much attached to you.

I shall have no great dinners, because the large
rooms in the upper story here are not yet ready. My
good old Primus1 usually dines with me three or four
times a week, almost always on Sundays, when I cannot
invite other people to dinner, as it is not reckoned
right here for me to give dinners on Sunday, or to
invite many people. Your song (the bust has been
mentioned before), is very fine ; there is something
touching in it which I like so much. . . .

Queen Victoria to the Prince Albert.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 12th January 1840.

This letter will be handed you by Torrington
personally. I recommend you not to leave late, so as
to make the journey without hurry. I did not go to

1 I.e. Premier.

266

1840] OPENING OF PARLIAMENT 267

church to-day ; the weather is very cold, and I have
to be careful not to catch cold before the 16th,
because I open Parliament in person. This is always
a nervous proceeding, and the announcement of my
marriage at the beginning of my speech is really a
very nervous and awful affair for me. I have never
failed yet, and this is the sixth time that I have done
it, and yet I am just as frightened as if I had never
done it before. They say that feeling oj nervousness is
never got over, and that Win. Pitt himself never got
up to make a speech without thinking he should fail.
But then I only read my speech.

I had to-day a visit from George * whom I received
alone, and he was very courteous. His Papa I have
also seen.

Queen Victoria to the Prince Albert.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 17 th January 1840.

. . . Yesterday just as I came home from the
House of Lords,2 I received your dear letter of the
loth. I cannot understand at all why you have
received no letters from me, seeing that I always
wrote twice a week, regularly. . . .

I observe with horror that I have not formally
invited your father ; though that is a matter of course.
My last letter will have set that right. I ought not
to have written to you on picture notepaper, seeing
that we are in deep mourning for my poor Aunt,
the Landgravine,3 but it was quite impossible for me
to write to you on mourning paper. . . .

But this will not interfere with our marriage in the
least ; the mourning will be taken off for that day, and
for two or three days after, and then put on again.

1 Prince George of Cambridge.

J The Queen had opened Parliament in person, and announced her
intended marriage.

8 The Princess Elizabeth (born 1770), third daughter of George III., and
widow of the Landgrave, Frederick Joseph Louis, of Hesse-Homburg. See
p. 247.

268 TORIES, WHIGS, AND RADICALS [CHAP. «

Everything went off exceedingly well yesterday.
There was an immense multitude of people, and
perhaps never, certainly not for a long time, have I
been received so well ; and what is remarkable, I
was not nervous, and read the speech really well.
The Tories began immediately afterwards to conduct
themselves very badly and to plague us. But everyone
praised you very much. Melbourne made a very
fine speech about you and your ancestors. To-day
I receive the address of the House of Lords, and,
perhaps, also that of the House of Commons.

Queen Victoria to the Prince Albert.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 21 st January 1840.

I am awaiting with immense impatience a letter
from you. Here hardly anything to relate to-day,
because we are living in great retirement, until
informed that my poor Aunt has been buried. With
the exception of Melbourne and my own people no
one has dined for the last week.

We are all of us very much preoccupied with
politics. The Tories really are very astonishing ; as
they cannot and dare not attack us in Parliament,
they do everything that they can to be personally rude
to me. . . . The Whigs are the only safe and loyal
people, and the Radicals will also rally round their
Queen to protect her from the Tories ; but it is a
curious sight to see those, who as Tories, used to pique
themselves upon their excessive loyalty, doing everything
to degrade their young Sovereign in the eyes of the
people. Of course there are exceptions.

Queen Victoria to the Prince Albert.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 3ltt January 1840.

. . . You have written to me in one of your letters
about our stay at Windsor, but, dear Albert, you have

ARMS AND ORDERS 269

not at all understood the matter. You forget, my
dearest Love, that I am the Sovereign, and that business
can stop and wait for nothing. Parliament is sitting,
and something occurs almost every day, for which I may
be required, and it is quite impossible for me to be absent
from London ; therefore two or three days is already
a long time to be absent. I am never easy a moment,
if I am not on the spot, and see and hear what is going
on, and every body, including all my Aunts (who are
very knowing in all these things], says I must come out
after the second day, for, as I must be surrounded by
my Court, I cannot keep alone. This is also my own
wish in every way.

Now as to the Arms : as an English Prince you
have no right, and Uncle Leopold had no right to
quarter the English Arms, but the Sovereign has the
power to allow it by Royal Command; this was done
for Uncle Leopold by the Prince Regent, and I will
do it again for you. But it can only be done by
Royal Command.

I will, therefore, without delay, have a seal engraved
for you.

You will certainly feel very happy too, at the news
of the coming union of my much-beloved Vecto * with
Nemours. It gives me quite infinite pleasure, because
then I can see the dear child more frequently.

I read in the newspaper that you, dear Albert,
have received many Orders ; also that the Queen of
Spain will send you the Golden Fleece. . . .

Farewell, dearest Albert, and think often of thy
faithful VICTORIA R.

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

BRUSSELS, 31st January 1840.

MY DEAREST VICTORIA, — I am most grateful for
your long letter of the 27th and 28th inst. I send
a messenger to be able to answer quite confidentially.

1 The Princess Victoire of Saxe-Coburg, cousin of Queen Victoria.

270 THE PRINCE'S GRANT [CHAP, ix

I must confess that I never saw anything so disgraceful
than the discussion and vote in the Commons.1 The
whole mode and way in which those who opposed
the grant treated the question was so extremely
vulgar and disrespectful, that I cannot comprehend
the Tories. The men who uphold the dignity of the
Crown to treat their Sovereign in such a manner,
on such an occasion ! Even in private life the most
sour and saturnine people relax and grow gay and
mildly disposed on occasions like this. Clearly as
you are Queen Regnant, Albert's position is to all
intents and purposes that of a male Queen Consort,
and the same privileges and charges ought to be
attached to it which were attached to Queen
Adelaide's position. The giving up the income
which the Queen Dowager came into, and which I
hope and trust Albert would never have, or have
had, any chance of having had himself, was in reality
giving up a thing which custom had sanctioned.
That Prince George of Denmark2 was considered to
be in the same position as a Queen Consort there
can be, I think, no doubt about, and when one
considers the immense difference in the value of
money then and now, it renders matters still more
striking. I must say such conduct in Parliament I
did not expect, and the less when I consider that
your Civil List was rather curtailed than otherwise,
perhaps not quite fairly. I rejoice to think that I
induced Lord Melbourne to propose to you not to
accede to the giving up of the Duchy of Lancaster.
Parliament did not deserve it, and by good manage-
ment I think something may be made of it.

Another thing which made me think that Parlia-
ment would have acted with more decency, is that
I return to the country now near £40,000 a year,
not because I thought my income too large, as worthy
Sir Robert Peel said, but from motives of political

1 The ministers proposed an income of £50,000 a year for the Prince : the
Conservatives and Radicals united on an amendment reducing it to £30,000,
which was carried by a majority of 104.

a The Consort of Queen Anne.

1840] THE PRINCE AT BRUSSELS 271

delicacy, which at least might be acknowledged on
such occasions. I was placed by my marriage treaty
in the position of a Princess of Wales, which in
reality it was, though not yet by law, there existing
a possibility of a Prince of Wales as long as George IV.
lived. I can only conclude by crying shame, shame / . . .
I hope and trust you will not be too much worried
with all these unpleasant things, and that Albert will
prove a comforter and support to you. And so good-
bye for to-day. Ever, my dearest Victoria, your
devoted Uncle, LEOPOLD R.

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

BRUSSELS, 1st February 1840.

MY DEAREST VICTORIA, — I hope you will be
pleased with me, as I send a messenger on purpose
to inform you of Albert's arrival. He will write
himself this night, though rather inclined to surrender
himself to Morpheus.

He looks well and handsome, but a little interesting,
being very much irritated by what happened in the
House of Commons. He does not care about the
money, but he is much shocked and exasperated by
the disrespect of the thing, as he well may.

I do not yet know the exact day of their departure,
but I suppose it will be on the 5th, to be able to cross
on the 6th. I have already had some conversation
with him, and mean to talk a fond to him to-morrow.
My wish is to see you both happy and thoroughly
united and of one mind, and I trust that both of you
will ever find in me a faithful, honest, and attached
friend.

As it is eleven o'clock at night I offer you my
respects, and remain, ever, my dearest Victoria, your
devoted Uncle, LEOPOLD R.

Your poor Aunt fainted this morning ; she is
much given to this, but it was rather too long to-day.

272 AMIABILITY OF THE PRINCE [CHAP.

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

BRUSSELS, 4<A February 1840.

MY DEAREST VICTORIA, — I have now treated all
the questions you wished me to touch upon with
Albert, and I was much pleased with his amiable
disposition. At a certain distance explanations by
letter are next to impossible, and each party in the
end thinks the other unreasonable. When he arrived
he was rather exasperated about various things, and
pretty full of grievances. But our conversations have
dissipated these clouds, and now there will only remain
the new parliamentary events and consequences, which
change a good deal of what one could reasonably
have foreseen or arranged. You will best treat
these questions now verbally. Albert is quick, not
obstinate, in conversation, and open to conviction if
good arguments are brought forward. When he
thinks himself right he only wishes to have it proved
that he misunderstands the case, to give it up without
ill-humour. He is not inclined to be sulky, but I
think that he may be rendered a little melancholy
if he thinks himself unfairly or unjustly treated, but
being together and remaining together, there never
can arise, I hope, any occasion for any disagreement
even on trifling subjects. . . . Ever, my dearest
Victoria, your devoted Uncle, LEOPOLD R.

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

BRUSSELS, 8th February 1840.

MY DEAREST VICTORIA, — This letter will arrive
when I trust you will be most happily occupied ; I
don't mean therefore to trespass on your time.

May heaven render you as happy as I always
wished you to be, and as I always tried hard to see
you. There is every prospect of it, and I am sure
you will be mistress in that respect of your own

1840] THE WEDDING MORNING 273

avenir. Perfect confidence will best ensure and con-
solidate this happiness. Our rule in poor Charlotte's
time was never to permit one single day to pass over
ein Missverstdndniss however trifling it might be.1 I
must do Charlotte the justice to say that she kept
this compact most religiously, and at times even more
so than myself, as in my younger days I was some-
times inclined to be sulky and silently displeased.
With this rule no misunderstandings can take root
and be increased or complicated by new ones being
added to the old. Albert is gentle and open to
reason, all will therefore always be easily explained,
and he is determined never to be occupied but by
what is important or useful to you. . . .

Now I conclude, with my renewed warmest and
sincerest good wishes for you, ever, my dearest
Victoria, your devoted Uncle, LEOPOLD.

Queen Victoria to the Prince Albert?

10th February 1840.

DEAREST, — ... How are you to-day, and have
you slept well ? I have rested very well, and feel

1 (From an unpublished Contemporary Memoir by Admiral Sir William

Hotham, G.C.B.)

" Her Royal Highness was now and then apt to give way to a high flow of
animal spirits, natural at her time of life, and from carelessness more than
unkindness to ridicule others. In one of these sallies of inconsiderate mirth,
she perceived the Prince, sombre and cold, taking no apparent notice of what
was going on, or if he did, evidently displeased. She at length spoke to him
about it, and he at once manifested reluctance to join in the conversation,
saying that though he had been a tolerably apt scholar in many things, he
had yet to learn in England what pleasure was derived from the exercise of
that faculty he understood to be called ' quizzing ' ; that he could by no means
reconcile it to himself according to any rule either of good breeding or
benevolence. The tears instantly started in her eye, and feeling at once the
severity and justice of the reproof, assured him most affectionately that,
as it wo.s the first time she had ever merited His Royal Highness's reproof on
this subject, she assured him most solemnly it should be the last."

2 A note folded in billet form, to be taken by hand. Addressed : —

" His ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE.
" THE QUEEN."

This was the day of their marriage at the Chapel Royal. After the
wedding breakfast at Buckingham Palace they drove to Windsor, and on the
14th they returned to London.
VOL. i. — 18

274 PUBLIC ENTHUSIASM [CHAP, rx

very comfortable to-day. What weather ! I believe,
however, the rain will cease.

Send one word when you, my most dearly loved
bridegroom, will be ready. Thy ever-faithful,

VICTORIA R.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

WINDSOR CASTLE, llth February 1840.

DEAREST UNCLE, — I write to you from here,
the happiest, happiest Being that ever existed. Really,
I do not think it possible for anyone in the world to
be happier, or AS happy as I am. He is an Angel, and
his kindness and affection for me is really touching.
To look in those dear eyes, and that dear sunny face,
is enough to make me adore him. What I can do to
make him happy will be my greatest delight. Indepen-
dent of my great personal happiness, the reception we
both met with yesterday was the most gratifying and
enthusiastic 1 ever experienced ; there was no end of
the crowds in London, and all along the road. I was
a good deal tired last night, but am quite well again
to-day, and happy. . . .

My love to dear Louise. Ever your affectionate,

VICTORIA R.

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

BRUSSELS, 2lst February 1840.

MY DEAREST VICTORIA, — I am more grateful than
I can express that, notwithstanding your many
empechements and occupations, you still found a little
moment to write to me. News from you are always
most precious to me, and now almost more than
ever. This is such an important moment in your
life, it will so much decide how the remainder is to
be, that I am deeply interested in all I can hear on
the subject. Hitherto, with the exception of your
own dear and Royal self, I have not been spoiled,

the pcrlrait hi/ Ichn Cartridge a£ U)iickiiiy ham .Jaiacc

1840] PLAYS IN LENT 275

et fed puise beaucoup de mes nouvelles in the Times
and such like sources.

God be praised that the dear menage is so happy !
I can only say may it be so for ever and ever. I
always thought that with your warm and feeling
heart and susceptibility for strong and lasting
affection, you would prefer this genre of happiness,
if you once possessed it, to every other. It must
be confessed that it is less frequent than could be
wished for the good of mankind, but when it does
exist, there is something delightful to a generous
heart like yours in this sacred tie, in this attach-
ment for better for worse, and I think the English
Church service expresses it in a simple and touching
manner.

I was happy to see that the Addresses of both
Houses of Parliament were voted in a decent and
becoming way. How mean people are ! If they had
not seen the public at large take a great interest in
your marriage and show you great affection, perhaps
some would again have tried to bring on unpleasant
subjects. . . .

My letter is grown long ; I will therefore conclude
it with the expression of my great affection for your
dear self. Ever, my most beloved Victoria, your devoted
Uncle, LEOPOLD R.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

&th March 1840.

... As your Majesty has by your Lord Chamber-
lain permitted plays to be acted on Wednesdays and
Fridays in Lent, it would be condemning yourself if
you did not go to see them if you like to do so. ...

. . . Lord Melbourne is much pleased to hear that
your Majesty and the Prince liked the School for
Scandal. It is upon the whole the cleverest comedy
in the English language, the fullest of wit and at
the same time the most free from grossness.

276 DEBATE ON THE CORN LAWS [CHAP.

Lord John Russell to Queen Victoria.

Uh April 1840.

Lord John Russell presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and has the honour to state that the House
of Commons having resumed the consideration of the
Corn Laws, the debate was closed by Sir Robert Peel,
in a speech much inferior to those which he usually
makes. Mr Warburton moved an adjournment, which
caused many members to leave the House. The motion
being opposed, there were on a division 240 against
adjournment, and only 125 in favour of it.

Mr Warburton then by some blunder moved that
the House adjourn, which puts an end to the debate.
This was eagerly caught at by the opposite party, and
agreed to. So that the question is lost by this ridiculous
termination, and it is to be feared that it will produce
much discontent in the manufacturing class.1

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

5th April 1840.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. He is quite well but much tired. He has
so much to do this morning that he will not be able
to speak to Albemarle,2 but if Albemarle dines at the
Palace, he certainly will then.

Lord Melbourne always feared anything like a
mixture of the Stable establishments. It would have
been much better that what horses the Prince had
should have been kept quite separate, and that the
horses of your Majesty's which he should have to use
should have been settled, and some plan arranged by
which they could have been obtained when wanted.
Horses to be used by one set of people and kept and
fed by another will never do. Servants and sub-

1 The opposition to the Corn Laws was now increasing in the North.

2 Master of the Horse.

1840] ENGLAND AND CHINA 277

ordinate agents in England are quite unmanageable
in these respects. If they get [matters] into their
hands, neither the Deity nor the Devil, nor both
together, can make them agree. Lord Melbourne
writes this in ignorance of the actual facts of the
case, and therefore it may be inapplicable.

Lord John Russell to Queen Victoria.

8th April 1840.

Lord John Russell presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and has the honour to state that Sir James
Graham yesterday brought forward his motion on
China in a speech of nearly three hours.1 He was
answered by Mr Macaulay in a manner most satisfactory
to his audience, and with great eloquence. Sir William
Follett spoke with much ingenuity, but in the confined
spirit of a lawyer.

Lord John Russell to Queen Victoria.

9th April 1840. ' '

Lord John Russell presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and has the honour to report that the debate
went on yesterday, when Mr Hawes spoke against the
motion. In the course of the debate Mr Gladstone2
said the Chinese had a right to poison the wells, to
keep away the English ! The debate was adjourned.

discount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

2nd May 1840.

Mr Cowper has just come in and tells me that
they have determined to begin the disturbance to-night
at the Opera, at the very commencement of the

1 The motion was to censure Ministers for their want of foresight in their
dealings with China in connection with the extension of commerce, and
with the opium trade. The motion was rejected by 271 to 262.

2 Mr Gladstone had been member for Newark since 1832.

278 DISTURBANCE AT THE OPERA [CHAP, ix

performance.1 This may be awkward, as your Majesty
will arrive in the middle of the tumult. It is the
intention not to permit the opera to proceed until
Laporte gives way.

Lord Melbourne is afraid that if the row has already
begun, your Majesty's presence will not put an end
to it ; and it might be as well not to go until your
Majesty hears that it is over and that the performance
is proceeding quietly. Some one might be sent to
attend and send word.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

6th May 1840.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. He has just received this from Lord John
Russell — a most shocking event,2 which your Majesty
has probably by this time heard of. The persons who
did it came for the purpose of robbing the house ;
they entered by the back of the house and went out
at the front door.3 The servants in the house, only
a man and a maid, never heard anything, and the
maid, when she came down to her master's door in
the morning, found the horrid deed perpetrated. . . .

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

6th May 1840.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. Since he wrote to your Majesty, he has
seen Mr Fox Maule,4 who had been at the house in
Norfolk Street. He says that it is a most mysterious

1 A fracas took place at the Opera on 29th April The manager, Laporte,
not having engaged Taraburini to sing, the audience made a hostile demonstra-
tion at the conclusion of the performance of / Puritani. An explanation
made by Laporte only made matters worse, and eventually the Tamburinists
took possession of the stage.

2 The murder of Lord William Russell by his valet, Courvoisier, in Norfolk
Street, Park Lane.

8 This was the original theory.

4 Under-Secretary for Home Affairs ; afterwards, as Lord Panmure,
Secretary for War.

1840] MURDER OF LORD WILLIAM RUSSELL 279

affair. Lord William Russell was found in his bed,
quite dead, cold and stiff, showing that the act had
been perpetrated some time. The bed was of course
deluged with blood, but there were no marks of
blood in any other part of the room ; so that he had
been killed in his bed and by one blow, upon the throat,
which had nearly divided his head from his body.
The back door of the house was broken open, but
there were no traces of persons having approached
the door from without. His writing-desk was also
broken open and the money taken out, but otherwise
little or nothing had been taken away. The police
upon duty in the streets had neither heard nor seen
anything during the night. In these circumstances
strong suspicion lights upon the persons in the house,
two maids and a man, the latter a foreigner 1 and
who had only been with Lord William about five
weeks. These persons are now separately confined,
and the Commissioners of Police are actively
employed in enquiring into the affair. An inquest
will of course be held upon the body without delay.
Lord Melbourne has just received your Majesty's
letter, and will immediately convey to Lord John
your Majesty's kind expressions of sympathy.

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

LAEKEN, 22 nd May 1840.

MY DEAREST VICTORIA, — I received yesterday a
most kind and dear letter from your august hands.
Charles,2 who wanted to cross yesterday, will have
had very bad weather. He is prepared not to make
too long a stay in England. He dined here on the
19th. Louise was prepared to come to dinner, but
was not quite equal to it ; she therefore came after it.
He came also to see me on the 20th, before his
departure for Ostende. It is very gracious of you to
have given him subsidies, but in fact poor Feo stands
more in need of it. She really is too poor ; when one

1 Courvoisier. * Prince Charles of Leiningen.

280 MRS NORTON [CHAP, ix

thinks that they have but £600 a year, and that
large castles, etc., are to be kept up with it, one
cannot conceive how they manage it. It was a
very generous feeling which prompted you to see
Mrs Norton, and I have been too much her friend to
find fault with it. True it is that Norton was freely
accepted by her, but she was very poor, and could
therefore hardly venture to refuse him. Many people
will flirt with a clever, handsome, but poor girl, though
not marry her — besides, the idea of having old Shery l
for a grandfather had nothing very captivating. A
very unpleasant husband Norton certainly was, and
one who had little tact. I can well believe that she
was much frightened, having so many eyes on her,
some of which, perhaps, not with the most amiable
expression.

I was delighted to learn that you meant to visit
poor Claremont, and to pass there part of your
precious birthday. Claremont is the place where in
younger days you were least plagued, and generally
I saw you there in good spirits. You will also nolens
volens be compelled to think of me, and maybe of
poor Charlotte.

This gives me an opening for saying a few words
on this subject. I found several times that some
people had given you the impression that poor
Charlotte had been hasty and violent even to
imperiousness and rudeness. 1 can you assure that
rt was not so ; she was quick, and even violent, but
I never have seen anybody so open to conviction, and
so fair and candid when wrong. The proverb says, and
not without some truth, that ladies come always back to
the first words, to avoid any symptom of having been
convinced. Generous minds, however, do not do this ;
they fight courageously their battles, but when they

1 The three sisters, Mrs Norton, Lady Dufferin, and Lady Seymour
(afterwards Duchess of Somerset), the latter of whom was " Queen of
Beauty " at the Eglinton Tournament, were granddaughters of R. B.
Sheridan. Lord Melbourne was much in Mrs Norton's company, and Norton,
for whom the Premier had found a legal appointment, sued him in the
Court of Common Pleas for crim. con. ; the jury found for the defendant.

1840] CHARACTER OF PRINCESS CHARLOTTE 281

clearly see that they are wrong, and that the reasons
and arguments submitted to them are true, they
frankly admit the truth. Charlotte had eminently
this disposition ; besides, she was so anxious to please
me, that often she would say : " Let it be as it may,
provided you wish it, I will do it." I always answered :
" I never want anything for myself ; when I press
something on you, it is from a conviction that it is
for your interest and for your good." I know that
you have been told that she ordered everything in the
house, and liked to show that she was the mistress.
It was not so. On the contrary, her pride was to make
me appear to my best advantage, and even to display
respect and obedience, when I least wanted it from
her. She would almost exaggerate the feeling, to
show very clearly that she considered me as her
lord and master.

And on the day of the marriage, as most people
suspected her of a very different disposition, every-
body was struck with the manner in which she
pronounced the promise of obedience. I must say
that I was much more the master of the house than
is generally the case in private life. Besides, there
was something generous and royal in her mind which
alone would have prevented her doing anything vulgar
or ill-bred. What rendered her sometimes a little
violent was a slight disposition to jealousy. Poor
Lady Maryborough,1 at all times some twelve or
fifteen years older than myself, but whom I had
much known in 1814, was once much the cause of
a fit of that description. I told her it was quite
childish, but she said, " it is not, because she is a very
coquettish, dissipated woman." The most difficult
task I had was to change her manners ; she had
something brusque and too rash in her movements,
which made the Regent quite unhappy, and which
sometimes was occasioned by a struggle between

1 Lord Maryborough (1763-1845) was William Wellesley Pole, brother
of the Marquess Wellesley and the Duke of Wellington. He married
Katherine Elizabeth Forbes, granddaughter of the third Earl of Granard.

282 ENGLISH MANNERS [CHAP, ix

shyness and the necessity of exerting herself. I had,
I may say so without seeming to boast, the manners
of the best society of Europe, having early moved
in it, and been rather what is called in French de la
fleur des pois. A good judge I therefore was, but
Charlotte found it rather hard to be so scrutinized,
and grumbled occasionally how I could so often find
fault with her.

Nothing perhaps speaks such volumes as the
positive fact of her manners getting quite changed
within a year's time, and that to the openly pro-
nounced satisfaction of the very fastidious and not
over-partial Regent. To explain how it came that
manners were a little odd in England, it is necessary
to remember that England had been for more than
ten years completely cut off from the rest of the
world. . . .

We have bitter cold weather which has given
colds to both the children. Uncle Ferdinand1 is now
only arriving si dice on Sunday next. He has been
robbed of 15,000 francs in his own room au Palais
Royal, which is very unpleasant for all parties.

My letter is so long that I must haste to
conclude it, remaining ever, my beloved Victoria,
your devoted Uncle, LEOPOLD R.

My love to Alberto.

Memorandum by Mr Anson.

Minutes of Conversations with Lord Melbourne and
Baron Stockmar.

2Sth May 1840.

Lord Melbourne. — "I have spoken to the Queen,
who says the Prince complains of a want of confidence
on trivial matters, and on all matters connected with the
politics of this country. She said it proceeded entirely
from indolence, she knew it was wrong, but when she
was with the Prince she preferred talking upon other
subjects. I told Her Majesty that she should try and
alter this, and that there was no objection to her con-

1 Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg, King Leopold's brother.

1840] THE QUEEN AND THE PRINCE 283

versing with the Prince upon any subject she pleased.
My impression is that the chief obstacle in Her Majesty's
mind is the fear of difference of opinion, and she
thinks that domestic harmony is more likely to follow
from avoiding subjects likely to create difference. My
own experience leads me to think that subjects between
man and wife, even where difference is sure to ensue, are
much better discussed than avoided, for the latter course
is sure to beget distrust. I do not think that the
Baroness l is the cause of this want of openness, though
her name to me is never mentioned by the Queen."

Baron Stockmar. — "I wish to have a talk with you.
The Prince leans more on you than any one else, and
gives you his entire confidence ; you are honest, moral,
and religious, and wih1 not belie that trust. The Queen
has not started upon a right principle. She should by
degrees impart everything to him, but there is danger
in his wishing it all at once. A case may be laid
before him ; he may give some crude and unformed
opinion ; the opinion may be taken and the result
disastrous, and a forcible argument is thus raised
against advice being asked for the future.

" The Queen is influenced more than she is aware of
by the Baroness. In consequence of that influence, she
is not so ingenuous as she was two years ago. I do
not think that the withholding of her confidence does
proceed wholly from indolence, though it may partly
arise, as the Prince suggests, from the entire confidence
which she reposes in her present Ministers, making her
inattentive to the plans and measures proposed, and
thinking it unnecessary entirely to comprehend them ; she
is of necessity unable to impart their views and projects
to him who ought to be her friend and counsellor."

Viscount P aimer ston to Queen Victoria.

CARLTON TERRACE, 10th June 1840.

Viscount Palmerston presents his humble duty to
your Majesty, and though your Majesty must be
overwhelmed with congratulations at your Majesty's

1 Baroness Lehzen.

284 OXFORD'S ATTEMPT [CHAP. «

escape from the aim of the assassin,1 yet Viscount
Palmerston trusts that he may be allowed to
express the horror with which he heard of the
diabolical attempt, and the deep thankfulness which
he feels at your Majesty's providential preservation.

Viscount Palmerston humbly trusts that the
failure of this atrocious attempt may be considered
as an indication that your Majesty is reserved for a
long and prosperous reign, and is destined to assure,
for many years to come, the welfare and happiness
of this nation.

The King of the French to Queen Victoria.

llth June 184.0.

MADAME MA SCEUR, — C'est avec une profonde
indignation que je viens d'apprendre 1'horrible attentat
qui a menace les precieux jours de votre Majeste.
Je rends grace du fond de mon cceur a la Divine
Providence qui les a miraculeusement conserves, et
qui semble n'avoir permis qu'ils fussent exposes a un
si grand danger, que pour faire briller aux yeux de
tous, votre courage, votre sang-froid, et toutes les
qualites qui vous distinguent.

J'ose esperer que votre Majeste me permettra
de recourir a son entremise pour offrir a S.A.R. le
Prince Albert, 1'expression de tous les sentiments dont
je suis penetre, et qu'elle voudra bien recevoir 1'assur-
ance de tous ceux que je lui porte, ainsi que celle de
ma haute estime, de mon inalterable attachement et
de mon inviolable amitie. Je suis, Madame ma Sceur,
de votre Majeste, le bon Frere, Louis PHILIPPE R.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

llth June 1840.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to
your Majesty, and returns your Majesty many, many

1 Edward Oxford, a pot-boy, aged eighteen, fired twice at the Queen on
Constitution Hill. The Queen, who was untouched by either shot, immedi-
ately drove to the Duchess of Kent's house to announce her safety. On his
trial, Oxford was found to be insane.

1840] A PROVIDENTIAL ESCAPE 285

thanks for your letter. Lord Melbourne was indeed
most anxious to learn that your Majesty was well
this morning. It was indeed a most awful and provi-
dential escape. It is impossible not to shudder at
the thought of it

Lord Melbourne thinks that it will be necessary
to have an examination of this man before such of
your Majesty's confidential servants as are of the
Privy Council;1 it should take place this morning.

Addresses will be moved in both Houses immedi-
ately upon their meeting.

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

LAKKKN, 13th June 1840.
MY DEAREST AND MOST BELOVED VICTORIA, 1

cannot find words strong enough to express to you
my horror at what happened on the 10th, and my
happiness and delight to see your escape from a danger
which was really very great. In your good little heart
I hope that it made you feel grateful to God for a
protection which was very signal. It does good and
is a consolation to think that matters are not quite left
to take care of themselves, but that an all-powerful
Hand guides them.

Louise I told the affair mildly, as it might have
made too great an impression on her otherwise. She
always feels so much for you and loves you so much,
that she was rejoiced beyond measure that you escaped
so well and took the thing with so much courage.
That you have shown great fortitude is not to be
doubted, and will make a very great and good impres-
sion. I see that the general feeling is excellent, but
what a melancholy thing to see a young man, without
provocation, capable of such a diabolical act ! That
attempts of that sort took place against George III.,
and even George IV., one can comprehend ; but you
have not only been extremely liberal, but in no instance

i I.e., the Cabinet

286 EGYPT AND THE FOUR POWERS [CHAP. «

have you hitherto come into contact with any popular
feeling or prejudice ; besides, one should think that your
being a lady would alone prevent such unmanly conduct.
It shows what an effect bad example and the bad press
have. I am sure that this act is une singerie of what
passes in France, that it is a fancy of some of those
societies de Mort aux Rois ct Souverains, without
knowing wherefore, merely as a sort of fashion. . . .

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

ST. CLOUD, 26th July 1840.

MY DEAREST VICTORIA, — Your dear letter of the
19th greatly delighted me. . . .

Let me now add a few words on politics. The
secret way in which the arrangement about the arbitra-
tion of the Turco-Egyptian affairs has been signed,
the keeping out of France in an affair so near it and
touching its interests in various ways, has had here a
very disastrous effect.1 I cannot disguise from you
that the consequences may be very serious, and the
more so as the Thiers Ministry is supported by the
movement party, and as reckless of consequences as
your own Minister for Foreign Affairs, even much
more so, as Thiers himself would not be sorry to see
everything existing upset. He is strongly impregnated
with all the notions of fame and glory which belonged
to part of the Republican and the Imperial times ; he
would not even be much alarmed at the idea of a
Convention ruling again France, as he thinks that he
would be the man to rule the Assembly, and has told
me last year that he thinks it for France perhaps the
most powerful form of Government.2

The mode in this affair ought to have been, as

1 On the 15th of July a convention was signed in London by repre-
sentatives of England, Russia, Austria, and Prussia, offering an ultimatum
to the Viceroy of Egypt. The exclusion of France was hotly resented in Paris.
Guizot, then Ambassador in London, had been kept in ignorance of the
project, but the Foreign Secretary, Lord Palmerston, denied that there had
been any discourtesy intended, or want of consideration shown.

2 Louis Adolphe Thiers (1797-1877), who through the Press had contributed to
the downfall of the Bourbons, had held various Cabinet offices under Louis
Philippe, and, from March to October 1840, was for the second time Premier.

1840] PRINCE LOUIS NAPOLEON 287

soon as the Four Powers had agreed on a proposition,
to communicate it officially to France, to join it.
France had but two ways, either to join or to refuse
its adhesion. If it had chosen the last it would have
been a free decision on her part, and a secession which
had nothing offensive in the eyes of the nation.

But there is a material difference between leaving
a company from motives of one's own, or being kicked
out of it. I must beg you to speak seriously to Lord
Melbourne, who is the head of your Government, on
these important affairs ; they may upset everything in
Europe if the mistake is not corrected and moderated.

I shall write again to you next Friday from hence,
and on Saturday, 1st August, we set off. Ever, my
dearest Victoria, your devoted Uncle, LEOPOLD R.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

1th August 1840.
(10 P.M.)

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. The House of Lords lasted until eight, and
Lord Melbourne might by an exertion have got to the
Palace to dinner, but as he had the Speech, by no
means an easy one, to prepare for the consideration
of the Cabinet to-morrow, he thought it better to take
this evening for that purpose, and he hopes therefore
that your Majesty will excuse his not coming, which
is to him a great sacrifice to have made.

Your Majesty will have probably seen by this
time the report from your Majesty's Consul at
Boulogne of the mad attempt of Louis Bonaparte.1
It is rather unfortunate that it should have taken
place at this moment, as the violent and excited
temper of the French nation will certainly lead them
to attribute it to England. It will also be highly
embarrassing to the King of the French to have in

1 The Prince, afterwards the Emperor Napoleon III., descended on
Boulogne with fifty-three persons, and a tame eagle which had been
intended with stage effect to alight on the Colonne de Napoleon. He
was captured, tried for high treason, and sentenced to perpetual imprison-
ment. He effected his escape, which was undoubtedly connived at by the
authorities, in 1846.

288 KING LEOPOLD AT WIESBADEN [CHAP. n

his possession a member of the family of Bonaparte
and so many Bonapartists who have certainly deserved
death but whom it may not be prudent or politic to
execute.

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

WIESBADEN, 22nd September 1840.

Mr DEAREST VICTORIA, — I was most happy in
receiving this morning per messenger your dear little
letter of the 15th, though it is grown a little elderly.
The life one leads here is not favourable to writing,
which, besides, is prohibited, and easily gives me
palpitation enough to sing " di tanti palpiti ! ' I get
up at half after six and begin to drink this hot water ;
what with drinking and walking one comes to ten
o'clock or half after ten for breakfast. Then I read
papers and such like things. At one o'clock I have
been generally bored with some visit or other till two
o'clock. I try to finish some writing, and then I walk
and ride out till dinner-time, generally at seven. In
the evening I have written sometimes, but it certainly
does one harm. You see that there remains but little
time for writing.

I am most happy to find that you are well ; the
papers, which don't know what to invent to lower the
Funds, said that you had been unwell on the 10th,
which, God be praised ! is not at all true.

I pity poor Princess Augusta1 from all my heart.
I am sure that if she had in proper time taken care
of herself she might have lived to a great age. I
have not time to-day to write at any length on the
politics of the day, but I am far from thinking that
the French acted wisely in the Oriental affair. I must
say that 1 think the King meant well, but I should
not have abstained from the Conference as he did,
though, in France, interference with Mehemet Ali was
certainly not popular. In England much of the
fond is logical, but the form towards France was,

1 Princess Augusta, second daughter of George III. See p. 290.

1840] THE CONVENTION OF 1828 289

and is still, harsh and insulting. I don't think France,
which these ten years behaved well, and the poor
King, who was nearly murdered I don't remember
how often, deserved to be treated so unkindly, and
all that seemingly to please the great Autocrat. We
must not forget what were the fruits of the first
Convention of July 1828 — 1 think the 16th or 26th
of that month ; 1 ought to remember it, as I took
its name in vain often enough in the Greek affair.

This first Convention brought about the battle of
Navarino and the second campaign of the Russians,
which ended with, in fact, the demise of the poor old
Porte, the Treaty of Adrianople.1 Your Majesty was
then afflicted with the age of ten, in itself a good age,
and may not remember much about it except that
in 1829 the affair about my going to Greece began,
and that your affectionate heart took some interest in
that. Lord Melbourne, however, you must encourage
to speak about this matter. Canning's intention was
this : he said we must remain with Russia, and by
this means prevent mischief. The Duke of Wellington,
who came to me shooting at Claremont in 1828, really
did cry, though he is not of a crying disposition, and
said " by this Convention the Russians will have the power
of doing all they never would have dared to do single-
handed, and shielded by this infernal Convention, it
will not be in our power to stop them" Russia is
again in this very snug and comfortable position,
that the special protection of the Porte is confided to
its tender mercies — la chevre gardant le c/iou, the
wolf the sheep, as I suppose I must not compare the
Turcs to lambs. The Power which ruined the Otto-
man Empire, which since a hundred and forty years
nearly pared it all round nearly in every direction,
is to be the protector and guardian of that same
empire ; and we are told that it is the most scandalous

1 Under this treaty (14th September, 1829) the Danubian principalities
were made virtually independent States, the treaty rights of Russia in the
navigation of the Bosphorus and Dardanelles were confirmed, and Greek
affairs were arranged, by incorporating in the treaty the terms of the Protocol
of 22nd March, 1829.
VOL. i. — 19

290 A THREATENED CRISIS [CHAP, ,x

calumny to suspect the Russians to have any other
than the most humane and disinterested views ! " aimi
soit-il" as the French say at the end of their sermons.
This part of the Convention of the 15th of July 1840
strikes impartial people as strange, the more so as
nothing lowers the Porte so much in the eyes of the
few patriotic Turks who remain than the protection
of the arch-enemy of the concern, Russia. I beg you
to read this part of my letter to my good and dear
friend, Lord Melbourne, to whom I beg to be kindly
remembered.

Queen Victoria to discount Melbourne.1

WINDSOR CASTLE, 26<A September 1840.

This is certainly awkward ; but the latter part
about Peel is most absurd ; to him I can never apply,
we must do everything but that. But for God's sake
do not bring on a crisis ; 2 the Queen really could not
go through that now, and it might make her seriously
ill if she were to be kept in a state of agitation and
excitement if a crisis were to come on ; she has had
already so much lately in the distressing illness of her
poor Aunt to harass her. I beseech you think of all
this, and the consequences it might cause, not only
to me, but to all Europe, as it would show our
weakness in 'a way that would be seriously injurious
to this country.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 26tk September 1840.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — I have unfortunately very
little time to-day, but I will try and answer your

1 The letter, to which this is a reply, seems not to have been preserved.
The Queen's letter, having been shown to Lord John Russell and copied by
him, has hitherto been supposed to be a letter from Lord Melbourne to Lord
John Russell. See Walpole's Russoll, vol. i., chap. xiii.

2 The Cabinet met on the 28th to consider the Oriental Question. The
Government was on the verge of dissolution, as Lord Palmerston and Lord
John Russell were in conflict. The meeting was adjourned till 1st October.

1840] FRANCE AND THE EAST 291

kind letters of the 13th and 19th briefly. You know
now that the sufferings of good excellent Aunt
Augusta were terminated on the 22nd of this month.
I regret her very, very sincerely, though for herself
we are all most thankful for the release of such
unexampled sufferings, borne with such unexampled
patience. Almost the last thing she said when she was
still conscious, the day before she died, was to Mr
Moore (the apothecary) who wrote me every morning
a Report : " Have you written to my darling ? ' Is
this not touching ? The Queen Dowager had her hand
in hers when she died, and closed her eyes when all
was over ; all the Family were present.

I have seen your letters to Palmerston, and his
answer to you, and I also send you a paper from
Lord Melbourne. I assure you that I do give these
affairs my most serious attention : it would be indeed
most desirable if France could come back to us, and
I think what Metternich suggests very sagacious
and well-judged.1 You must allow me to state that
France has put herself into this unfortunate state.
/ know (as I saw all the papers] how she was
engaged to join us — and I know how strangely she
refused ; I know also, that France agrees in the
principle, but only doubts the efficacy of the measures.
Where then is " La France outragee ? " wherefore arm
when there is no enemy ? wherefore raise the war-cry ?
But this has been done, and has taken more effect
than I think the French Government now like ; and
now she has to undo all this and to calm the general
agitation and excitement, which is not so easy. Still,
though France is in the wrong, and quite in the
wrong, still / am most anxious, as I am sure my
Government also are, that France should be pacified
and should again take her place amongst the five
Powers. I am sure she might easily do this. . . .

Albert, who sends his love, is much occupied with
the Eastern affairs, and is quite of my opinion. . . .

1 Metternich's suggestion was that if other means of coercion failed, the
allies should renew their deliberations in conjunction with France.

292 A DIFFICULT QUESTION [CHAP, ix

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 30th September 1840.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. He is quite well, and will be ready at half-
past one.

The Prince's1 observations are just, but still the
making an advance to France now, coupled with our
constant inability to carry into effect the terms of
our Convention, will be an humiliating step.

Lord Melbourne sends a letter which he has received
this morning from Lord Normanby, whom he had
desired to see Lord Palmerston and Lord John
Russell, and try what he could do.

Lord Melbourne also sends a letter which he has
received from Lord Lansdowne.

Lord Melbourne would beg your Majesty to return
them both.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

DOWNING STREET, 1st October 1840.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. We have had the Cabinet and it has passed
over quietly. We have agreed to make a proposition
to France founded upon the communication of Prince
Metternich to the King of the Belgians.2 Palmerston
will propose to-morrow to Nieumann,3 the Prussian
Minister, and Brunnow,4 that he should write to
Granville, authorising him to acquaint Thiers that if
France will concur in respecting the principle of the
treaty, we, without expecting her to adopt coercive
measures, will concert with her the further course to
be adopted for the purpose of carrying the principle
into effect. This is so far so good. Lord Melbourne
trusts that it will get over the present entanglement,
but of course we must expect that in a matter so
complicated and which we have not the power of
immediately terminating, further difficulties will arise.

i Prince Metternich. a See previous page, note.

* Austrian Ambassador. * Russian Minister.

1840] SERIOUS MEASURES 293

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

DOWNING STREET, 2nd October 1840.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. We have just had another Cabinet,1 which
was rendered necessary by Brunnow and the Prussian
Minister refusing to concur in what we determined
yesterday without reference to their Courts and
authority from them. This makes it impossible for
us to take the step in the way we proposed, but we
have now settled that Palinerston should direct
Granville to submit the proposition to Thiers, and
ask him how he would be disposed to receive it if
it were formally made to him. This, so far as we
are concerned, will have all the effect which could have
been attained in the other way.

Very important despatches of the 14th inst. have
come from Constantinople. The Ministers of the
Porte held the last proposition of Mehemet Ali as a
positive refusal of the terms of the Convention, and
proceeded by the advice of Lord Ponsonby2 at once
to divest Mehemet Ali of the Pashalik of Egypt ; to
direct a blockade of the coasts both of Syria and
Egypt, and to recall the four Consuls from Alexandria.
These are serious measures, and there are despatches
from Lord Beau vale3 stating that Prince Metternich
is much alarmed at them, and thinks that measures
should be immediately taken to diminish and guard
against the effect which they may have in France. Lord
Melbourne humbly begs your Majesty's pardon for
this hurried scrawl upon matters of such importance,
but Lord Melbourne will have the opportunity of
speaking to your Majesty more fully upon them to-
morrow.

1 The peace party in the Cabinet were defeated and Palmerston triumphant

a British Ambassador at Constantinople.

8 Frederick James Lamb, younger brother of Lord Melbourne, and his
successor in the title (1782-1853). He was at this time Ambassador at
Vienna, having previously been Ambassador at Lisbon.

294 PALMERSTON AND FRANCE [CHAP. «

The King of t/ic Belgians to Queen Victoria.

WIESBADEN, 2nd October 1840.

. . . There is an idea that Mehemet Ali suffers
from what one calls un charbon, a sort of dangerous
ulcer which, with old people, is never without some
danger. If this is true, it only shows how little one
can say that the Pashalik of Aleppo is to decide who
is to be the master of the Ottoman Empire in
Europe and Asia, the Sultan or Mehemet ? It is
highly probable that if the old gentleman dies, his
concern will go to pieces ; a division will be attempted
by the children, but that in the East hardly ever
succeeds. There everything is personal, except the
sort of Caliphate which the Sultan possesses, and
when the man is gone, his empire also goes. Runjeet
Singh * is a proof of this ; his formidable power will
certainly go to the dogs, though the Sikhs have a
social link which does not exist in the Egyptian
concern. If we now were to set everything in
Europe on a blaze, have a war which may change
totally all that now exists, and in the midst of it
we should hear that Mehemet is no more, and his
whole boutique broken up, would it not be really
laughable if it was not melancholy ? And still the
•war once raging, it would no longer put a stop to
it, but go on for other reasons.

I cannot understand what has rendered Palmerston
so extremely hostile to the King and Government of
France. A little civility would have gone a great
way with the French ; if in your Speech on the llth
of August some regret had been expressed, it would
have greatly modified the feelings of the French.
But Palmerston likes to put his foot on their necks f
Now, no statesman must triumph over an enemy that
is not quite dead, because people forget a real loss,
a real misfortune, but they won't forget an insult.
Napoleon made great mistakes that way ; he hated

1 Runjeet Singh, known as the King of Lahore, had died in 1839, having
consolidated the Sikh power. As an outcome of the Sikh wars in 1846 and
1848, the Punjab was annexed by Great Britain in 1849.

1840] VIEWS OF THE KING OF THE FRENCH 295

Prussia, insulted it on all occasions, but still left it
alive. The consequence was that in 1813 they rose
to a man in Prussia, even children and women took
arms, not only because they had been injured, but
because they had been treated with contempt and
insulted. I will here copy what the King wrote to
me lately from Paris :

"Vous ne vous faites pas d'idee a quel point
1'approbation publique soutient les armemens, c'est
universel. Je regrette que cela aille bien au-dela,
car la fureur centre 1'Angleterre s'accroit et un des
points que je regrette le plus, c'est que tout notre
peuple est persuade que 1'Angleterre veut reduire la
France au rang de Puissance secondaire, et vous
savez ce que c'est que 1'orgueil national et la vanite
de tous les peuples. Je crois done bien urgent que
la crise actuelle se termine bientot pacifiquement.
Plus je crois que 1'union de 1'Angleterre et de la
France est la base du repos du monde, plus je
regrette de voir susciter tant d'irritation entre nos
deux Nations. La question est de savoir ce que veut
ve'ritablement le Gouvernement Anglais. J'avoue que
je ne suis pas sans crainte et sans inquietude a cet
egard quand je recapitule dans ma tete tout ce que
Lord Ponsonby a fait pour 1'allumer et tout ce qu'il
fait encore. Je n'aurais aucune inquietude si je
croyais que le Gouvernement suivrait la voix de sa
Nation, et les veritables interets de son pays qui
repoussent 1'alliance Russe et indiquent celle de la
France, ce qui est tout-a-fait conforme a mes voeux
personnels. Mais ma vieille experience me rappelle ce
que font les passions personnelles, qui predominent
bien plus de nos jours que les veritables interets, et
ce que peut le Gouvernement Anglais pour entrainer
son pays, et je crains beaucoup 1'art de la Russie
ou plutot de 1'Empereur Nicolas de captiver, par les
plus immenses flatteries, les Ministres Anglais, preuve
Lord Durham. Or si ces deux Gouvernements
veulent ou osent entreprendre I abaissement de la
France, la guerre s'allumera, et pour mon cornpte
alors je my jetterai a outrance, mais si comme je

296 PROPOSITIONS FOR SETTLEMENT [CHAP. «

1'espere encore, malgre mes soup^ons, ils ne veulent
pas la guerre, alors 1'affaire de 1'Orient s'arrangera
a 1'amiable, et le cri de toutes les Nations fera de
nouveau justice de ces humeurs belliqueuses et
consolidera la paix generale, conime cela est arrive
dans les premieres annees de mon regne."

I think it right to give you this extract, as it is
written from the very bottom of the King's heart, and
shows the way in which he considers the present
position of affairs. Perhaps you will be so kind to
read it or to let it be read by Lord Melbourne. It
is this abaissement de la France which now sticks
in their throats. Chartres a has quite the same feeling,
and then the refrain is, plutot pcrir que de soujfrir
cette ignominie !

Really my paper is abominable, but it is a great
shame that in the residence of such a rich Prince
nothing can be had. My letter being long, I conclude
it with my best blessings. Ever, my dearest Victoria,
your devoted Uncle, LEOPOLD R.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

CLAREMONT, 6th October 1840.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. The King's letter to Lord Melbourne is in
many respects just and true.2 The practical measure
which it recommends, namely, that Lord Granville
should make to Thiers a general proposition for
settling the whole matter, is very much the same as
that which we agreed upon at the Cabinet should be
adopted. Lord Melbourne expects that this has been
carried into effect, and if it has not, Lord Melbourne
has urged that it should be done without delay.

These affairs are very troublesome and vexatious,
but they are, unfortunately, more than troublesome,
they are pregnant with danger.

1 Ferdinand, Duke of Orleans, who died 13th July 1842, was generally
called Chartres in the family circle ; this title, which he had previously borne,
was conferred on his younger son, born 9th November 1840.

2 The King of the Belgians had written a letter to Lord Melbourne on
1st October, which he had sent to Queen Victoria asking her to read it and
forward it to Lord Melbourne.

1840J ATTITUDE OF FRANCE 297

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

WIESBADEN, 6th October 1840.

... It is to-day the poor King of the French's
birthday ; he is sixty-seven years old, and these last
ten years he has had a pleasant time of it. And now
he has this serious and difficult complication to deal
with, and still I find him always fair and amiable in
his way of looking at all these things, and bearing
the almost unbearable annoyance and plagues of his
arduous position with a degree of firmness and courage
worthy of kinder treatment from the European Powers
than he has received. . . .

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, 9th October 1840.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. Lord John Russell has directed a Cabinet
to be summoned for to-morrow at three o'clock, at
which he intends to propose that " Instructions should
be sent to Lord Granville to ascertain from the French
Government what terms France would consider satis-
factory for the immediate arrangement of the affairs of
the East."

That if such terms shall appear satisfactory, Mr
Henry Bulwer * or some person of similar rank should
be sent to Constantinople to urge their acceptance on
the Sultan, and that our Allies should be invited to
co-operate in that negotiation.

That the French Government should be informed
that the only mode in which the pacification can be
carried into effect is by Mehemet Ali's accepting the
terms of the treaty and then receiving from the Sultan
the terms which shall have been previously agreed upon
by his Allies.

Lord Melbourne feels certain that Lord Palmerston

1 Henry Bulwer (1801-1872), afterwards Lord Dalling, then first secre-
tary of the Embassy in Paris, became Minister to Spain, 1843-1848 ; to the
United States 1849-1852 ; to Tuscany, 1852-1855 ; and Ambassador to Turkey,
1858-1865.

298 PACIFIC INSTRUCTIONS [CHAP, ix

will not accede to these proposals, and indeed Lord
Melbourne himself much doubts whether, after all that
has passed, it would be right to submit the whole
matter, as it were, to the decision and arbitration of
France. Lord John Russell seems very much deter-
mined to press this question to a decision to-morrow,
and Lord Melbourne much fears that such decision may
lead to serious consequences.

Lord Melbourne is much grieved to have to send
your Majesty intelligence which he knows will greatly
disquiet your Majesty, but there is no remedy for it.

Lord Melbourne's lumbago is somewhat better
to-day but not much. His being compelled to attend
at the House of Lords yesterday prevented him from
recovering. He has remained in bed to-day, and hopes
to be better to-morrow.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, 9th October 1840.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. He has just received your Majesty's box.
He will do all he can to put everything together, and
it does not appear to him that there is any necessity
on any side for a decisive step at present. A letter
is arrived to-day from Bulwer, which states that the
instructions given to Guizot are, through the inter-
position of the King, of a very pacific character. It
would surely be well to see what they are, and whether
they will not afford the means of arranging the whole
affair.

Lord Melbourne thought with your Majesty that
the letter to Lord Granville upon Prince Metternich's
proposition was a great deal too short and dry and
slight, but the importance of this step is now a good deal
superseded by what has taken place, and the position
of affairs has already become different from that in
which it was resolved upon.

Lord Melbourne very much thanks the Prince for
his letter, which may do much service and have an
effect upon the antagonists.

1840] THE PORTE AND MEHEMET ALI 299

Lord Melbourne has just seen Dr Holland.1 Lord
Melbourne is very much crippled and disabled. Lord
Melbourne does not think that the shooting has had
anything to do with it. His stomach has lately been
out of order, which is always the cause of these sort
of attacks. Lord Melbourne will come down on Sunday
if he possibly can, and unless he should be still disabled
from moving.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, 10th October 1840.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. . . . All the question at the Cabinet to-day as
to whether we should write a communication to France
was fortunately put an end to by Guizot desiring to
see Palmerston in the morning and making a com-
munication to him. This communication is very much
in substance what Mr Bulwer's note had led us to
expect. It is a strong condemnation of the act of the
Porte depriving Mehemet Ali of the Government of
Egypt, an expression of satisfaction at having already
learned from Lord Palmerston and Count Apponyi 2 that
Austria and England are not prepared to consider this
act as irrevocable, and a threat on the part of France
that he considers the power of Mehemet Ali in Egypt
a constituent part of the balance of Europe, and that
he cannot permit him to be deprived of that province
without interfering. It was determined that this
intimation should be met in an amicable spirit, and
that Lord Palmerston should see the Ministers of the
other Powers and agree with them to acquaint the
French that they with England would use their good
offices to induce the Porte not to insist upon the depriva-
tion of Mehemet Ali as far as Egypt is concerned.
Lord Melbourne hopes that this transaction may lead
to a general settlement of the whole question.

Lord Melbourne feels himself much fatigued to-night

1 Dr (afterwards Sir) Henry Holland, Physician-in-Ordinary to the Queen,
1850-1873, father of Lord Knutsford.

2 Born 1782 ; at this time the Austrian Ambassador in England.

300 BOMBARDMENT OF BEYROUT [CHAP. «

Though better, he is yet far from well, and he knows
by experience that this malady when once it lays hold
of him does not easily let go. It was so when he
was younger. He fears, therefore, that it will not be
prudent for him to leave town so early as Monday,
but will do so as soon as he can with safety.

Viscount P aimer ston to Queen Victoria.

PANSH ANGER, 11 th October 1840.

Viscount Palmerston presents his humble duty to
your Majesty.

Viscount Palmerston submits to your Majesty some
interesting letters, which he received some days ago from
Paris, showing that there never has been any real founda-
tion for the alarm of war with France with was felt
by some persons in this country.

Viscount Palmerston also submits a despatch from
Mons. Thiers to Mons. Guizot which was com-
municated to him yesterday by Mons. Guizot, and
which seems to open a prospect of an amicable and
satisfactory understanding between France and the
Four Powers.

Viscount Palmerston also submits a note from Mr
Bulwer intimating that the French Government would
be contented with an arrangement which should leave
Mehemet Ali in possession of Egypt alone, without
any part of Syria, and Viscount Palmerston submits
that such is the arrangement which it would on all
accounts be desirable to accomplish. There seems
reason to think that the bombardment of Beyrout1
and the deposal of Mehemet Ali by the Sultan have
greatly contributed to render the French more reason-
able on this question, by exciting in their minds an
apprehension that unless some arrangement be speedily
effected, the operations now going on in the Levant
will end in the entire overthrow of Mehemet Ah'.

1 On 10th October Ibrahim was defeated by the allies, and next day
Beyrout was occupied by British, Austrian, and Turkish troops.

1840] GUIZOT AND TRIERS 301

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, \\th October 1840.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. He has not written before to-day, because
he had nothing new to lay before your Majesty. Lord
Melbourne anxiously hopes she feels some confidence
that the present state of the Eastern affairs is such as
may lead to a speedy, amicable termination — at the
same time with a nation so irritable as the French,
and with the Constitution which they have and which
they are unused to exercise, it is impossible to feel
secure for a moment. Guizot, when he gave the
despatch of Thiers to Lord Palmerston, said that he
had nothing to do with the reasonings of that despatch,
and would not enter into any argument upon them.
He delivered them only in his official capacity as
the Ambassador of the King of France. All he would
say was that they were the result of a great effort of
that party in France which was for peace. This was
a sufficient intimation that he himself did not approve
of them, but it was not possible to collect from what
he said upon what grounds his dissent was founded.
Lord Melbourne has since heard that he says, that he
considers that France has taken too low a tone and
has made too much concession, and that he could not
have been a party to this step if he had been one
of the King's Ministers. The step is also probably
contrary to the declared opinion of M. Thiers ; whether
it be contrary to his real opinion is another question.
But if it was written principally by the influence of the
King, it is a measure at once bold and friendly upon
his part, and the success of which will much depend
upon its being met in an amicable spirit here.

Lord Melbourne returns the letter of the King of
the Belgians. Lord Melbourne kept it because he
wished to show it to Lord John Russell, and some
others, as containing an authentic statement of the
feelings of the King of the French, which it is well
that they should know. . . .

302 FRIENDLINESS OF FRANCE [CHAP. «

Queen Victoria to Viscount Palmerston.

WINDSOR CASTLE, \<2th October 1840.

The Queen in returning these letters must express
to Lord Palmerston her very great satisfaction at the
favourable turn affairs have taken, and the Queen
earnestly trusts that this demonstration of returning
amity on the part of France will be met in a very
friendly spirit by Lord Palmerston and the rest of
her Government. The Queen feels certain that this
change on the part of France is also greatly owing to
the peaceable disposition of the King of the French,
and she thinks that in consideration of the difficulties
the King has had to contend with, and which he seems
finally to have overcome, wre should make some return ;
and indeed, as Lord Palmerston states, the arrangement
proposed is the best which can be desired.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, 12th October 1840.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. He is much better to-day, free from pain
and difficulty of moving, but he thinks that it wrould
not be prudent, and that he should run the risk of
bringing back the complaint, if he should leave town
to-morrow.

He thinks it might also be imprudent in another
point of view, as affairs are still in a very unsettled
state, and the rest of the Cabinet watch with great
impatience, and, to say the truth, not without suspicion,
the manner in which Palmerston will carry into effect
the decision of Saturday. They are particularly
anxious for speed, and I have written both last night
and this morning to Palmerston, to urge him not to
delay. He will go down to Windsor to-morrow, and
your Majesty will then have an opportunity of speaking
to him, upon which Lord Melbourne will write again to
your Majesty.

Guizot has been with Lord Melbourne this morning
for the purpose of repeating what he had before said to

1840] DIFFERING VIEWS 303

Palmerston that the Note which he delivered on
Saturday was the result of a great effort made by the
party who are for peace, that it had been conquered
against a strong opposition, that if it were not taken
advantage of here now, it would not be renewed, that
the conduct of affairs in France would probably fall
into the hands of the violent party, and that it would
be no longer possible to control the excited feelings
of the people of France.

The worst is that Palmerston, and John Russell,
with now the greater part of the Cabinet, proceed upon
principles, opinions, and expectations which are entirely
different from one another, and which therefore
necessarily lead to a different course of action. We
are anxious to finish the business speedily, because we
fear that there is danger of the Government of France
being forced into violent measures by popular outcry.
Palmerston, on the contrary, thinks that there is no
danger of war, that the French do not mean war, and that
there is no feeling in France but what has been produced
by the Ministry and their instruments the Press.

We are anxious that the opportunity should be
seized now whilst we have the appearance of success in
Syria, not being at all confident of the ultimate result.
Palmerston, on the contrary, is so confident of complete
success, that he wishes to delay concluding the affair
until he can have the benefit of the full advantages,
which he anticipates, in the negotiation.

We should be too glad to see the matter settled,
leaving Mehemet Ali in possession of Egypt.

Palmerston has both the wish and the hope of
getting him out of Egypt as well as Syria.

These great differences of view, object and
expectation render it difficult for those who hold them
to pursue the same line of conduct.

There is also, as your Majesty knows, much suspi-
cion, distrust and irritation, and all these circumstances
throw great obstacles in the way of the progress of
affairs, but Lord Melbourne hopes that they will all be
overcome, and that we shall arrive at a safe conclusion.

304 THE QUEEN'S INFLUENCE [CHAP. «

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, \3th October 1840.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. It is absolutely necessary that we should
have a Cabinet on Thursday. There is so much natural
impatience, and so deep an interest taken in what is now
going on, that it cannot be avoided. . . .

Your Majesty will naturally seize this opportunity of
stating strongly to Palmerston your wishes that this
opportunity should be taken advantage of, with a view
to the speedy accommodation of the whole difference.
Your Majesty will see the necessity of at the same time
not appearing to take too much the part of France,
which might irritate and indispose.

Your Majesty will find John Russell perfectly right
and reasonable. He was before somewhat embarrassed
by the position in which he was placed. Having agreed
to the Convention, it was difficult for him to take steps
which might appear to be in departure from its policy,
and to be occasioned by the gravity of its consequences.
But this step upon the part of France will enable all the
friends of peace to act cordially together. John Russell
thinks that you have not been put fully in possession
of his sentiments. Lord Melbourne thinks this is not
the case ; but it would be well if your Majesty would
try to efface this impression from his mind as much as
possible.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

\3th October 1840.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — . . . I have three kind
letters of yours unanswered before me, of the 1st, 2nd,
and 6th, for which many thanks. My time is very short
indeed to-day, but Albert has I know written to you
about the favourable turn which the Oriental affairs
have taken, and of the proposition of France, which is
very amicably received here ; Austria and Prussia are
quite ready to agree, but Brunnow has been making

1840] AN ANXIOUS TIME 305

already difficulties (this is in confidence to you). I
hope and trust that this will at length settle the affair,
and that peace, the blessings of which are innumerable,
will be preserved. I feel we owe much of the change
of the conduct of France to the peaceable disposition
of the dear King, for which I feel grateful.1 Pray, dear
Uncle, when an opportunity offers, do offer the King
my best, sincerest wishes for his health and happiness
in every way, on the occasion of his birthday ; may
he live many years, for the benefit of all Europe ! . . .

Queen Victoria to tlie King of the Belgians.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 16th October 1840.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — I received your kind but
anxious letter of the 10th the day before yesterday,
and hasten to reply to it by the courier who goes
to-day. Indeed, dearest Uncle, I have worked hard
this last week to bring about something conciliatory,
and I hope and trust I have succeeded. Lord
Melbourne, who left Claremont on the same day as
we did, was confined to the house till yesterday,
when he arrived here, by a lumbago and bilious
attack ; but I had a constant correspondence with
him on this unfortunate and alarming question, and
he is, I can assure you, fully aware of the danger,
and as anxious as we are to set matters right ; and
so is Lord John, and Palmerston, I hope, is getting
more reasonable. They have settled in consequence
of Thiers' two despatches that Palmerston should
write to Lord Ponsonby to urge the Porte not to
dispossess Mehemet Ali finally of Egypt, and I
believe the other foreign Ministers at Constantinople
will receive similar instructions ; this despatch
Palmerston will send to Granville (to-night, I believe)
to be communicated to Thiers, and / have made

1 The King of the French was alarmed at the warlike language of his
Ministers. He checked the preparations for war which Thiers was making ;
he went further, and on the 24th of October he dismissed the Thiers Ministry
and entrusted the management of affairs to Soult and Guizot, who were
pacifically inclined and anxious to preserve the Anglo-French entente.

VOL. i. —20

306 ATTEMPT ON LOUIS PHILIPPE'S LIFE [CHAP. »

Palmerston promise to put into the despatch to
Granville " that it would be a source of great satis-
faction to England, if this would be the cause of
bringing back France to that alliance (with the
other Four Powers) from which we had seen her
depart with so much regret. I hope this will have
a good effect. Now, in mij humble opinion (but this
I say of myself and without anybody's knowledge),
if France, upon this, were to make some sort of
advance, and were to cease arming, I think all would
do ; for you see if France goes on arming, we shall
hardly be justified in not doing the same, and that
would be very bad. Couldn't you suggest this to
the King and Thiers, as of yourself? My anxiety is
great for the return of amity and concord, I can
assure you. I think our child ought to have besides
its other names those of Turco Egypto, as we think
of nothing else ! I had a long talk with Palmerston
on Wednesday, and also with J. Russell.

I hope I have done good. The Dutch don't like
the abdication. I'm so sorry for poor little Paris ! *

Pray excuse this dreadful scrawl, but I am so
hurried. Ever your devoted Niece, VICTORIA R.

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

LAEKEN, Uth October 1840.

MY DEAREST VICTORIA, — You will, I am sure, have
been very much shocked on hearing that on the 15th
there was a new attempt made to kill the poor good
King at Paris.2 The place was cleverly chosen, as
the King generally puts his head out of the carriage
window to bow to the guard. I join the letter which
he had the goodness to forward us through an
cstafette.3 May this melancholy attentat impress on

1 The Comte de Paris, born 24th August, 1838, eldest son of Ferdinand
Duke of Orleans, who was Louis Philippe's eldest son.

2 The King was fired at as he was leaving the Tuileries, by Darmes, a
Marseillais. As Croker wrote to Lord Brougham on the 31st of October,
1H40.- — " Poor Louis Philippe lives the life of a mad dog, and will soon, I
fear, suffer the death of that general object of every man's shot"

8 Express messenger.

1840] NEGOTIATION WITH FRANCE ADVISED 307

your Ministers the necessity of aiding the King in
his arduous task. . . . You will have the goodness to
show this letter to Albert.

Louise was much alarmed when it arrived at such
an unusual hour ; it was ten o'clock. At first we
thought it might be something about poor little Paris,
who is not yet so well as one could wish.

We have gloomy miserable weather, and I feel much
disgusted with this part of the world. Ever, my
beloved Victoria, your devoted Uncle, LEOPOLD R.

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

LAEKEN, 20th October 1840.

MY MOST BELOVED VICTORIA, — I must write to you
a few lines by M. Drouet, who returns to-morrow
morning to England. God bless you for the great
zeal you have mis en action for our great work, the
maintenance of peace, it is one of the greatest im-
portance for everything worth caring for in Europe.
You know well that no personal interest guides me
in my exertions, I am in fact bored with being here,
and shall ever regret to have remained in these regions,
when I might so easily have gone myself to the Orient,
the great object of my predilection.

I never shall advise anything which would be
against the interests and honour of yourself, your
Government, or your country, in which I have so
great a stake myself. The great thing now is not to
refuse to negotiate with France, even if it should end
in nothing, still for the King Louis Philippe there is
an immense strength and facility in that word "nous
negations" with this he may get over the opening of
the session, and this once done, one may hope to come
to a conclusion. Since I wrote to Lord Melbourne
to-day, I have received a letter from the King, of the
19th, i.e. yesterday, in which he tells me, " Pourvu qu'il
y ait, pour commencer, des negotiations, cela me donne
une grande force"

I have written yesterday to him most fully a letter

308 TRIERS MORE MODERATE [CHAP, ix

he may show Thiers also concerning the armaments.
I think that my arguments will make some impression on
Thiers. The King writes me word that by dint of great
exertion he had brought Thiers to be more moderate.
If it was possible to bring France and Mehemet Ali
to agree to the greatest part of the Treaty, it will be
worth while for everybody to consent. The way to
bring France to join in some arrangement, and to
take the engagement to compel Mehemet to accept
it, would be the best practical way to come to a
conclusion. It is probable, though I know nothing
about it in any positive way, that the efforts of getting
possession of Syria will fail, if the country itself does
not take up arms on a large scale, which seems not
to be believed.

To conclude then my somewhat hurried argumenta-
tion, the greatest thing is to negotiate. The negotiation
cannot now have the effect of weakening the execution
as that goes on, and it may have the advantage of
covering the non-success if that should take place, which
is at all events possible if not probable. May I beg you
to read these few confused words to Lord Melbourne
as a supplement of my letter to him. Darmes says
that if Chartres had been with the King, he would
not have fired, but that his reason for wishing to kill
the King was his conviction that one could not hope
for war till he was dead.

It is really melancholy to see the poor King taking
this acharnement very much to heart, and upon my
word, the other Powers of Europe owe it to themselves
and to him, to do everything to ease and strengthen
his awful task.

What do you say to poor Christina's departure ? l
I am sorry for it, and for the poor children. She is
believed to be very rich.

Now I must conclude, but not without thanking
you once more for your great and most laudable

1 Queen Christina abdicated the Regency of Spain, and went to Paris.
In the following May General Espartero, Duke of Vittoria, was appointed
sole Regent.

1840] DEATH OF LORD HOLLAND 309

exertions, and wishing you every happiness, which you
so much deserve. Ever, my most beloved Victoria, your
devoted Uncle, LEOPOLD R.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 23rd October 1840.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — Many thanks for your two
kind letters of the 17th and 20th. I have very little
time to-day, and it being besides not my regular day,
I must beg you to excuse this letter being very
short. I return you the King's letters with bien des
remerciments. It is a horrid business. We have had
accounts of successes on the Syrian coast. Guizot
is here since Wednesday, and goes this morning.
Albert (who desires me to thank you for your kind
letter) has been talking to him, and so have I, and
he promised in return for my expressions of sincere
anxiety to see matters raccommodees, to do all in his
power to do so. " Je ne vais que pour cela" he said.

We were much shocked yesterday at the sudden
death of poor, good, old Lord Holland.1 I send you
Dr Holland's letter to Lord Melbourne about it.
He is a great loss, and to Society an irreparable one.
I'm sure you will be sorry for it.

Mamma comes back sooner than the 31st. She is
in great distress at poor Polly's death. You will regret
him. Ever your devoted Niece, VICTORIA R.

Pray do try and get the King's speech to be pacific,
else Parliament must meet here in November which
would be dreadful for me.

The Queen of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

LAEKEN, 26th October 1840.

. . . The Duke of Cambridge arrived, as you know,
before yesterday evening, at Brussels. Your Uncle
visited him yesterday, and at six he came to Laeken
to dine with us. I found him looking well, and he

1 Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, who, by reason of his social
influence, great wealth, and high intellectual endowments, was one of the
most efficient supporters of the Whig party.

310 CHANGE OF MINISTRY IN FRANCE [CHAP. «

was as usual very good-natured and kind. I need
not tell you that conversation did not flag between
us, and that I thought of you almost the whole time.
In the course of the evening he took leave. He left
Brussels this morning early, on his way to Calais,
and I suppose you will hear of him before this letter
reaches you. He took charge of all my love and
hommages for you, dear Albert, and all the Royal
Family. Before dinner the children were presented to
him (that is Leopold and Philippe), but I am sorry
to say that poor Lippchen was so much frightened
with his appearance, loud voice, and black gloves,
that he burst out crying, and that we were obliged
to send him away. The Duke took his shyness very
kindly ; but I am still ashamed with his behaviour.

Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria.

CAHLTON TERRACE, Sth November 1840.

Viscount Palmerston presents his humble duty to
your Majesty, and in addition to the good news from
Syria, which confirms the defeat and dispersion of the
forces, both of Ibrahim and of Solyman Pasha, with
the loss of 8000 prisoners, 24 pieces of cannon, the
whole of their camp, baggage, and stores, followed by
the flight of those two Generals with a small escort,1
he has the satisfaction of informing your Majesty that
the new French Ministers had a majority of 68, upon
the vote for the election of the President of the
Chamber.2

This majority, so far exceeding any previous calcula-
tion, seems to place the stability of the Government
beyond a doubt, though it must, of course, be expected
that upon other questions their majority will not be
so overwhelming.

1 See ante, p. 300.

2 M. Sauzet was elected in preference to M. Odillon Barrot. Thiers
resigned the Premiership on 14th October; in the new Ministry Soult was
President of the Council, Guizot Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Duchatel
Minister of the Interior.

1840] FRENCH DISAFFECTION 311

Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria.

WINDSOR CASTLE, llth November 1840.

Viscount Palmerston presents his humble duty to
your Majesty, and with reference to your Majesty's
memorandum of the 9th inst., he entreats your Majesty
not to believe that there exists at present in France
that danger of internal revolution and of external war
which the French Government, to serve its own
diplomatic purposes, endeavours to represent.

There is no doubt a large Party among the leading
politicians in France, who have long contemplated the
establishment of a virtually, if not actually, independent
State in Egypt and Syria, under the direct protection
and influence of France, and that Party feel great dis-
appointment and resentment at finding their schemes
in this respect baffled. But that Party will not
revenge themselves on the Four Powers by making
a revolution in France, and they are enlightened
enough to see that France cannot revenge herself by
making war against the Four Powers, who are much
stronger than she is.

. . . But your Majesty may be assured that there
is in France an immense mass of persons, possessed of
property, and engaged in pursuits of industry, who are
decidedly adverse to unnecessary war, and determined
to oppose revolution. And although those persons have
not hitherto come prominently forward, yet their voice
would have made itself heard, when the question of peace
or unprovoked war came practically to be discussed.

With regard to internal revolution, there is
undoubtedly in France a large floating mass of
Republicans and Anarchists, ready at any moment
to make a disturbance if there was no strong power
to resist them ; but the persons who would lose by
convulsion are infinitely more numerous, and the
National Guard of Paris, consisting of nearly 60,000
men, are chiefly persons of this description, and are
understood to be decidedly for internal order, and for
external peace.

It is very natural that the French Government,

312 STATE OF EUROPE IN 1792 [CHAP, ix

after having failed to extort concessions upon the
Turkish Question, by menaces of foreign war,
should now endeavour to obtain those concessions,
by appealing to fears of another kind, and should
say that such concessions are necessary in order to
prevent revolution in France ; but \riscount Palmerston
would submit to your Majesty his deep conviction
that this appeal is not better founded than the other,
and that a firm and resolute perseverance on the part
of the Four Powers, in the measures which they have
taken in hand, will effect a settlement of the affairs
of Turkey, which will afford great additional security
for the future peace of Europe, without producing in
the meantime either war with France, or revolution
in France.

France and the rest of Europe are entirely different
now from what they were in 1792. The French nation
is as much interested now to avoid further revolution,
as it was interested then in ridding itself, by any means,
of the enormous and intolerable abuses which then
existed. France then imagined she had much to gain
by foreign war ; France now knows she has every-
thing to lose by foreign war.

Europe then (at least the Continental States), had
also a strong desire to get rid of innumerable abuses
which pressed heavily upon the people of all countries.
Those abuses have now in general been removed ; the
people in many parts of Germany have been admitted,
more or less, to a share in the management of their
own affairs. A German feeling and a spirit of nation-
ality has sprung up among all the German people,
and the Germans, instead of receiving the French as
Liberators, as many of them did in 1792-93, would now
rise as one man to repel a hateful invasion. Upon
all these grounds Viscount Palmerston deems it his
duty to your Majesty to express his strong conviction
that the appeals made to your Majesty's good feelings
by the King of the French, upon the score of the
danger of revolution in France, unless concessions
are made to the French Government, have no founda-

1840] THE QUEEN'S OPINION 313

tion in truth, and are only exertions of skilful
diplomacy.

Viscount Palmerston has to apologise to your
Majesty for having inadvertently written a part of
this memorandum upon a half sheet of paper. And he
would be glad if, without inconvenience to your
Majesty, he could be enabled to read to the Cabinet
to-morrow the accompanying despatches from Lord
Granville.

Queen Victoria to Viscount Palmerston.1

WINDSOR CASTLE, llth November 1840.

The Queen has to acknowledge the receipt of
Lord Palmerston's letter of this morning, which she
has read with great attention. The Queen will just
make a few observations upon various points in it,
to which she would wish to draw Lord Palmerston's
attention. The Queen does so with strict impartiality,
having had ample opportunities of hearing both sides
of this intricate and highly-important question.

First of all, it strikes the Queen that, even if M.
Thiers did raise the cry, which was so loud, for war
in France (but which the Queen cannot believe he did
to the extent Lord Palmerston does), that such an
excitement once raised in a country like France,
where the people are more excitable than almost any
other nation, it cannot be so easily controuled and
stopped again, and the Queen thinks this will be seen
in time.

Secondly, the Queen cannot either quite agree
in Lord Palmerston's observation, that the French
Government state the danger of internal revolution, if
not supported, merely to extract further concessions
for Mehernet Ali. The Queen does not pretend to
say that this danger is not exaggerated, but depend
upon it, a certain degree of danger does exist, and
that the situation of the King of the French and

1 A copy of this letter was sent at the same time to Lord Melbourne.

314 IMPORTANCE OF CONCILIATION [CHAP. «

the present French Government is not an easy
one. The majority, too, cannot be depended upon,
as many would vote against Odillon Barrot,1 who
would not vote on other occasions with the Soult-
Guizot Ministry.

Thirdly, the danger of war is also doubtless greatly
exaggerated, as also the numbers of the French troops.
But Lord Palmerston must recollect how very warlike
the French are, and that if once roused, they will not
listen to the calm reasoning of those who wish for
peace, or think of the great risk they run of losing
by war, but only of the glory and of revenging insult
as they call it.

Fourthly, the Queen sees the difficulty there
exists at the present moment of making any specific
offer to France, but she must at the same time
repeat how highly and exceedingly important she
considers it that some sort of conciliatory agree-
ment should be come to with France, for she cannot
believe that the appeals made to her by the King
of the French are only exertions of skilful diplomacy.
The Queen's earnest and only wish is peace, and
a maintenance of friendly relations with her allies,
consistent with the honour and dignity of her
country. She does not think, however, that the last
would be compromised by * attempts to soften the
irritation still existing in France, or by attempts to
bring France back to her former position in the
Oriental Question.

She earnestly hopes that Lord Palmerston will
consider this, will reflect upon the importance of not
driving France to extremities, and of conciliatory
measures, without showing fear (for our successes
on the coast of Syria show our power), or without
yielding to threats. France has been humbled, and
France is in the wrong, but, therefore, it is easier
than if we had failed, to do something to bring
matters right again. The Queen has thus frankly
stated her own opinion which she thought it right

1 The unsuccessful candidate for the Presidency of the Chamber.

1840] PRINCE'S NAME IN THE PRAYER BOOK 315

Lord Palmerston should know, and she is sure he will
see it is only dictated by an earnest desire to see all as
much united as possible on this important subject.

Baron Stockmar to Viscount Melbourne.

2lst November 1840.

MY DEAR LORD, — I have just received Her Majesty's
order to express to you her great desire to have from
this day the Prince's name introduced into the Church
Prayer. Her own words were : " that I should press
it with Lord Melbourne as the wish she had most at
heart at this moment." Ever yours most sincerely,

STOCKMAR.

The King of the Belgians to the Prince Albert

[translated].

LAEKEN, 26th November 1840.

... As to politics, I do not wish to say much to-day.
Palmerston, rex and autocrat, is, for a Minister finding
himself in such fortunate circumstances, far too irritable
and violent. One does not understand the use of
showing so much hatred and anger. What he says
about the appeal to the personal feeling of tlie
Queen, on the part of the King of the French, is
childlike and malicious, for it has never existed.

The King was for many years the great friend of
the Duke of Kent, after whose death he remained a
friend to Victoria. His relations with the latter have,
up to 1837, passed through very varied phases ; she
was for a long time an object of hatred in the family,
who had not treated the Duke of Kent over-amicably,
and a proof of this is the fact that the Regent, from
the year 1819, forbade the Duke his house and presence
— which was probably another nail in the Duke's
coffin. Many of these things are quite unknown to
Victoria, or forgotten by her. Still it is only fair
not to forget the people who were her friends before
1837; after that date there was a violent outbreak
of affection among people who in the year 1836

316 KING LEOPOLD ON LORD PALMERSTON [CHAP. ix

would still not go near Victoria. October 183G, when
he sat next her at dinner, was the first time that
Palmerston himself had ever seen Victoria except at
a distance. As you have the best means of knowing,
the King has not even dreamt of applying to Victoria.

As to danger, it was very great in September, on
the occasion of the ouvrier riot — for a Paris mob fires
at once, a thing which — Heaven be thanked I — English
mobs rarely do. Towards the end of October, when
Thiers withdrew, there was a possibility of a revolution,
and it was only the fear of people of wealth that kept
them together, and drew them towards Guizot.

A revolution, at once democratic and bellicose,
could not but become most dangerous. That was on
the cards, and only a fairly fortunate combination
of circumstances saved matters. The King and my
poor mother-in-law were terribly low on both occasions,
and I confess that I looked every day with the greatest
anxiety for the news. If the poor King had been
murdered, or even if he were now to be murdered,
what danger, what confusion would follow ! All these
things were met by Palmerston with the excessively
nonchalante declaration, it was not so, and it is not so !
Those are absolutely baseless assertions and totally
valueless. At least I could estimate the danger as well
as he and Bulwer — and, indeed, it was an anxious crisis.
I should think the Revolution of 1790 et ce qui sen est
suivi had done a brisk enough business in Europe, and
to risk a new one of the same kind would really be
somewhat scandalous.

What, however, may be the future fruit of the
seed of Palmerston 's sowing, we do not in the least
know as yet ; it may, however, prove sufficiently full of
misfortune for the future of innocent people. The
Eastern affairs will be put on an intelligible footing
only when, after these differences with Mehemet Ali,
something is done for the poor Porte, which is now so
much out of repair. Otherwise there remains a little
place which is called Sebastopol, and from which, as
the wind is almost constantly favourable, one can

1840] BIRTH OF THE PRINCESS ROYAL 817

get very quickly to Constantinople — and Constanti-
nople is always the one place which exercises the
greatest influence, and all the more because the ducats
come from that quarter, with results which the marked
economy of England is hardly likely to effect. . . .

Victoria has borne herself bravely and properly in
the matter, and deserves to be greatly praised. . . .

The Queen of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

LAEKEN, 30th November 1840.

; MY MOST BELOVED VICTORIA, — I have been longing
to write to you ever since we got the joyful tidings,1
but I would not do so before the nine days were at an
end. Now that they are over, I hope as you are, thank
God, so well, I may venture a few lines to express a part
of my feelings, and to wish you joy on the happy birth
of your dear little girl. I need not tell you the deep,
deep share I took in this most happy evc?it, and all I felt
for you, for dear Albert, when I heard of it, and since
we last met. You know my affection for you, and I
will not trouble you with the repetition of what you
know. All I will say is that I thanked God with all
my heart, and as I have scarcely thanked Him for
any other favour. . .

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

15th December 1840.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — Many thanks for your kind
little letter of the 10th from Ardenne. I am very
prosperous, walking about the house like myself again,
and we go to Windsor on the 22nd or 23rd which will
quite set me up. I am very prudent and careful, you
may rely upon it. Your little grand-niece is most
flourishing ; she gains daily in health, strength and,
I may add, beauty ; I think she will be very like her
dearest father ; she grows amazingly ; I shall be proud
to present her to you.

1 The Princess Royal, afterwards the Empress Frederick of Germany,
was born 21st November 1840.

318 SETTLEMENT OF EASTERN QUESTION [CHAP. «

The denouement of the Oriental affair is most
fortunate is it not ? 1

I see Stockmar often, who is very kind about me
and the Princess Royal. . . .

Albert sends his affectionate love, and pray, believe
me always, your devoted Niece, VICTORIA R.

Tlie King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

LAEKEN, 26th December 1840.

. . . T can well understand that you feel quite
astonished at finding yourself within a year of your
marriage a very respectable mother of a nice little girl,
but let us thank Heaven that it is so. Any illness to
which, unfortunately, we poor human creatures are very
subject, would almost have kept you longer in bed,
and make you longer weak and uncomfortable, than
an event which in your position as Sovereign is of a
very great importance.

Because there is no doubt that a Sovereign without
heirs direct, or brothers and sisters, which by their attach-
ment may stand in lieu of them, is much to be pitied,
viz., Queen Anne's later years. Moreover, children of
our own, besides the affection which one feels for them,
have also for their parents sentiments which one rarely
obtains from strangers. I flatter myself therefore that
you will be a delighted and delightful Maman au miiieu
dune belle et nombreuse famille. . . .

1 On the 3rd of November St Jean d'Acre was captured by the allied
fleet, Admiral Sir Robert Stopford commanding the British contingent ; the
battle is said to have been the first to test the advantages of steam. Admiral
Napier proceeded to Alexandria, and threatened bombardment, unless the
Pasha came to terms. On 25th November a Convention was signed, by which
Mehemet Ali resigned his claims to Syria, and bound himself to restore the
Ottoman Fleet, while the Powers undertook to procure for him undisturbed
possession of the Pashalik of Egypt

INTRODUCTORY NOTE TO CHAPTER X

AT the beginning of the year the Ministry were confronted with
monetary difficulties and bad trade ; their special weakness in
finance, contrasted with Sir Robert Peel's great ability, in addition
to their many reverses, indicated that a change was at hand ; and
confidential communications were, with Lord Melbourne's full
approval, opened up by the Prince with Sir Robert Peel, to avert
the recurrence of a Bedchamber dispute. The Ministry were
defeated on their Budget, but did not resign. A vote of want of
confidence was then carried against them by a majority of one,
and Parliament was dissolved ; the Ministers appealing to the
country on the cry of a fixed duty on corn. The Conservative
and Protectionist victory was a decisive one, the most significant
successes being in the city of London, Northumberland, and the
West Riding. Somewhat improving their position in Scotland
and Ireland, and just holding their own in the English boroughs,
the Whigs were absolutely overwhelmed in the counties, and in
the result three hundred and sixty-eight Conservatives and only
two hundred and ninety-two Liberals were returned. The modern
practice of resigning before meeting Parliament had not then been
introduced, and Ministers were defeated in both Houses on amend-
ments to the address, the Duke of Wellington taking the
opportunity of eulogising Lord Melbourne's great services to the
Queen. A powerful Protectionist ministry was formed by Sir
Robert Peel, including the Duke of Wellington, Lord Aberdeen,
Sir James Graham, and Lord Lyndhurst.

Great national rejoicings took place when, on the 9th of
November, a male heir to the throne, now His Majesty King
Edward VII., was born.

In France the bitter feeling against England, arising out of
the Syrian expedition, still continued, but Thiers's supersession by
the more pacific Guizot, and the satisfaction with which both the
latter and his Sovereign regarded the displacement of Palmerston
by Aberdeen began to lead to a better entente. The scheme of
fortifying Paris continued, however, to be debated, while the
Orleanist family were still the subjects of futile attentats.

Spain was disturbed, the question of the guardianship of the
young Queen giving rise to dissension : insurrections in the interests
of the Queen mother took place at Pampeluna and Vittoria, and
her pension was suspended by Espartero, the Regent.

In the East Mehemet Ali surrendered the whole of the
Turkish Fleet, and he was subsequently guaranteed the hereditary
Pashalik of Egypt by the four European powers who had intervened
in the affairs of the Levant.

319

320 INTRODUCTORY NOTE [CHAP, x

In Afghanistan an insurrection broke out, and Sir Alexander
Burnes was murdered ; our envoy at Cabul, Sir William
Macnaghten, in an unfortunate moment entered into negotiations
with Akbar Khan, a son of Dost Mahommed, who treacherously
assassinated him. Somewhat humiliating terms were arranged,
and the English force of 4,000 soldiers, with 12,000 camp-followers,
proceeded to withdraw from Cabul, harassed by the enemy ; after
endless casualties, General Elphinstone, who was in command,
with the women and children, became captives, and one man alone,
of the 16,000, Dr Brydon, reached Jellalabad to tell the tale.

In China, operations were continued, Sir Henry Pottinger
superseding Captain Elliot, and Canton soon lying at the mercy
of the British arms ; the new Superintendent co-operated with
Sir Hugh Gough and Admiral Sir William Parker, in the capture
of Amoy, Chusan, Chintu, and Ningpo.

In America, the union of the two Canadas was carried into
effect, but a sharp dispute with the United States arose out of
the Upper Canada disturbances of 1837. Some Canadian loyalists
had then resented the interference of a few individual Americans
in favour of the rebels, and an American named Durfee had been
killed. One M'Leod, a British subject, was now arrested in the
State of New York, on a charge of having been concerned in the
affray. He was acquitted, reprisals were made by Canadians, and
international feeling was for a time highly acute.

Much interest naturally attaches to Lord Melbourne's con-
tinued correspondence with the Queen, after the change of Gov-
ernment. Baron Stock mar's remonstrance on the subject shows
that he misunderstood the character of the correspondence, and
over-estimated its momentousness.

These letters dealt chiefly with social and personal matters,
and although full of interest from the light which they throw on
Lord Melbourne's relations with the Queen, they show him to
have behaved 'with scrupulous honour and delicacy, and to have
tried to augment, rather than undermine, Peel's growing influence
with the Queen and Prince. There are comparatively few of
Peel's letters in the collection. He wrote rarely at first, and only
on strictly official matters. But before long his great natural
reserve was broken through, and his intercourse with the Prince,
to whom his character was particularly sympathetic, became very
close and intimate.

Of all the English ministers with whom the Prince was brought
in contact, it is known that he preferred the stately and upright
Commoner, who certainly, of all English Ministers, estimated and
appreciated the Prince's character most truly and clearly.

CHAPTER X

1841
Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

5th January 1841.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — I have to thank you for
two very kind letters, of the 26th December and 1st
January, and for all your very kind and good wishes.
I am sorry to hear you have all been plagued with
colds ; we have as yet escaped them, and I trust will
continue to do so. I think, dearest Uncle, you cannot
really wish me to be the " Mamma d'une nombreuse
famille," for I think you will see with me the great
inconvenience a large family would be to us all, and
particularly to the country, independent of the hardship
and inconvenience to myself ; men never think, at least
seldom think, what a hard task it is for us women to
go through this very often. God's will be done, and
if He decrees that we are to have a great number of
children, why we must try to bring them up as useful
and exemplary members of society. Our young lady
flourishes exceedingly, and I hope the Van de Weyers
(who have been here for three days), who have seen
her twice, will give you a favourable description of
her. I think you would be amused to see Albert
dancing her in his arms ; he makes a capital nurse
(which I do not, and she is much too heavy for me to
carry), and she already seems so happy to go to him.

VOL. i. — 21 321

322 THE PRINCE AND LITERATURE [CHAP. x

The christening will be at Buckingham Palace on
the 10th of February, our dear marriage-day.

Affairs are certainly still precarious, but I feel con-
fident all will come right. . . .

Ever your devoted Niece, VICTORIA R.

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

LAEKEN, 8th January 1841.

... I trust also that affairs will come right ; what
is to be feared is the chapter of accidents. Your name
bears glorious fruits in all climes ; this globe will soon
be too small for you, and something must be done to
get at the other planets. . . .

Memorandum — Mr Anson.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 15th January 1841.

Lord Melbourne said, " The Prince is bored with the
sameness of his chess every evening. He would like to
bring literary and scientific people about the Court,
vary the society, and infuse a more useful tendency
into it. The Queen however has no fancy to encourage
such people. This arises from a feeling on her part that
her education has not fitted her to take part in such
conversation ; she would not like conversation to be
going on in which she could not take her fair share, and
she is far too open and candid in her nature to pretend
to one atom more knowledge than she really possesses
on such subjects ; and yet, as the world goes, she would,
as any girl, have been considered accomplished, for she
speaks German well and writes it ; understands Italian,
speaks French fluently, and writes it with great
elegance. In addition to this old Davys instilled some
Latin into her during his tutorship. The rest of her
education she owes to her own natural shrewdness and
quickness, and this perhaps has not been the proper
education for one who was to wear the Crown of
England.

1841] THE SPEECH FROM THE THRONE 323

" The Queen is very proud of the Prince's utter
indifference to the attractions of all ladies. I told Her
Majesty that these were early days to boast, which
made her rather indignant. I think she is a little
jealous of his talking much even to men."

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

19th January 1841.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. He has just received your Majesty's letter.
Lord Melbourne is very sorry not to come down to
Windsor, but he really thinks that his absence from
London at this moment might be prejudicial.

Lord Melbourne will do his utmost to have the
Speech worded in the most calm manner, and so as
in no respect to offend or irritate any feelings. Some
mention of the good conduct and gallantry of the Navy
there must be — to omit it would be injurious and dis-
heartening — but as to any expressions complimentary to
France or expressive of regret at our separation from it,
it will be hardly possible to introduce anything of that
nature.1 It is quite unusual in our Speeches from the
Throne to express either approbation or disapprobation
of the conduct of foreign nations and foreign Govern-
ments. It is surprising how very seldom it has been
done, and the wisdom and prudence of abstaining from
it is very manifest. It would be giving an opinion
upon that which does not belong to us. Anything
which would have the effect of producing satisfaction
in France must be of an apologetic character, which
there is no ground for, and for which neither the
Government nor the country is prepared.

The best course will be a total reserve upon this
head, certainly abstaining from anything that can be
in the slightest degree offensive.

1 France was not mentioned, though the Convention with the other Powers,
and the naval operations in conjunction with Austria, were referred to.

324 DOMESTIC HAPPINESS [CHAP, x

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

22nd January 1841.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty.

Lord Melbourne will be most happy to wait upon
your Majesty on Saturday and Sunday.

Lord Melbourne is very sorry that your Majesty
is compelled to come to London contrary to your
inclinations ; but Lord Melbourne much rejoices that
your Majesty expresses that reluctance, as there is no
surer sign of complete happiness and contentment
in the married life than a desire to remain quietly in
the country, and there is nothing on the earth Lord
Melbourne desires more anxiously than the assurance
of your Majesty's happiness.

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

BRUSSELS, 22nd January 1841.

MY DEAREST VICTORIA, — I thank you very sincerely
for your kind letter of the 19th, which I hasten to
answer. I should not have bored you by my presence,
but the act of the christening is, in my eyes, a sort of
closing of the first cyclus of your dear life. I was
shooting at the late Lord Craven's, in Berkshire, when
I received the messenger who brought me the horrifying
news of your poor father's deadly illness. I hastened
in bitter cold weather to Sidmouth, about two days
before his death. His affairs were so much deranged
that your Mother would have had no means even of
leaving Sidmouth if I had not taken all this under my
care and management. That dreary journey, under-
taken, I think, on the 26th of January, in bitter cold
and damp weather, I shall not easily forget. I looked
very sharp after the poor little baby, then about eight
months old. Arrived in London we were very unkindly
treated by George IV., whose great wish was to get you
and your Mamma out of the country, and I must say
without my assistance you could not have remained.
... 1 state these facts, because it is useful to remember

1841] RETROSPECT 325

through what difficulties and hardships one had to
struggle. You will also remember that though there
existed the possibility of your eventually succeeding to
the Crown, that possibility was very doubtful, the then
Duchess of Clarence having been confined after your
Mother, and there being every reason to think that,
though poor little Princess Elizabeth did not live more
than some months, other children might appear.1

It was a long time from 1820 to 1837 1 We got
over it, however, and, as far as you are concerned, God
be praised ! safely and happily. You are married, with
every prospect of many happy years to come, and
your happiness is crowned, and consolidated as it were,
by the birth of the dear little lady. Having from
motives of discretion, perhaps carried even too far,
not assisted at your coming to the throne, nor at
your Coronation, nor afterwards at your marriage, I
wished to assist at the christening of the little Princess,
an event which is of after importance.

Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria.

CARLTON TERRACE, 1st February 1841.

Viscount Palmerston presents his humble duty to
your Majesty, and in submitting this letter from Earl
Granville, which coupled with the despatches from
Sir Robert Stopford virtually show that the Turkish
Question is brought to a close, begs most humbly to
congratulate your Majesty upon this rapid and peace-
ful settlement of a matter which at different periods
has assumed appearances so threatening to the peace
of Europe.2

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

2nd February 1841.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. Lord Melbourne will be happy to wait upon

1 Two children were born to the Duke and Duchess of Clarence — Charlotte
Augusta Louisa, born and died 29th March 1819, and Elizabeth Georgina
Adelaide, born 10th December 1820, and died 4th March 1821.

2 See ante, pp. 318, 320.

326 ILLNESS OF DUKE OF WELLINGTON [CHAP. x

your Majesty on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, but
he finds that there is to be a Cabinet dinner to-morrow.

Lord Melbourne will speak to Lord Palmerston
about Lord John Russell.

Lord Melbourne does not see the name of the
Archbishop of Canterbury as a subscriber to this
" Parker " Society, and if your Majesty will give him
leave, he will ask him about it before he gives your
Majesty an answer. It is in some degree a party
measure, and levelled against these new Oxford
doctrines. The proposal is to republish the works
of the older divines up to the time of the death of
Queen Elizabeth. Up to that period the doctrines
of the Church of England were decidedly Calvinistic.
During the reign of James II.,1 and particularly after
the Synod of Dort (1618-19), the English clergy very
generally adopted Armenian opinions.

It is proposed to republish the works of the divines
who wrote during the first period, and to stop short
when they come to the second. There is meaning
in this. But, after all, the object is not a bad one,
and it may not be worth while to consider it so closely.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

5th February 1841.
(6 o'clock.)

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and is very sorry to have to acquaint your
Majesty that the Duke of Wellington was taken ill
in the House of Lords this evening with a seizure,
probably paralytic, and of the same nature with those
which he has had before. Lord Brougham, who was
standing opposite to the Duke and addressing the
House, observed the Duke's face to be drawn and
distorted, and soon afterwards the Duke rose from his
seat and walked staggeringly towards the door. He
walked down the gallery, supported on each side, but
never spoke. A medical man was procured to attend
him, he was placed in his carriage and driven home. . . .

1 Lord Melbourne must have meant James I.

1841] ENGLAND AND THE UNITED STATES 327

Lord John Russell to Queen Victoria.

6th March 1841.

Lord John Russell presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and has the honour to state that the remainder
of the Navy Estimates, and nearly the whole of the
Army Estimates, were voted last night without any
serious opposition. Indeed the chief fault found with
the Army Estimates was that they are not large enough.

Sir Robert Peel made a remarkable speech.
Adverting to the present state of our affairs with the
United States,1 he said that much as he disliked war, yet
if the honour or interests of the country required it, he
should sink all internal differences, and give his best
support to the Government of his country.

This declaration was received with loud cheers. It
must be considered as very creditable to Sir Robert
Peel.

Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria.

FOREIGN OFFICE, 10th April 1841.

Viscount Palmerston presents his humble duty to
your Majesty, and has the honour to submit the
accompanying letters, which he received yesterday,
about the operations in China, and which have just
been returned to him by Viscount Melbourne, whose
letter he also transmits.2

Viscount Palmerston has felt greatly mortified and
disappointed at this result of the expedition to China,
and he much fears that the sequel of the negotiation,
which was to follow the conclusion of these preliminary
conditions, will not tend to render the arrangement

1 See Introductory N^ote, ante, p. 320.

2 Captain Elliot, after capturing the Chinese position at the mouth of
Canton River, concluded a preliminary treaty with the Chinese Government,
which did not satisfy the Chinese, and which was strongly disapproved of by
the English Ministry, as containing no mention of the opium traffic, which
had been the cause of all the difficulties; Elliot was accordingly recalled, and
succeeded by Sir Henry Pottinger.

328 ENGLAND AND CHINA [CHAP. x

less objectionable. Captain Elliot seems to have
wholly disregarded the instructions which had been
sent to him, and even when, by the entire success of
the operations of the Fleet, he was in a condition to
dictate his own terms, he seems to have agreed to very
inadequate conditions.1 The amount of compensation
for the opium surrendered falls short of the value of
that opium, and nothing has been obtained for the ex-
penses of the expedition, nor for the debts of the
bankrupt Hong2 merchants. The securities which the
plenipotentaries were expressly ordered to obtain for
British residents in China have been abandoned ; and
the Island of Chusan which they were specifically in-
formed was to be retained till the whole of the
pecuniary compensation should have been paid, has
been hastily and discreditably evacuated. Even the
cession of Hong Kong has been coupled with a condi-
tion about the payment of duties, which would render
that island not a possession of the British Crown, but,
like Macao, a settlement held by sufferance in the
territory of the Crown of China.

Viscount Palmerston deems it his duty in laying
these papers before your Majesty, to state some few
of the objections which he feels to the arrangement,
but the Cabinet will have to consider, as soon as they
meet after the Recess, what advice they may wish
humbly to tender to your Majesty upon these
important matters. There is no doubt, however, that
much has been accomplished, but it is very mortifying
to find that other things which the plenipotentiaries
were ordered to obtain, and which the force placed
at their command, was amply sufficient to enable
them to accomplish, have not been attained.

Viscount Palmerston has sent a small map of the
Canton River, which your Majesty may like to keep
for future reference.

1 They were the cession of Hong-Kong, and payment of an indemnity of
6,000,000 dollars to Great Britain, with provision for commercial facilities and
collection of customs.

2 The native Canton merchants, — Hong here probably meaning a " row of
houses," a " street." Hong Kong (Hiang Kiang) means the " fragrant lagoon."

1841] OPERATIONS IN CHINA 329

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

13th April 1841.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — I thank you much for your
kind letter of the 9th, received yesterday. I have just
heard from Stockmar (who, I hope, reported favourably
of us all) that your Ministry is at last settled, of which
I wish you joy. I think, dear Uncle, that you would
find the East not only as " absurd " as the West, but
very barbarous, cruel, and dangerous into the bargain.

The Chinese business vexes us much, and Palmerston
is deeply mortified at it. All we wanted might have
been got, if it had not been for the unaccountably
strange conduct of Charles Elliot (not Admiral Elliot,1
for he was obliged to come away from ill health), who
completely disobeyed his instructions and tried to get
the lowest terms he could. . . . The attack and storming
of the Chorempee Forts on the 7th of January was
very gallantly done by the Marines, and immense
destruction of the Chinese took place.2 The accounts
of the cruelty of the Chinese to one another are
horrible. Albert is so much amused at my having
got the Island of Hong Kong, and we think Victoria
ought to be called Princess of Hong Kong in addition
to Princess Royal.

She drives out every day in a close carriage with
the window open, since she has been here, which does
her worlds of good, and she is to have a walk to-day.

Stockmar writes me word that Charlotte3 is quite
beautiful. / am very jealous.

I think Vecto quite right not to travel without
Nemours ; for it would look just as if she was
unhappy, and ran to her parents for help. I am sure
if Albert ever should be away (which, however, will
and shall never happen, for I would go with him

1 They were both cousins of Lord Minto, the First Lord of the Admiralty.

2 Commodore Bremer very speedily reduced some of the forts, but his
further operations were stopped.

3 Daughter of King Leopold, who married in 1857 the Archduke Ferdi-
nand of Austria (afterwards Emperor Maximilian of Mexico).

330 LORD CARDIGAN [CHAP, x

even if he was to go to the North Pole} I should
never think of travelling ; but I can't make mamma
understand this. Now farewell, ever your devoted
Niece, VICTORIA R.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

21th April 1841.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. Mr Labouchere a has desired that the five-
pound piece which is about to be issued from the
Mint should be submitted for your Majesty's inspec-
tion and approbation.

We have had under our consideration at the
Cabinet the unfortunate subject of the conduct of
Lord Cardigan.2 The public feeling upon it is very
strong, and it is almost certain that a Motion will be
made in the House of Commons for an Address
praying your Majesty to remove him from the
command of his regiment. Such a Motion, if made,
there is very little chance of resisting with success,
and nothing is more to be apprehended and depre-
cated than such an interference of the House of
Commons with the interior discipline and govern-
ment of the Army. It was also felt that the general
order issued by the Horse Guards was not sufficient
to meet the case, and in these circumstances it was
thought proper that Lord Melbourne should see Lord
Hill, and should express to him the opinion of the
Cabinet, that it was necessary that he should advise
your Majesty to take such measures as should have
the effect of removing Lord Cardigan from the
command of the llth Hussars. The repeated acts of

1 President of the Board of Trade, afterwards created Lord Taunton.

2 " Within the space of a single twelvemonth, one of his [Lord Cardigan s]
captains was cashiered for writing him a challenge; he sent a coarse and
insulting verbal message to another, and then punished him with prolonged
arrest, because he respectfully refused to shake hands with the officer who
had been employed to convey the affront ; he fouerht a duel with a lieutenant
who had left the corps, and shot him through the body; and he flogged a
soldier on Sunday, between the Services, on the very spot where, half an hour
before, the man's comrades had been mustered for public worship. "— SIR Or.
TREVELYAN, Life and Letters of Lord Macaulay, chap. viii.

1841] ARMY DISCIPLINE 331

imprudence of which Lord Cardigan has been guilty, and
the repeated censures which he has drawn down upon
himself, form a ground amply sufficient for such a
proceeding, and indeed seem imperiously to demand it.1
Lord Melbourne has seen Lord Hill and made
to him this communication, and has left it for his
consideration. Lord Hill is deeply chagrined and
annoyed, but will consider the matter and confer
again with Lord Melbourne upon it to-morrow.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

25th April 1841.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. He is most anxious upon all subjects
to be put in possession of your Majesty's full and
entire opinions. It is true that this question
may materially affect the discipline of the Army,
by subjecting the interior management of regiments
to be brought continually under the inspection and
control of the House of Commons upon complaints
of officers against their superiors, or even of private
men against the officers.

The danger of the whole of Lord Cardigan's pro-
ceedings has been lest a precedent of this nature
should arise out of them. The question is whether
it is not more prudent to prevent a question being
brought forward in the House of Commons, than to
wait for it with the certainty of being obliged to yield
to it or of being overpowered by it. But of course
this cannot be done unless it is consistent with justice
and with the usage and prestige of the Service.

Lord Melbourne has desired the Cabinet Ministers
to assemble here to-day at four o'clock, in order to
consider the subject. Lord Melbourne has seen Lord

1 In February he had been acquitted on technical grounds by the House
of Lords of shooting a Captain Harvey Garnett Phipps Tuckett. He had
accused Tuckett of being the author of letters which had appeared in the
papers reflecting on his character ; a duel on Wimbledon Common followed,
and Tuckett was wounded. The evidence, consisting in part of a visiting
card, showed that a Captain Harvey Tuckett had been wounded, which was
held to be insufficient evidence of identity.

332 THE NOTTINGHAM ELECTION [CHAP, x

Hill again this morning, and Lord Hill has seen and
consulted the Duke of Wellington, who has stated
his opinion very fully.

The opinion of the Duke is that the Punishment
on Sunday was a great impropriety and indiscretion
upon the part of Lord Cardigan, but not a Military
offence, nor a breach of the Mutiny Act or of the
Articles of War; that it called for the censure of the
Commander-in- Chief, which censure was pronounced
by the General Order upon which the Duke was
consulted before it was issued, and that according to
the usage of the Service no further step can be taken
by the Military Authorities. This opinion Lord Mel-
bourne will submit to-day to the Cabinet Ministers.

Lord Melbourne perceives that he has unintention-
ally written upon two sheets of paper, which he hopes
will cause your Majesty no inconvenience.

Lord Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, 282A April 1841.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. He has himself seen the result of the
election at Nottingham1 without the least surprise,
from his knowledge of the place and his observation
of the circumstances of the contest. What John
Russell reported to your Majesty was the opinion of
those who act for us in that place, but as soon as
Lord Melbourne saw that there was a disposition upon
the part of the violent party, Radicals, Chartists, and
what not, to support the Tory candidate, he knew that
the contest was formidable and dubious. The Tory
party is very strong, naturally, at Nottingham, and if
it received any accession of strength, was almost
certain to prevail. This combination, or rather this
accession of one party to the Tories, which has
taken place at Nottingham, is very likely, and in
Lord Melbourne's opinion almost certain, to take place
in many other parts of the country in the case of a

1 Where Mr Walter, a Tory, was elected with a majority of 238.

1841] THE BUDGET 333

general election, and forms very serious matter for
consideration as to the prudence of taking such a step
as a dissolution of the Parliament.

Lord Melbourne will wait upon your Majesty after
the Levee. It signifies not how late, as there is no
House of Lords.

Lord John Russell to Queen Victoria.

WILTON CRESCENT, 1st May 1841.

Lord John Russell presents his humble duty
to your Majesty, and has the honour to report that
Mr Baring yesterday brought forward the Budget in
a remarkably clear and forcible speech.

The changes in the duties on Sugar and Timber,1
and the announcement made by Lord John Russell of
a proposal for a fixed duty on Corn, seemed to surprise
and irritate the Opposition.

Sir Robert Peel refused to give any opinion on
these propositions, and satisfied himself with attacking
the Government on the state of the finances.

The supporters of Government were greatly pleased
with Mr Baring's plan, and loud in their cheers.

It is the general opinion that Lord Stanley will not
proceed with his Bill,2 and there seems little doubt of
this fact.

But the two parties are now evenly balanced, and
the absence or defection of some two or three of the
Ministerial party may at any time leave the Govern-
ment in a minority.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

3rd May 1841.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. We decided at the Cabinet on Friday that
we could not sanction the agreement which Captain

1 The proposals were to increase the duty on colonial timber from 10s.
to 20s. a load, reducing it on foreign timber from 55s. to 50s., to leave the
duty on colonial sugar unloaded at 24s. a cwt, reducing that on foreign
sugar from 63s. to 36s. a cwt,

2 On Irish Registration.

334 CAPTAIN ELLIOT IN CHINA [CHAP, x

Elliot has probably by this time concluded with the
Government of China, but that it would be necessary
to demand a larger amount of indemnity for the past
injury, and also a more complete security for our trade
in future. For this purpose it was determined to send
out instructions, in case the armament should not have
left the Chinese coasts and have been dispersed, to
reoccupy the Island of Chusan,1 a measure which
appears to have had a great effect upon the minds of
the Chinese Government. It was also determined to
recall Captain Elliot, and to send out as soon as
possible another officer with full instructions from
hence as to the views and intentions of your Majesty's
Government. Sir Henry Pottinger,2 an officer in the
East India Company's Service, much distinguished in
the recent operations in Afghanistan, is designated with
your Majesty's approbation for this service, which he
has signified his willingness to undertake. It was also
thought that it would be proper to entrust Lord
Auckland 3 with general discretionary powers as to the
further conduct of the expedition. These determinations
Lord Melbourne hopes that your Majesty will approve.

Lord John Russell informed Lord Melbourne
yesterday that he knew that it was not the intention
of the Opposition to press Lord Stanley's Bill ; but it
is not to be expected in the present position of affairs
that they will not determine upon taking some decisive
and united measure in advance.

In the present state of public measures and of
public feeling, when debate may arise at any moment,
it would not be fitting for Lord Melbourne to absent
himself on any sitting day from the House of Lords.
But unless there should be anything so urgent as to
prevent him, he will come down after the House on
Tuesday evening and stay until Thursday morning.

Fanny is highly delighted and immeasurably grateful

1 The Island of Chusan, off the coast of China, had been occupied in July
1840 as a base of operations, but evacuated by Elliot in 1841. It was retaken
in September 1841, after Elliot's recall, by Sir Henry Pottinger.

2 He had served in the Mahratta War, and been political agent in Scinde.
8 Governor-General of India.

1841] IRISH REGISTRATION BILL 335

for your Majesty's offer of the Lodge in Richmond Park,
and most desirous to avail herself of your Majesty's
kindness, and so is Jocelyn. Lord Melbourne has
little doubt that they will thankfully accept it.1

The Queen of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

PARIS, 3rd May 1841.

MY BELOVED VICTORIA, — As you know surely already
the day of yesterday went off very well. The christen-
ing2 was very splendid, the weather beautiful, and
everything extremely well managed. . . . The arrival
at Notre Dame, and the coup d'ceil of the old church,
all hung interiorly with crimson velvet draperies and
trophies of flags, was very splendid. There was in the
church three rows de tribunes all full of well-dressed
people. Les grands corps de lEtat etaient ranges de
chaque cote et dans le chceur ; VAutel etait place au
centra de teglise. Les cardinaux et tout le clcrge
etaient alentour. When my father arrived, the Arch-
bishop of Paris received him at the door of the church,
and we all walked in state. My father [? ouvraif]
la marche with the Queen. Prie-dieu and chairs were
disposed for us en demi-cercle before the altar, or rather
before the baptismal font, which was placed in front of
it, in the very middle of the Church. My father and
mother stood in the centre of the row near each other.
Your uncle, Chartres, and all the Princes followed on
the side of my father, and the Princesses on the side of
my mother. Paris remained with Helene till the
moment of the christening. When the ceremony
began he advanced near the font with my father
and mother (sponsors), and was taken up in the arms
of his nurse. After the christening a Mass and Te
Deum were read, and when we came back to the
Tuileries the corps municipal brought the sword which
the City of Paris has given to the Comte de Paris.

1 Lady Fanny Cowper, Lord Melbourne's niece, was married to Lord
Jocelyn on 27th April.

2 Of the Corate de Paris, at this time nearly three years old, son of the Due
d'Orl&ins.

336 THE SUGAR DUTIES [CHAP, x

Lord John Russell to Queen Victoria.

WILTON CRESCENT, tth May 1841.

Lord John Russell presents his humble duty to
your Majesty, and has the honour to report that Lord
Stanley yesterday postponed his Bill for a fortnight,
which at this period of the year is equivalent to its
abandonment.

On the other hand Lord Sandon gave a notice
for Friday for a Resolution on Sugar Duties.

If, as is probable, this Motion is made as a party
movement, it is probable that, with the addition of
those on the Ministerial side who have an interest in
the West Indies, the Motion will be successful.

The whole scheme of finance for the year will thus
be overturned.

The Tory party seem to expect a dissolution of
Parliament, but your Majesty's advisers will hardly
be able to recommend to your Majesty such a step.

The cry against the Poor Law is sure to be taken
up by the worst politicians of the Tory party, and, as
at Nottingham, may be successful against that most
useful law.

The friends of Government who represent counties
will be taunted with the proposal to alter the Corn
Law.

Bribery is sure to be resorted to beyond anything
yet seen.

A defeat of the Ministry on a dissolution would be
final and irreparable.

On the other hand their successors in the Govern-
ment would have to provide for the excess in the
expenditure pledged against the best measures that
could be resorted to for the purpose. It would be
a difficulty of their own seeking, and their want of
candour and justice to their opponents would be the
cause of their own embarrassments.

The moment is a very important one, and the con-
sequences of the vote of Friday, or probably Monday,
cannot fail to be serious.

1841] MINISTERIAL CRISIS 337

Memorandum by Mr Anson.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 4th May 1841.

" The Ministry in jeopardy" (Heading in the .-
Prince Alberts hand.}

Lord Melbourne came down from town after the
House of Lords. I went with him to his room for
an hour after the Queen had retired. He said the
main struggle would take place on the Sugar duties
on Friday. His impression was that the Government
would be beat, and he must then decide whether to
go out or dissolve. He leaned to the former. I said,
" I trusted he would not dissolve unless he thought
there was some prospect of increasing his strength, and
begged him to remember what was done would not
be considered the act of the Government but that
of himself and the Queen, and that he individually
would be held as the responsible person.

He said he had not written to the Queen to prepare
H.M. for coming events and the course that it
would be incumbent upon her to take, for he felt
it extremely difficult and delicate, especially as to
the use she should make of the Prince, and of her
mode of communication when she required it with
Lord Melbourne. He thought she ought never to ask
his advice direct, but if she required his opinion there
would be no objection to her obtaining it through
the Prince.

He said H.M. had relied so implicitly upon him
upon all affairs, that he felt that she required in this
emergency advice upon almost every subject. That he
would tell H.M. that she must carefully abstain from
playing the same part she did, again, on Sir R. Peel's
attempt to form a Ministry, for that nothing but the
forbearance of the Tories had enabled himself and
his colleagues to support H.M. at that time. He
feared Peel's doggedness and pertinacity might make
him insist, as a point of honour, on having all
discretion granted to him in regard to the removal

VOL. i. — 22

338 THE QUEEN PREPARED FOR A CRISIS [CHAP, x

of Ladies. I told him of the Prince's suggestion that
before the Queen saw Sir R. Peel some negotiation
might be entered into with Sir Robert, so that
the subject might be avoided by mutual consent,
the terms of which might be that Sir Robert
should give up his demand to extort the principle.
The Queen, on the other hand, should require
the resignation of those Ladies objected to by
Sir Robert. Lord Melbourne said, however, that the
Prince must not have personal communication with
Sir Robert on this subject, but he thought that I
might through the medium of a common friend.

Memorandum by Mr Anson.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 5th May 1841.

Saw Lord Melbourne after his interview this
morning with the Queen. He says her Majesty was
perfectly calm and reasonable and seemed quite
prepared for the resignation of the Government. He
said she was prepared to give way upon the ladies if
required, but much wished that that point might be
previously settled by negotiation with Sir R. Peel, to
avoid any discussion or difference. Lord Melbourne
thinks I might do this. He would also like Peel to
be cautioned not to press her Majesty to decide hastily,
but to give her Majesty time, and that he should feel
that if he acted fairly he would be met in the same
spirit by the Queen.

With regard to future communication with Lord
Melbourne, the Queen said she did not mean that a
change should exclude her from Lord Melbourne's
society, and when Lord Melbourne said that in society
Her Majesty could not procure Lord Melbourne's
opinion upon any subject, and suggested that that
should be obtained through the Prince, Her Majesty
said that that could pass in writing under cover to me,
but that she must communicate direct.

The Queen, he says, leans to sending for the Duke
of Wellington. Lord Melbourne advised that Her

iotcrria

(/'t'»i I/if i^rt

' C

inn /"// f ').//. CJ.ti I l<-

f >. J nirc nl '. J>

1841] LORD MELBOURNE'S ADVICE 339

Majesty should make up her mind at once to send
for Sir Robert. He told me that it would not be
without precedent to send for both at once ; this it
appears to me would obviate every objection. The
Queen, he thinks, has a perfect right to exercise her
judgment upon the selection of all persons recom-
mended to Her Majesty for Household appointments,
both as to liking, but chiefly as to their character and
as to the character of the husband or wife of the person
selected. He would advise the Queen to adopt the
course which King William did with Lord Melbourne
in 1835, viz. desiring Lord Melbourne, before His
Majesty approved of any appointments, to send a list
of those proposed even to the members of every Board,
and the King having them all before him expressed
his objections to certain persons, which Lord Melbourne
yielded to.

Told Lord Melbourne that the Prince wished him
to impress upon the Queen's mind not to act upon the
approaching crisis without the Prince, because she
would not be able to go through difficulties by herself,
and the Prince would not be able to help her when
he was ignorant of the considerations which had
influenced her actions. He would wish Lord
Melbourne when with the Queen to call in the Prince
in order that they might both be set right upon Lord
Melbourne's opinions, that he might express in the
presence of each other his views, in order that he should
not convey different impressions by speaking to them
separately, so that they might act in concert.

The Prince says the Queen always sees what is
right at a glance, but if her feelings run contrary, she
avoids the Prince's arguments, which she feels sure
agree with her own, and seeks arguments to support
her wishes against her convictions from other people.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, 1th May 1841.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and laments much the prospect that lies

340 DISSOLUTION OR RESIGNATION [CHAP, x

before us, more especially as it is so repugnant to
your Majesty's feelings. Your Majesty has often
observed that these events must come in the course
of affairs at some moment or another, but Lord
Melbourne knows not whether it is much consolation
to reflect, that what is very disagreeable is also
natural and unavoidable. Lord Melbourne feels certain
that your Majesty will consider the situation calmly
and impartially, will do that which shall appear the
best for your own interests and those of the country,
which are identical.

Everything shall be done that can be ; the questions
which may arise shall be considered well, and upon
as full information as can be obtained. But Lord
Melbourne has little to add to what he wrote to your
Majesty yesterday. So many interests are affected
by this Sugar question, the AVest Indian, the East
Indian, the opponents of Slavery and others, that
no small number of our supporters will be induced
either to stay away or to vote against us, and this
must place us in a minority upon the main points of
our Budget. In this we can hardly acquiesce, nor
can we adopt a different policy and propose other
taxes, when in our opinion the necessary revenue
can be raised without imposing them. This state of
things imposes upon us the alternative of dissolution
or of resignation and to try the former without
succeeding in it would be to place both your Majesty
and ourselves in a worse situation than that in which
we are at present.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, Slh May 1841.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. We have been considering this question
of dissolution at the Cabinet, and we have had before
us a general statement of the public returns for
England and Wales. It is not very favourable, but
Lord Melbourne fears that it is more favourable than

1841] THE QUESTION OF THE LADIES 341

the reality would prove. The Chancellor,1 Palmerston,
and Hothouse are strongly for dissolution, but the
opinion of the majority is the other way, and in
that opinion Lord Melbourne is strongly inclined to
agree.

Lord Melbourne will have the honour of waiting
upon your Majesty to-morrow at three.

Memorandum by Mr Anson.

NOTES UPON AN INTERVIEW (No. 1) WITH
SIR ROBERT PEEL.2

9th May 1841.

Told Sir Robert that I had wished to have sought
him through the medium of a common friend, which
would have given him a greater confidence than I had
now a right to expect at his hands, but I felt upon so
delicate a mission it was safer, and would be more in
accordance with his wishes, to come direct.

That the Prince had sent me to him, with the object
of removing difficulties upon his coming into office.

That Her Majesjty was anxious that the question of
the removal of the Ladies of the Bedchamber should
not be revived, and would wish that in any personal
communication with Sir Robert this question might
be avoided.

That it might be arranged that if Sir Robert would
not insist upon carrying out his principle, Her Majesty
might procure the resignation of any Ladies whom Sir
Robert might object to ; that I thought there might be
a disposition to yield to the removal of the Mistress
of the Robes, Lady Normanby, and the Duchess of
Bedford, as being connected with leading political
persons in Government.

Endeavoured to impress upon Sir Robert that if he

1 The Earl of Cottenham.

2 See Parker's Sir Robert Peel, vol. ii. p. 455 et «eq., where Peel's
memorandum of the interview is set out

342 SIR ROBERT PEEL [CHAP, x

acts fairly and kindly towards the Queen, he will be
met in the same spirit.

Sir Robert said he had considered the probable
object of my interview, and thought, from my former
position with Lord Melbourne, that Lord Melbourne
would be aware of my coming. He must be assured
of this before he could speak confidentially to me.

Upon this I admitted that Lord Melbourne had
knowledge of my intention, but that I was not
authorised to say that he had.

Sir Robert said. " I shall put aside all form, and
treat you frankly and confidentially. You may depend
upon every word you say being held as sacred. No
part, without further permission, shall be mentioned
even to the Duke, much less to any of my other
colleagues.

" / would waive every pretension to office, I declare
to God! sooner than that my acceptance of it should be
attended with any personal humiliation to the Queen."

He thought that giving in the names of those
Ladies whom he considered obnoxious was an offensive
course towards the Queen.

For the sake of office, which he did not covet, he
could not concede any constitutional principle, but it
was not necessary that that principle should be mooted.

" It wTould be repulsive to my feelings that Her
Majesty should part with any of her Ladies, as the
result of a forced stipulation on my part ; in a party
sense it would doubtless be advantageous to me to say
that I had demanded from the Queen, and the Queen
had conceded to me the appointments of these three
ladies."

The mode he would like, and which he considered as
least objectionable for Her Majesty, was for Her Majesty
to say to him, "There is no occasion to revive this
constitutional question as those ladies immediately
connected with prominent members of the Admini-
stration have sent in their resignation."

The vacancies existing before Sir Robert Peel sees
Her Majesty, there is no necessity for discussion.

1841] MR ANSON'S INTERVENTION 343

On the one hand, by this means, there was less
appearance of insult to the Queen, and on the other,
there was no appearance of concession of principle
upon his.

Sir Robert was ready to make any personal sacrifice
for Her Majesty's comfort, except that of his honour.
" Can the Queen for an instant suppose that I would
permit my party to urge me on to insist upon anything
incompatible with Her Majesty's dignity, which it
would be my great aim and honour to defend ? "

[This was his indignant reply to my remark upon
the rumours that his party would press him to coerce
and subdue Her Majesty.]

Sir Robert thinks it better for the Queen to avoid
anything in the shape of a stipulation. He would like
what he would have done upon a former occasion (and
upon which, on the honour of a gentleman, his views
had undergone no change) to be taken as a test of
what he would be ready to concede to.

Nothing but misconception, he said, could in his
opinion have led to failure before. "Had the Queen told
me" (after the- question was mooted, which it never need
have been) " that those three Ladies immediately connected
with the Government had tendered their resignation, 1
should have been perfectly satisfied, and should have
consulted the Queen's feelings in replacing them."

Sir Robert said this conversation shall remain sacred,
and to all effect, as if it had never happened, until he
saw me again to-morrow morning.

There is nothing said, he added, which in any way
pledges or compromises the Queen, Prince or Lord
Melbourne.

Memorandum by Mr Anson.
INTERVIEW WITH SIR ROBERT PEEL (No. 2).

\0th May 1841.

Peel said : " It is essential to my position with the
Queen that her Majesty should understand that I
have the feelings of a gentleman, and where my duty

344 HOUSEHOLD APPOINTMENTS [CHAP. x

does not interfere, I cannot act against her wishes.
Her Majesty doubtless knows how pressed I am as the
head of a powerful party, but the impression I wish
to create in Her Majesty's mind is, that I am bound
to defend her against their encroachments."

In regard to Household appointments the holders
of which are not in Parliament, he had not considered
the question, but in the meantime he would in no way
commit himself to anyone, or to any understanding
upon the subject, without previous communication.
He had no personal objects to serve, and the Queen's
wishes would always be consulted.

He again repeated, that if the Queen's personal
feelings would suffer less by forming an Administration
to his exclusion, he should not be offended. Private
life satisfied him, and he had no ambition beyond it.

Lord Melbourne might rest assured that he fully
appreciated his aim, that his only object was to do
that which was most for Her Majesty's advantage, and
no human being should know that he was privy to this
overture. Lord Melbourne might depend upon his
honour. If Lord Melbourne was pressed to a dissolu-
tion he should still feel the same impression of Lord
Melbourne's conduct, that it was honourable and
straightforward.

He wished the Prince to send him a list of those
Ladies whom it would be agreeable to Her Majesty to
have in her Household. Sir Robert must propose it
to the Ladies, but will be entirely guided by Her
Majesty's wishes. There should be no appearance
that Her Majesty has any understanding, as he was
bound to his party to make it appear that the appoint-
ments emanated from himself.1

Memorandum by the Queen.

Uth May 1841.

The Queen considers it her right (and is aware that
her predecessors were peculiarly tenacious of this right)

1 There was a further interview on the following day at which various
detailed points were arranged.

1841] MEMORANDUM BY THE QUEEN 345

to appoint her Household. She, however, gives up the
great officers of State and those of her Lords-in-
Waiting, Equerries, and Grooms-in- Waiting, who are
in Parliament, to the appointment of the Prime
Minister, subject to her approval.

The Queen has always appointed her Ladies of the
Bedchamber herself, but has generally mentioned their
names to the Prime Minister before appointing them,
in order to leave him room for objection in case he
should deem their appointment injurious to his Govern-
ment, when the Queen would probably not appoint
the Lady.

The Maids of Honour and Women of the Bed-
chamber are of course not included amongst those who
are mentioned to the Prime Minister before their
appointment, but are at once appointed by the Queen.

Extract from the Queens Journal.

Wednesday, \2th May 1841.

"At seven minutes to five Lord Melbourne came
to me and stayed till half-past five. He gave me the
copies of Anson's conversations with Peel. Lord
Melbourne then gave me a letter from the Chancellor
to read, strongly advocating a dissolution, and wishing
that there should be a division also on Lord John
Russell's amendment.1

" Lord Melbourne left the letter with me. The first
part of the letter, relative to Lord John's amendment,
we think good, but the other part we can't quite agree
in. * There is to be a Cabinet to-morrow to consider
what is to be done,' said Lord Melbourne, ' for the
Chancellor's opinion must be considered. There is a
preferment amongst our people for dissolution,' Lord M.
added. The feeling in the country good. I asked Lord
M., * Must they resign directly, the next day, after the
division (if they intended resigning) ?' ' Why,' he said,
' it was awkward not to do so if Parliament was sitting ;
if the division were only to take place on Friday, then

1 To Lord Sandon's resolution on the Sugar duties.

346 PRESSURE OF BUSINESS [CHAP. x

they needn't announce it till Monday,' which we hope
will be the case, as we agreed it wouldn't do for me to
have a ball the day Lord M. had resigned, and before
I had sent for anybody else, and therefore I hoped
that it could be managed that the division did not
take place till Friday. Lord M. said that in case they
resigned, he wished Vernon Smith * to be made a Privy
Councillor ; the only addition to the Peers he mentioned
the other day he wished to make is Surrey ; 2 we agreed
that too many Peers was always a bad thing."

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

UthMay 1841.

... I am sure you will forgive my writing a very
short letter to-day, but I am so harassed and occupied
with business that I cannot find time to write letters.
You will, I am sure, feel for me ; the probability of
parting from so kind and excellent a being as Lord
Melbourne as a Minister (for a friend he will always
remain) is very, very painful, even if one feels it will not
probably be for long ; to take it philosophically is my
great wish, and quietly I certainly shall, but one cannot
help feelings of affection and gratitude. Albert is the
greatest possible comfort to me in every way, and my
position is much more independent than it was before.

I am glad you see the French feeling in the fight
light. I rejoice that the christening, etc., went off so well.
Believe me ever, your devoted Niece, VICTORIA R.

Extract from the Queens Journal.

Thursday, 13th May 1841.

" Saw Lord Melbourne at a little past four.

" . . . * We have had a Cabinet,' Lord Melbourne
said, * and we have been considering the question
of dissolution, and what is the best course to be
pursued ; if we were to dissolve, John Russell,' he said,

1 Robert Vernon Smith (1800-1873), Under-Secretary for War and the
Colonies, afterwards Lord Lyveden.

2 The Earl of Surrey (1791-1856) was now M.P. for West Sussex, and
Treasurer of the Household, and was afterwards thirteenth Duke of Norfolk.

1841] INTERVIEW WITH LORD MELBOURNE 347

* would pursue quite a different course ; he would
then announce the Sugar duties at once. I (Lord
Melbourne) said, that I had been considering well
the whole question, and the Chancellor's letter, but
that altogether I did not think it advisable to have
recourse to a dissolution — and I think the greater
part lean towards that opinion ; but there are a few
who are very much for a dissolution ; — the Chancellor
and Hobhouse very much so, and Palmerston. They
have, however, not quite finally decided the matter.
I understand the debate will certainly go over
to-night,' he said, 'and that they would have time
on Saturday and Sunday to consider about Lord
John's amendment.'

Extract from the Queen's Journal.

Saturday, 15th May 1841.

" Lord Melbourne came to me at twenty minutes
past one, and we talked about this question of disso-
lution. * We shall have a long debate upon it
this morning at the Cabinet,' Lord Melbourne said.
' The worst thing is, that if we carry the Sugar
duties, we must dissolve. If we were to dissolve,'
he continued, 'and were to have the parties equal
as they are now, it would be very bad ; if we were
to have a majority, it would be a great thing ;
but if we were to have a minority it would be
still worse. ... We know that Charles I. and
Charles II., and even Cromwell, appealed to the
country, and had a Parliament returned into their
very teeth ' (so strong an Opposition) * and that
produced deposition, and convulsion, and bloodshed
and death ; but since then the Crown has always had
a majority returned in favour of it. Even Queen
Anne,' he continued, ' who removed Marlborough in
the midst of his most glorious victories and dissolved
Parliament, had an immense majority, though her
measures were miserable; William IV.,' he said, 'even
though he had a majority against him which

348 KING LEOPOLD'S SYMPATHY [CHAP, x

prevented him from keeping his Ministers, had a
much stronger feeling for him in that Parliament,
than he ever had before. But I am afraid,' he
added, ' that for the first time the Crown would
have an Opposition returned smack against it ; and
that would be an affront to which I am very
unwilling to expose the Crown.' This is very true."

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

TUILEBIES, Hth May 1841.

MY DEAREST VICTORIA, — I am deeply grateful
for your kind letter, which reached me this morning.
Letters from hence ought not to be longer on their
way than, at the longest, forty hours, forty-eight is
the maximum. I fear that they are delayed at the
Foreign Office ; here it cannot be, as for instance
these lines go this evening.

I can easily understand that the present crisis
must have something very painful for you, and you
will do well for your health and comfort to try to
take it as philosophically as possible ; it is a part of
the Constitutional system which is for the Sovereign
very hard to get over.

Nous savons tous des paroles sur cct air, as the
French say. I was convinced that Lord Melbourne's
right and good feeling would make him pause before
he proposed to you a dissolution. A general election
in England, when great passions must be roused or
created to render it efficacious for one party or
another, is a dangerous experiment, always calculated
to shake the foundations on which have hitherto
reposed the great elements of the political power of
the country. Albert will be a great comfort to you,
and to hear it from yourself has given me the
sincerest delight. His judgment is good, and he is
mild and safe in his opinions ; they deserve your
serious attention ; young as he is, I have really
often been quite surprised how quick and correct his
judgment is. ...

mi] DISSENSION 349

Lord John Russell to Queen Victoria.

WILTON CRESCENT, 16th May 1841.

Lord John Russell presents his humble duty to
your Majesty, and has the honour to state that the
general effect of last week's debate * has been greatly in
favour of the measures of your Majesty's Ministers.

The speeches of Mr Labouchere, Sir George
Grey, and Lord Howick, with the powerful argument
of the Chancellor of the Exchequer on Friday night,
have not been met by any corresponding ability on
the other side.

In fact the Opposition seem to have concealed
their own views of policy, and to have imagined that
the Anti-Slavery feeling would carry them through
successfully. But this expectation has been entirely
disappointed ; debate has unmasked the hollow
pretence of humanity, and the meetings at Exeter
Hall and in the country have completely counter-
acted the impressions which Dr Lushington's speech2
had produced.

Lancashire, Cheshire, and the West Riding of
Yorkshire have been roused to strong excitement by
the prospect of a reduction of the duty on corn.
Several of the large towns have expressed their
opinions without distinction of party.

These symptoms are said to have created some
dissensions among the opponents of your Majesty's
present Government.

Sir Robert Peel, Lord Stanley, and nearly all the
eminent leaders of the party, profess their adherence
to the principles of Mr Huskisson.3 On the other
hand, the Duke of Buckingham,4 with many Lords
and Commoners, is opposed to any relaxation of the
present Corn Laws. This difference must ultimately

1 On Lord Sandon's resolution.

3 Against the Budget, on the ground that it tended to encourage slavery.

8 Which were opposed to Protection and the Navigation laws.

* Richard Plantagenet (1797-1861), second Duke of the 1822 creation, M.P.
for Bucks 1818-1839, and author of the " Chandos clause," became Lord Privy
Seal this year, but resigned shortly after. He dissipated his property, and
had to sell the contents of Stowe.

350 THE CORN LAWS [CHAP. x

produce serious consequences, and it is possible they
may break out before the present debate is ended.

One consequence of the propositions of the
Ministry is the weakening of the power of the
Chartists, who have relied on the misrepresentation
that neither Whigs nor Tories would ever do any-
thing for the improvement of the condition of the
working classes.

All these circumstances have a bearing on the
question of a dissolution of Parliament, and are to
be weighed against the risks and inconveniences of
so bold a measure.

Extract from the Queens Journal.

Monday, 17th May 1841.

" Lord Melbourne came to me at twenty minutes
to three. There were no new news. He gave me a
letter from the Duke of Roxburgh,1 saying he could
not support Government on the Corn Laws, and
writing an unnecessarily cold letter. Lord Melbourne
fears this would lose Roxburgh in case of an election.
A great many of the friends of the Government,
however, are against any alteration in the Corn Laws.
Talked of the excellent accounts from the country,
with which the papers are full, and I said I couldn't
help thinking the Government would gain by a
dissolution, and the feeling in the country so strong,
and daily increasing. They would lose the counties,
Lord Melbourne thinks, and the question is whether
their successes in the manufacturing towns would be
sufficient to counterbalance that. The debate may
last longer, Lord Melbourne says, as J. Russell
says he will continue it as long as their friends wish
it. Many of their friends would be very angry if we
did not dissolve. Lord Melbourne says. ' I say
always,' said Lord Melbourne, ' that your Majesty
will be in such a much worse position ' (if a majority
should be returned against us), ' but they say riot,

1 James, sixth Duke. The Duchess was afterwards a Lady of the Bed-
chamber.

1841] THE QUEEN'S JOURNAL 351

for that the others would dissolve.' I said that if
that was so we must dissolve, for then that it would
come to just the same thing, and that that changed
my opinion very much. * You would like us then
to make the attempt?' Lord Melbourne asked. I
said 'Almost.' I asked if he really thought they
would dissolve. ' I've great reason to believe they
would,' he replied. * Hardinge * told Vivian 2 " we shall
prevent your dissolving, but we shall dissolve." ' . . .
I asked did Lord Melbourne think they (the Con-
servatives) would remain in long, and Melbourne
said : ' One can't tell beforehand what may happen,
but you would find their divisions and dissensions
amongst themselves sufficient to prevent their staying
in long.' . . .

" Saw Lord John Russell, who didn't feel certain
if the debate would end to-night. Talked of the very
good feeling in the country. He said he understood
Sir Edward Knatchbull3 was exceedingly displeased
at what Peel had said concerning Free Trade, and
said in that case Peel would be as bad as the
present Government. He thinks the Tories, if in
power, might try and collect the Sugar duties without
Law, which would do them a great deal of harm and
be exceedingly unpopular. He does not think the
Tories intend certaiiiiy to dissolve. He thinks they
would not dissolve now, and that they would hereafter
get so entangled by their own dissensions as to render
it unfavourable to them."

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

18th May 1841.

... I was sure you would feel for me. Since
last Monday, the 10th, we have lived in the daily
expectation of a final event taking place, and the
debate still continues, and it is not certain whether
it will even finish to-night, this being the eighth night,

1 Sir Henry Hardinge (1785-1856) had been Secretary at War, and Chief
Secretary for Ireland under former Tory Governments.

2 Master-General of the Ordnance.

8 M.P. for East Kent. He became Paymaster-General in Peel's Cabinet

352 THE PRINCE'S SUPPORT [CHAP. *

it having begun on Friday the 7th, two Saturdays
and two Sundays having intervened ! Our plans are
so unsettled that I can tell you nothing, only that
you may depend upon it nothing will be done without
having been duly, properly, and maturely weighed.
Lord Melbourne's conduct is as usual perfect ; fair,
calm, and totally disinterested, and I am certain that
in whatever position he is, you will treat him just as
you have always done.

My dearest Angel is indeed a great comfort to
me. He takes the greatest interest in what goes on,
feeling with and for me, and yet abstaining as he
ought from biassing me either way, though we talk
much on the subject, and his judgment is, as you say,
good and mild. . . .

P. S. — Pray let me hear soon when you come.
You, I know, like me to tell you what I hear, and
for me to be frank with you. I therefore tell you
that it is believed by some people here, and even
by some in the Government, that you wish my
Government to be out. Now, I never for an instant
can believe such an assertion, as I know your liberal
feelings, and your interest in my welfare and in that
of the country too well to think you could wish for
such a thing, and I immediately said I was sure this
was not so ; but I think you would do well to say
to Seymour something which might imply interest in
my present Government.

I know you will understand my anxiety on your
account, lest such a mischievous report should be
believed. It comes, you see, from the idea that your
feelings are very French.

Extract from the Queens Journal.

Tuesday, ISth May 1841.

" Saw Lord Melbourne.1 He said Lord John Russell
had been to see him, and, ' He now wishes us not to
resign, but to give notice immediately of a Motion

1 After eight days' discussions of Lord Sandon's Motion, the Ministers were
defeated by 317 to 281.

1841] FURTHER INTERVIEWS 353

on the Corn Laws. This, he thinks, will make the
others propose a vote of confidence, or make them
oppose the Sugar duties, which, he thinks, will be
better for us to resign upon, and when it would be
clear to our people that we couldn't dissolve. Every-
body says it would be a very bad thing for us to
resign now, upon such a question as this, and we
must consider the party a little.' I said, of course, this
would be agreeable to me as it gave us another chance.
I said it would be awkward if they resigned Thursday,
on account of the Birthday. Lord Melbourne said
I could wait a day and only send for Peel on
Saturday, that that wouldn't signify to Peel, as he
could come down to Claremont. ... I asked, in case
they meant to bring on this Corn Law question, when
would they do so. 'Perhaps about the 30th,' Lord
Melbourne said. It would be a more dangerous
question, but it would make them (the Tories) show
their colours, which is a great advantage. He said
they prevented Sir Edward Knatchbull from speaking
last night."

Wednesday, 19th May.

" At twenty minutes to one came Lord Melbourne.
... I returned him Lord John Russell's letter, and
talked of it, and of John Russell's saying the division
and Peel's speech made it absolutely necessary to
decide to-day whether to resign or dissolve. I asked
what Peel had said in his speech about the Corn
Laws. ' I'll tell you, Ma'am, what he said,' Lord
Melbourne replied, 'that he was for a sliding duty
and not for a fixed duty ; but he did not pledge
himself as to what rate of duty it should be. I
must say,' Lord Melbourne continued, ' I am still
against dissolution. I don't think our chances of
success are sufficient.' I replied that I couldn't quite
believe that, but that I might be wrong. Lord John
is for dissolving. ' You wish it ?' I said I always
did. Talked of the feeling in the city and in the
country being so good. Lord Melbourne don't think
so much of the feeling in the country. Talked of

VOL. i. — 23

354 RESIGNATION POSTPONED [CHAI-. x

the majority of thirty-six having not been more than
they expected. . . . Lord Melbourne said people
thought the debate was lengthened to please me. I
said not at all, but that it was more convenient for me.
Anyhow I need do nothing till Saturday. The House
of Commons was adjourned to the next day, and the
House of Lords to Monday. ' Mr Baring says,' he said,
' if there was only a majority one way or another, it
would be better than this state of complete equality.'

" At twenty minutes past four Lord Melbourne
returned. * Well, Ma'am,' he said, * we've considered
this question, and both the sides of it well, and
at last we voted upon it ; and there were - - the
Lord Chancellor or dissolution, Lord Minto1 for it,
Lord Normanby against it, but greatly modified ; Lord
John for, Lord Palmerston for, Lord Clarendon for,
Lord Morpeth for, Lord Lansdowne for, Labouchere
for, Hobhouse for, Duncannon2 for, Baring for,
Macaulay for ; and under those circumstances of
course I felt I could not but go with them.'3 Lord
Melbourne was much affected in saying all this. 'So
we shall go on, bring on the Sugar duties, and then,
if things are in a pretty good state, dissolve. I hope
you approve ? ' I said I did highly . . . and that I
felt so happy to keep him longer. * You are aware
we may have a majority against us ? ' he said ; he
means in our election. The Sugar duties would
probably take a fortnight or three weeks to pass,
and they would dissolve in June and meet again in
October. He thought they must."

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

21st May 1841.

Lord Melbourne thinks that what your Majesty
proposes to say will do very well, but it is thought
best to say " Church as Reformed " at the Reformation.

1 Lord Minto was First Lord of the Admiralty.

2 Then First Commissioner of Land Revenue.

8 See Sir John Hobhouse's account of this Cabinet meeting, Edinburgh
Review, vol. 133, p. 336.

1841] THE QUEEN AND THE CHURCH 355

If your Majesty could say this, it would be well :

" I am very grateful for your congratulations on
the return of this day. I am happy to take this
opportunity of again expressing to you my firm
determination to maintain the Church of England
as settled at the Reformation, and my firm belief in
her Articles and Creeds, as hitherto understood and
interpreted by her soundest divines."

Nothing could go off better than the dinner.
Everybody was much pleased with the Prince.

Lord Melbourne is not conscious of having slept.1

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

BRUSSELS, 20th May 1841.

MY DEAREST VICTORIA, — I receive this very
moment your dear letter of the 18th, and without loss
of time I begin my answer here, though the messenger
can only go to-morrow. I cannot sufficiently express
to you my gratitude for the frankness with which you
have written to me — and let me entreat you, whenever
you have anything sur le cceur, to do the same. I
shall begin with your postscript concerning the idea
that I wished your present Ministers to retire, because
they had become disagreeable to France. The people
who avancent quelque chose de la sorte probably have
some ill-natured motive which it is not always easy
to guess ; perhaps in the present instance does it mean,
let us say that ; whatever opinion he may then express
we can easily counteract it, representing it as the result
of strong partiality to France. Let us therefore
examine what France has to gain in a change of
Administration. Certainly your present Ministers are
not much loved now in France, not so much in conse-
quence of the political events of last year themselves,
than for the manner in which they came to pass.
Nevertheless, when I was at Paris, King and Council

1 It seems that someone had told the Queen that Lord Melbourne had
fallen asleep at dinner.

356 THE CORN LAWS [CHAP, x

were decided to sign the treaty with the four other
Powers, which would put an end to the isolement,
though many people are stoutly for the isolement.
There end the relations which will exist for some time
between the two countries — they will be on decent
terms ; that is all I wish for the present, and it is
matter of moonshine who your Ministers are. No
doubt, formerly there existed such a predilection in
favour of Lord Grey's * Administration and those who
continued it, that the coming in of the Tories would
have been considered as a great public calamity ; but
even now, though this affection is gone, the Tories
will also be looked on with some suspicion. Lord
Melbourne's Administration has had the great merit
of being liberal, and at the same time prudent, con-
servative in the good sense of the word, preserving
what was good. Monarchy, by an adherence to this
system, was very safe, and the popular liberal cry
needless.

{Continued at) LAEKEN, %\st May.

I regret that the corn question was brought forward
somewhat abruptly ;2 it is a dangerous one, as it roused
the most numerous and poorest classes of society, and
may easily degenerate into bloodshed. The dissolution
under such circumstances would become still more a
source of agitation, as it generally always is in England.
Lord Melbourne, I am sure, will think so too.

I am delighted by what you say of Albert ; it is
just the proper line for him to take, without biassing
you either way, to show you honestly the consequences
which in his opinion the one or the other may have.
As he has really a very clear and logical judgment,
his opinion will be valuable for you. I feel very much
for you, and these Ministerial complications are of a
most painful and perplexing nature, though less in
England than on the Continent, as the thing is at
least better understood. To amuse you a little, and

1 1830-1834.

2 The Ministerial proposal of a fixed duty instead of a sliding scale.

1841] KING LEOPOLD'S ADVICE 357

to prove to you how impartial 1 must be to be in this
way accused by both parties, I must tell you that it
is said in France that, conjointly with Lord Melbourne,
we artfully ruined the Thiers Administration,1 to the
great detriment of the honour and welfare of France.
But what is still stranger is, that the younger branches
of the family, seeing that my arrival at Paris was
delayed from time to time, became convinced that /
would not come at all, and that my intention was to
cut them completely, not to compromettre myself with
England ! Truly people are strange, and the unneces-
sary suspicions and stories which they love to have,
and to tell, a great bore. . . .

Pray have the goodness of giving my kindest
regards to Lord Melbourne. I will love him very
tenderly in and out of office, as I am really attached
to him. Now last, though first, I offer my sincerest
wishes on the happy return of your birthday ; may
every blessing be always bestowed on your beloved
head. You possess much, let your warm and honest
heart appreciate that. Let me also express the hope
that you always will maintain your dear character true
and good as it is, and let us also humbly express the
hope that our warmth of feeling, a valuable gift, will
not be permitted to grow occasionally a little violent,
and particularly not against your uncle. You may
pull Albertus by the ear, when so inclined, but be
never irritated against your uncle. But I have not to
complain when other people do not instigate such
things ; you have always been kind and affectionate,
and when you look at my deeds for you, and on
behalf of you, these twenty-two years, I think you
will not have many hardships to recollect. I am
happy to hear of my god-daughter's teeth, and that
she is so well. May God keep the whole dear little
family well and happy for ever. My dearest Victoria,
your devoted Uncle, LEOPOLD R.

1 The Thiers Government had resigned in the preceding October owing to
the King objecting to the warlike speech which they wished him to pronounce
to the Chambers. The Soult-Guizot Cabinet was accordingly formed.

358 THE QUEEN'S IMPARTIALITY [CHAP, x

Memorandum of Mr Ansons last secret interview with

Sir R. Peel (No. 4.)

Sunday, 23rd May 1841.

Called upon Sir Robert Peel this morning. I said
I could not feel satisfied without seeing him after the
very unexpected course which political affairs had
taken. I wished to know that he felt assured, though
1 trusted there could be no doubt upon his mind,
that there had been perfect honesty of purpose on
my part towards him, and more especially upon the
part of those with whose knowledge I had been
acting. I assured Sir Robert that H.M. had acted
in the most perfect fairness towards kirn, and I was
most anxious that there should be no erroneous
impression upon his mind as to the conduct of either
H.M. or The Prince.

I said (quoting the Prince's expression), "that the
Queen has a natural modesty upon her constitu-
tional views, and when she receives an advice from
men like the Lord Chancellor, Lord John Russell,
Mr Baring, Mr Labouchere, and Lord Clarendon, and
knows that they have been weighing the question
through so many days, she concludes that her judg-
ment cannot be better than theirs, and that she would
do wrong to reject their advice."

The Prince, I said, however strongly impressed
for or against a question, thinks it wrong and impolitic,
considering his age and inexperience and his novelty
to the country, to press upon the Queen views of his
own in opposition to those of experienced statesmen.
Sir Robert said he could relieve my mind entirely ;
that he was convinced that all that had taken place
had beew with the most perfect honesty ; that he had
no feeling whatever of annoyance, or of having been
ill-used ; that, on the contrary, he had the feeling, and
should always retain it, of the deepest gratitude to
the Queen for the condescension which Her Majesty
had been pleased to show him, and that it had only

1841] DIFFICULTIES REMOVED 359

increased his devotion to Her Majesty's person. He
said that much of the reserve which he had shown in
treating with me was not on Jiis own account, but
that he felt from his own experience that events were
by no means certain, and he most cautiously abstained
from permitting Her Majesty in any way to commit
herself, or to bind herself by any engagement which
unforeseen circumstances might render inconvenient.
Sir Robert said it was very natural to try and
remove obstacles which had before created so much
confusion, and he was convinced that they would
have been practically removed by what had passed.
He said that neither Lord Stanley nor Sir James
Graham knew a word of what had passed. That
Mr Greville had asked his friend Mr Arbuthnot
whether some understanding had not been entered
into between Lord Melbourne and him. That
Mr Arbuthnot had replied that he was certain that
nothing of the sort could have passed,1 as, if it
had, Sir Robert Peel would have informed him
(Mr Arbuthnot) of the fact. Again, Lady de Grey,
the night of the ball at the Palace, came up to him
and said the Duke of Bedford had been speaking to
her about the resignation of the Duchess of Bedford,
and asking her whether she thought it necessary. She
volunteered to find out from Sir Robert whether
he thought it requisite. She asked the question,
which Sir Robert tried to evade, but not being able,
he said it struck him that if it was a question of doubt
the best means of solving it, was for the Duke of
Bedford to ask Lord Melbourne for his opinion.

I added that if the dissolution was a failure,
which it was generally apprehended would be the
case, I felt convinced that Sir Robert would be dealt
with in the most perfect fairness by Her Majesty.

1 " After I had been told by the Duke of Bedford that Peel was going to
insist on certain terms, which was repeated to me by Clarendon, I went to
Arbuthnot, told him Melbourne's impression, and asked him what it all meant.
He said it was all false, that he was certain Peel had no such intentions,
but, on the contrary, as he had before assured me, was disposed to do every-
thing that would be conciliatory and agreeable to the Queen." — Greville's
Journal, 19th May 1841.

360 VOTE OF WANT OF CONFIDENCE [CHAP. x

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, <2Uh Mai/ 1841.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and has to acquaint your Majesty that in
the House of Commons this evening Sir Robert Peel
gave notice that on Thursday next he would move
a resolution to the following effect: "That Her
Majesty's Ministers not possessing power sufficient to
carry into effect the measures which they considered
necessary, their retention of office was unconsti-
tutional and contrary to usage."1 These are not the
exact words, but they convey the substance. This
is a direct vote of want of confidence, and Lord
Melbourne would be inclined to doubt whether it will be
carried, and if it is, it certainly will not be by so large a
majority as the former vote. When the Chancellor of
the Exchequer moved the resolution upon the Sugar
duties, Sir Robert Peel seconded the motion, thereby
intending to intimate that he did not mean to interfere
with the Supplies. This course was determined upon
at a meeting held at Sir R. Peel's this morning.

Lord John Russell to Queen Victoria.

WILTON CRESCENT, 2Sth May 1841.

Lord John Russell presents his humble duty to
your Majesty, and has the honour to state that Sir
Robert Peel yesterday brought forward his motion
in a remarkably calm and temperate speech.

Sir John Hobhouse and Mr Macaulay completely
exposed the fallacy of his resolution, and success-
fully vindicated the Government. Lord Worsley2
declared he would oppose the resolution, which
declaration excited great anger, and produced much
disappointment in the Tory party.

1 The closing words of the resolution were as follows : " . . . That Her
Majesty's Ministers do not sufficiently possess the confidence of the House of
Commons to enable them to carry through the House measures which they
deem of essential importance to the public welfare, and that their continu-
ance in office under such circumstances is at variance with the spirit of the
Constitution."

2 M.P. for Lincolnshire, who had voted for Lord Sandon's motion.

1841] THE COUNTRY QUIET 361

If the debate is carried on till next week, it is pro-
bable the Ministers may have a majority of one or two.

The accounts from the country are encouraging.

It does not appear that Sir Robert Peel, even
if he carries this motion, intends to obstruct the
measures necessary for a dissolution of Parliament.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

31st May 1841.

... I beg you not to be alarmed about what
is to be done ; it is not for a Party triumph that
Parliament (the longest that has sat for many years)
is to be dissolved ; it is the fairest and most consti-
tutional mode of proceeding ; and you may trust
to the moderation and prudence of my whole
Government that nothing will be done without due
consideration ; if the present Government get a
majority by the elections they will go on prosper-
ously ; if not, the Tories will come in for a short
time. The country is quiet and the people very
well disposed. I am happy, dearest Uncle, to give
you these quieting news, which I assure you are
not partial. . . .

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

LAEKEK, 31st May 1841.

MY DEAREST VICTORIA, — Your Mother 1 is safely
arrived, though she was received close to Ostende by
a formidable thunderstorm. I had given directions that
everywhere great civilities should be shown her. She
stood the fatigues better than I had expected, and is less
sleepy than in England. She seems to be pleased with
her sejour here, and inclined in fact to remain rather
than to go on ; but I am sure, when once in Germany
she will be both pleased and interested by it. It will
amuse you to hear from herself her own impressions.

I cannot help to add a few political lines. I regret
much I must confess that the idea of a dissolution
has gained ground, and I will try to show in a very
few words why I am against it. In politics, a great

1 The Duchess of Kent had left England for a tour on the Continent.

362 KING LEOPOLD'S VIEWS [CHAP. x

rule ought to be to rule with the things which one
knows already, and not to jump into something
entirely new of which no one can do more than guess
the consequences. The present Parliament has been
elected at a moment most favourable to the present
Administration after a most popular accession to the
throne, everything new and fresh, and with the natural
fondness of the great mass of people a change is always
popular ; it was known that you were kindly disposed
towards your Ministers, everything therefore was a
souhait for the election of a new Parliament. In this
respect Ministers have nothing like the favourable
circumstances which smiled upon them at the last
general election. Feeling this, they raise a cry,
which may become popular and embarrass their
antagonists about cheap bread ! I do not think this
is quite befitting their dignity ; such things do for
revolutionaries like Thiers, or my late Ministers. . . .
If the thing rouses the people it may do serious
mischief, if not, it will look awkward for the
Ministers themselves. If you do not grant a
dissolution to your present Ministers you would have,
at the coming in of a new Administration, the right
to tell them that they must go on writh the present
Parliament ; and I have no doubt that they could do
so. The statistics of the present House of Commons
are well known to all the men who sit in it, and to
keep it a few years longer would be a real advantage.
You know that I have been rather maltreated by
the Tories, formerly to please George IV., and since
I left the country, because I served in their opinion
on the revolutionary side of the question. I must say,
however, that for your service as well as for the quiet
of the country, it would be good to give them a trial.
If they could not remain in office it will make them
quieter for some time. If by a dissolution the
Conservative interest in the House is too much
weakened, the permanent interests of the country
can but suffer from that. If, on the contrary, the
Conservatives come in stronger, your position will
not be very agreeable, and it may induce them to

1841] FISCAL POLICY 363

be perhaps less moderate than they ought to be. I
should be very happy if you would discuss these, my
hasty views, with Lord Melbourne. I do not give
them for more than what they are, mere practical
considerations ; but, as far as I can judge of the
question, if I was myself concerned I should have no
dissolution ; if even there was but the very banale
consideration quon salt ce qiion a, mais quon ne sait
nullement ce quon aura. The moment is not without
importance, and well worthy your earnest consideration,
and I feel convinced that Lord Melbourne will agree
with me, that, notwithstanding the great political
good sense of the people in England, the machine is
so complicated that it should be handled with great
care and tenderness.

To conclude, I must add that perhaps a permanent
duty on corn may be a desirable thing, but that it
ought to be sufficiently high to serve as a real
protection. It may besides produce this effect, that
as it will be necessary, at least at first, to buy a good
deal of the to be imported corn with money., the
currency will be seriously affected by it. The
countries which would have a chance of selling would
be chiefly Poland in all its parts, Prussia, Austria,
and Russia, the South of Russia on the Black Sea,
and maybe Sicily. Germany does not grow a
sufficient quantity of wheat to profit by such an
arrangement, it will besides not buy more from
England for the present than it does now, owing to
the Zollverein,1 which must first 'be altered. But I
will not bore you too long, and conclude with my
best love to little Victoria, of whom her Grandmama
speaks with raptures. Ever, my dearest Victoria,
your devoted Uncle, LEOPOLD R.

1 After the fall of Napoleon, the hopes of many Germans for a united
national Germany were frustrated by the Congress of Vienna, which perpetu-
ated the practical independence of a number of German States, as well as the
predominance within the Germanic confederation of Austria, a Power largely
non-German. One of the chief factors in the subsequent unification of
Germany was the Zollverein, or Customs' Union, by which North Germany
was gradually bound together by commercial interest, and thus opposed to
Austria. The success of this method of imperial integration has not been
without influence on the policies of other lands.

364 THE OPPOSITION ELATED [CHAP. x

Lord John Russell to Queen Victoria.

WILTON CUESCENT, 5th June 1841.

Lord John Russell presents his humble duty to
your Majesty, and has the honour to state that the
House divided about three this morning.

For Sir Robert Peel 312

Against 311

Majority

The Opposition were greatly elated by this triumph.
Lord Stanley, and Sir Robert Peel who spoke last in
the debate, did not deny that the Crown might exercise
the prerogative of dissolution in the present case. But
they insisted that no time should be lost in previous
debates, especially on such a subject as the Corn Laws.

Lord John Russell spoke after Lord Stanley, and
defended the whole policy of the Administration.

After the division he stated that he would on
Monday propose the remaining estimates, and
announce the course which he meant to pursue
respecting the Corn Laws.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

6th June 1841.

. . . Now, many thanks for two letters of the
31st ult. and 4th June. The former I shall not
answer at length, as Albert has done so, and I think
has given a very fair view of the state of affairs.
Let me only repeat to you again that you need not
be alarmed, and that I think you will be pleased
and beruhigt when you talk to our friend Lord
Melbourne on the subject. . . .

I fear you will again see nothing of the Season,
as Parliament will probably be dissolved by the
21st. . . .

As to my letters, dear Uncle, I beg to assure you
(for Lord Palmerston wras most indignant at the doubt

1841] MARRIAGE OF LORD JOHN RUSSELL 365

when I once asked) that none of our letters nor any
of those coming to us, are ever opened at the Foreign
Office. My letters to Brussels and Paris are quite
safe, and all those to Germany, which are of any real
consequence, I always send through Rothschild,
which is perfectly safe and very quick.

We are, and so is everybody here, so charmed
with Mme. Rachel ; l she is perfect, et puis, such a
nice modest girl ; she is going to declaim at Windsor
Castle on Monday evening.

Now adieu in haste, believe me always, your very
devoted Niece, VICTORIA R.

Really Leopold must come or I shall never forgive
you.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

WIKDSOR CASTLE, Sth June 1841.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. He is quite well, and has nothing particular
to relate to your Majesty, at least nothing that presses ;
except that he is commissioned by Lord John Russell
respectfully to acquaint your Majesty that his marriage
is settled, and will take place shortly.

Queen Victoria to Viscount Melbourne.

Does Lord Melbourne really mean J. Russell's
marriage ? and to whom ?

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

The Lady Fanny Eliot.2 Lord Melbourne did
not name her before nor does not now, because he
did not remember her Christian name.

1 The young French actress, who made her dtbut in England on 4th May
as Hermione in Racine's Andromaque. She was received with great
enthusiasm.

2 Daughter of Lord Minto. Lord Melbourne originally wrote The Lady

Eliot at the head of his letter (spelling the surname wrong, which

should be Elliot). The word Fanny is written in subsequently to the
completion of the letter.

366 VISIT TO NUNEHAM [CHAP. x

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

NuNEHAM,1 15th June 1841.

Affairs go on, and all will take some shape or other,
but it keeps one in hot water all the time. In the
meantime, however, the people are in the best possible
humour, and I never was better received at Ascot,
which is a great test, and also along the road yesterday.
This is a most lovely place ; pleasure grounds in the
style of Claremont, only much larger, and with the
river Thames winding along beneath them, and Oxford
in the distance ; a beautiful flower and kitchen garden,
and all kept up in perfect order. I followed Albert
here, faithful to my word, and he is gone to Oxford2
for the whole day, to my great grief. And here I am
all alone in a strange house, with not even Lehzen as
a companion, in Albert's absence, but I thought she and
also Lord Gardner,3 and some gentlemen should remain
with little Victoria for the first time. But it is rather
a trial for me.

I must take leave, and beg you to believe me always,
your most devoted Niece, VICTORIA R.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, 16th June 1841.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. He has just received your Majesty's letter, and
will wait upon your Majesty at half-past five. Lord
Melbourne is sorry to hear that your Majesty has been
at all indisposed. It will suit him much better to wait
upon your Majesty at dinner to-morrow than to-day,
as his hand shows some disposition to gather, and it may
be well to take care of it.

Lord Melbourne is very glad to learn that everything

1 The house of Edward Vernon Harcourt, Archbishop of York.

2 To receive an address at Commemoration.

8 Alan Legge, third and last Lord Gardner (1810-1883) was one of the
Queen's first Lords-in-Waiting.

1841] ARCHBISHOP HARCOURT 367

went off well at Oxford. Lord Melbourne expected that
the Duke of Sutherland a would not entirely escape a little
public animadversion. Nothing can be more violent or
outrageous than the conduct of the students of both
Universities upon such occasions ; the worst and lowest
mobs of Westminster and London are very superior to
them in decency and forbearance.

The Archbishop 2 is a very agreeable man ; but he is
not without cunning, and Lord Melbourne can easily
understand his eagerness that the Queen should not
prorogue Parliament in person. He knows that it will
greatly assist the Tories. It is not true that it is
universal for the Sovereign to go down upon such occa-
sions. George III. went himself in 1784 ; he did not go
in 1807, because he had been prevented from doing so
by his infirmities for three years before. William IV.
went down himself in 1830.3

Lord Melbourne sends a note which he has received
from Lord Normanby upon this and another subject.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, nth June 1841.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — A few lines I must write
to you to express to you my very great delight at
the certainty, God willing, of seeing you all three next
week, and to express a hope, and a great hope, that you
will try and arrive a little earlier on Wednesday. . . .
I must again repeat I am so sorry you should come
when Society is dispersed and at sixes and sevens, and
in such a state that naturally I cannot at the moment
of the elections invite many Tories, as that tells so
at the elections. But we shall try and do our best to
make it as little dull as we can, and you will kindly
take the will for the deed.

We came back from Nuneham yesterday after-
noon. Albert came back at half-past five on Tuesday

1 Who was, of course, associated with the Whig Ministry.

2 Archbishop Vernon Harcourt, of York, the Queen's host.
8 The Queen prorogued Parliament in person on 22nd June.

368 THE PRINCE VISITS OXFORD [CHAP. *

from Oxford, where he had been enthusiastically
received, but the students . . . had the bad taste to
show their party feeling in groans and hisses when the
name of a Whig was mentioned, which they ought
not to have done in my husband's presence.

I must now conclude, begging you ever to believe
me, your devoted Niece, VICTORIA R.

My Coiffeur will be quite at Louise's disposal, and
he can coffer in any way she likes, if her dresser tells
him how she wishes it.

Lord Brougham to Queen Victoria.1

GRAFTON STREET, 19th June 1841.

MOST GRACIOUS SOVEREIGN, — I crave leave humbly
to approach your Majesty and to state in writing what
I should have submitted to your Royal consideration at
an Audience, because I conceive that this course will
be attended with less inconvenience to your Majesty.

In the counsel which I ventured with great humility,
but with an entire conviction of its soundness, to tender,
I cannot be biassed by any personal interest, for I am
not a candidate for office ; nor by any Parliamentary
interest, for I have no concern with elections ; nor by
any factious interest, for I am unconnected with party.
My only motive is to discharge the duty which I owe
to both the Crown and the country. Nor am I under
the influence of any prejudice against your Majesty's
servants or their measures ; for I charge your
Majesty's servants with nothing beyond an error, a
great error, in judgment, and I entirely approve of
the measures which they have lately propounded (with
a single exception partially applicable to one of them),
while I lament and disapprove of the time and manner
of propounding them, both on account of the Govern-
ment and of the measures themselves.

1 Mention has been made earlier of the resentment which Brougham
cherished against his late colleagues, after his exclusion from the Whig
Cabinet, and this letter, on the proposal to dissolve Parliament, was, no doubt,
prompted by that feeling.

1841] LETTER FROM LORD BROUGHAM 369

I feel myself, Madam, under the necessity of stating
that the dissolution of the Parliament appears to me
wholly without justification, either from principle or
from policy. They who advise it must needs proceed
upon the supposition that a majority will be returned
favourable to the continuance of the present Adminis-
tration and favourable to their lately announced policy.
On no other ground is it possible that any such advice
should be tendered to your Majesty. For no one could
ever think of such a proceeding as advising the Crown
to dissolve the Parliament in order to increase the
force of the Opposition to its own future Ministers,
thus perverting to the mere purposes of party the
exercise of by far the most eminent of the Royal
prerogatives ; and I pass over as wholly unworthy of
notice the only other supposition which can with any
decency be made, when there is no conflict between
the two Houses, namely, that of a dissolution in entire
ignorance of the national opinon and for the purpose of
ascertaining to which side it inclines. Your Majesty's
advisers must, therefore, have believed, and they must
still believe, that a majority will be returned favourable
both to themselves and their late policy. I, on the
other hand, have the most entire conviction that there
will be a considerable majority against them, and
against their policy a majority larger still, many of
their supporters having already joined to swell that
majority. Whoever examines the details of the case
must be satisfied that the very best result which the
Government can possibly hope for is a narrow majority
against them — an event which must occasion a second
dissolution by whatever Ministry may succeed to the
confidence of your Majesty. But those best acquainted
with the subject have no doubt at all that the majority
will be much more considerable.

I beg leave, Madam, humbly to represent to your
Majesty, in my own vindication for not having laid
my opinion before your Majesty as soon as I returned
from the Continent, that when I first heard of the
course taken by the Government early in May, I

VOL. I. —24,

370 BROUGHAM AND HIS COLLEAGUES [CHAP. z

formed the opinion which 1 now entertain, but con-
ceived that I must have mistaken the facts upon which
they were acting ; and when I arrived twelve days ago
I was confirmed in the belief (seeing the fixed resolu-
tion taken to dissolve) that I must have been under
an erroneous impression as to the probable results of
the elections. But I have since found ample reason
for believing that my original conviction was perfectly
well founded, and that no grounds whatever exist
sufficient to make any one who considers the subject
calmly, and without the bias of either interest or
prejudice, really believe that this ill-fated proceeding
can have any other result than lasting injury to your
Majesty's service, to the progress of sound and just views
of policy, and to the influence of those in whom the
Crown and the country alike should repose confidence.

That a number of short-sighted persons whose
judgments are warped by exclusive attention to a
single subject, or by personal feelings, or by party
views (and these narrow and erroneous), may have
been loudly clamorous for the course apparently about
to be pursued, is extremely possible, and affords no
kind of excuse for it. Many of these will be the
slowest to defend what they have so unfortunately
called for ; some will be among the first to condemn
it when a manifest failure shall have taken place, and
general discomfiture shall throw a few local successes
into the shade.

My advice is humbly offered to your Majesty, as
removed far above such confined and factious views ;
as the parent of all your people ; as both bound and
willing to watch over their true interests ; and as
charged by virtue of your exalted office with the
preservation of the public peace, the furtherance of
the prosperity, and the maintenance of the liberties of
your subjects.

I am, with profound respect, Madam, your Majesty's
faithful and dutiful Subject, BROUGHAM.1

J Parliament, however, notwithstanding this rescript of Lord Brougham,
was dissolved, and the Ministry went to the country with the cry of a fixed

1841] VISIT TO WOBURN ABBEY 371

Memorandum by Mr Anson.

WOBURN ABBEY, 27th July 1841.

Arrived here last night with the Prince and the
Queen; this is now the second expedition (Nuneham
being the first) which Her Majesty has taken, and on
neither occasion has the Baroness accompanied us.

The Prince went yesterday through a review of the
many steps he had made to his present position — all
within eighteen months from the marriage. Those who
intended to keep him from being useful to the Queen,
from the fear that he might ambitiously touch upon
her prerogatives, have been completely foiled ; they
thought they had prevented Her Majesty from yielding
anything of importance to him by creating distrust
through imaginary alarm. The Queen's good sense,
however, has seen that the Prince has no other object
in all he seeks but a means to Her Majesty's good.
The Court from highest to lowest is brought to a
proper sense of the position of the Queen's husband.
The country has marked its confidence in his character
by passing the Regency Bill nem. con. The Queen
finds the value of an active right hand and able head
to support her and to resort to for advice in time of
need. Cabinet Ministers treat him with deference and
respect. Arts and science look up to him as their
especial patron, and they find this encouragement
supported by a full knowledge of the details of every
subject. The good and the wise look up to him
with pride and gratitude as giving an example, so
rarely shown in such a station, of leading a virtuous
and religious life.

duty on corn, as against a sliding scale, and they attacked, as monopolists,
at once the landowner, who enjoyed protection for his wheat, and the West
Indian proprietor, who profited by the duty on foreign sugar. The Con-
servatives impugned the general policy of the Whig Administration. The
result, a majority of seventy-six, was an even greater Conservative triumph
than the most sanguine of the party anticipated. — See Introductory Note,
ante, p. 319.

372 A SUCCESSFUL TOUR [CHAP,

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 3rd August 1841.

. . . Our little tour was most successful, and
we enjoyed it of all things ; nothing could be more
enthusiastic or affectionate than our reception every-
where, and I am happy to hear that our presence has
left a favourable impression, which I think will be of
great use. The loyalty in this country is certainly v cry
striking. We enjoyed Panshanger1 still more than
Woburn ; the country is quite beautiful, and the house
so pretty and wohnlich ; the picture-gallery and pictures
very splendid. The Cowpers are such good people too.
The visit to Brocket naturally interested us very much
for our excellent Lord Melbourne's sake. The park
and grounds are beautiful.

I can't admit the Duke of Bedford 2 ever was radical ;
God knows ! I wish everybody now was a little so !
What is to come hangs over me like a baneful dream,
as you will easily understand, and when I am often
happy and merry, comes and damps it all ! 3

But God's will be done ! and it is for our best, we
must feel, though we can't feel it. I can't say how
much we think of our little visit to you, God willing,
next year. You would kindly let our good old Grand-
mother4 come there to see her dear Albert once again
before she dies, wouldn't you ? And you would get
the Nemours to come ? And you wrould persuade the
dear Queen 6 to come for a little while with Clementine ?

Now farewell 1 Believe me always, your most
devoted Niece, VICTORIA R.

1 The house of Earl Cowper.

a The Duke, who had formerly been M.P. for Bedfordshire, was inclined to
go further in the direction of Reform than Lord John, yet he applauded the
latter's attitude on the occasion of the speech which earned him the nickname
of " Finality Jack."

8 Alluding to the Ministerial defeat at the polls.

4 The Dowaper Duchess of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg.

6 Marie Anie'lie, Queen of the French.

18«] LORD MELBOURNE AND THE GARTER 373

Memorandum by Mr Anson.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 7th August 1841.

I went to Lord Melbourne this morning in his
room as he had desired me. He said : " The Prince
has been urging me to accept the Blue Riband before
I quit office, and I wished to tell you that I am very
anxious that this should not be pressed upon me by
the Queen ; it may be a foolish weakness on my part,
but I wish to quit office without having any honour
conferred upon me ; the Queen's confidence towards
me is sufficiently known without any public mark of
this nature. I have always disregarded these honours,
and there would be an inconsistency in my accepting
this. I feel it to be much better for my reputation
that I should not have it forced upon me. Mr Pitt
never accepted an order, and only the Cinque Ports
on being pressed to do so. Lord Grenville accepted a
peerage, but never any other honour or advantage, and
I wish to be permitted to retire in likem anner. If
I was a poor man, I should have no hesitation in
receiving money in the shape of place or pension ; I
only dont wish for place, because I do not want it."

In the course of conversation Lord Melbourne said
that he considered it very improbable that he should
ever again form a part of any Administration.

He did not think that a violent course was at all
to be apprehended from Lord John Russell ; he said
Lord John had been far more of a " finality " man
than he had, and in the Cabinet had always been
averse to violent change. He added, " I think you
are in error in forming the opinion which you have
of him."

Lord Melbourne thought the Queen very much
disliked being talked at upon religion ; she particularly
disliked what Her Majesty termed a Sunday face, but
yet that it was a subject far more thought of and
reflected upon than was [thought to be] the case.

374 A DREADED MOMENT [CHAP, x

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, }5th August 1841.

. . . Lord Melbourne well knows the feeling which
your Majesty describes. The expectation of an event
which is dreaded and deprecated, and yet felt to be
certain and imminent, presents itself continually to the
mind and recurs at every moment, and particularly in
moments of satisfaction and enjoyment. It is perhaps
no consolation to be told that events of this nature are
necessary and incidental to your Majesty's high situation,
but Lord Melbourne anxiously hopes that the change,
when it does take place, will not be found so grievous
as your Majesty anticipates, and your Majesty may rely
that Lord Melbourne will do everything in his power to
reconcile it to your Majesty's feelings.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 17th August 1841.

Lord Melbourne is very glad to hear of the Princess's
tooth.

Lord Melbourne is much obliged to your Majesty
for informing him about the mourning.

He is quite well and will be ready when your
Majesty sends.

Memorandum by Mr Anson.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 23rd August 1941.

Lord John Russell was staying at the Castle, and
asked to-day for an audience of Her Majesty, and
was closeted for a long time. The Prince asked Her
Majesty what Lord John came for. The Queen said
he came about several things, but particularly he wished
to impress upon the Queen that Her Majesty should
not allow Sir Robert Peel to propose any new Grants
in Parliament, as they (the Whigs) could not well
oppose it, and this being felt, the whole unpopularity
would fall upon the Queen's person. An idea existed

1841] A HEAVY TRIAL 375

that the Tories were always jobbing with money, and
the grant for the building the new stables at Windsor
had shown how suspicious people were.

Lord John did not speak clearly out, but on
consultation with Lord Melbourne the Queen thought
Lord John must have alluded to Peel having spoken
equivocally at the end of his speech relative to the
Prince's annuity, and would now probably propose a
further grant, and would say the time was now come
in order to stand well with the Queen. The Queen
replied that she would never allow such a thing to be
proposed, and that it would be a disgrace to owe any
favour to that Party.

The only answer the Prince gave was that these
views were very agreeable for him.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 2±th August 1841.

. . . Our accident1 was not so very bad, and con-
sidering that it is the very first that had happened in
the course of Jive summers, with so many carriages and
horses, one cannot be surprised. I beg leave also to
say that I can get out very quick. I am very thankful
that you agree to the couriers. I am a little sorry
that you have put poor Mamma off so late, as she is
very much hurt at it, I fear, by what I hear, and
accuses me of it. But that will, I trust, be forgiven.
You don't say that you sympathise with me in my
present heavy trial,2 the heaviest I have ever had to
endure, and which will be a sad heartbreaking to me
— but I know you do feel for me. I am quiet and
prepared, but still I feel very sad, and God knows !
very wretched at times, for myself and my country,
that such a change must take place. But God in

1 The Queen had driven to Virginia Water to see Prince Albert's beagles
hunting, when, owing to the hounds running between the horses' legs and
frightening them, a pony phaeton and four containing Lord Erroll, Lady
Ida Hay, and Miss Cavendish was upset. One of the postilions was (not
dangerously) hurt.

2 I.e., Lord Melbourne being succeeded by Sir Robert Peel as Prime
Minister.

376 DEBATE ON THE SPEECH [CHAP. *

His mercy will support and guide me through all.
Yet I feel that my constant headaches are caused by
annoyance and vexation 1

Adieu, dearest Uncle ! God bless you ! Ever your
devoted Niece, VICTORIA 11.

Viscount Melbourne to Quee?i Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, VUh August 1841.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. We have just delivered the Speech in the
House of Lords, and the debate will commence at
five o'clock. We understand that the amendment is
to be a repetition of the motion of want of confidence,
which Sir Robert Peel made in the House of Commons
before the dissolution, and nearly in the same terms.
It is to be moved by Lord Ripon l in the House of
Lords, and by Mr Stuart Wortley2 in the House of
Commons. It is understood to be their intention to
avoid, as much as possible, debate upon the Corn
Laws, and upon the other topics in the Speech, and
to place the question entirely upon the result of the
General Election and the proof which that affords
that the Ministry does not possess the confidence of
the country. Lord Melbourne thinks that it will not
be found easy to repress debate in the House of
Commons, but would not be surprised if the course
which it is intended to pursue should much shorten
it in the House of Lords. Lord Melbourne will write
again to your Majesty after the debate, and will
certainly come down to-morrow, unless anything
unexpected should occur to prevent him.

It will be necessary to receive the address of the
Convocation in some manner or another. Lord
Melbourne will write confidentially to the Archbishop 3
to learn how it may be received in the quietest manner

1 The first Earl (1782-1859) who had, as Lord Goderich, been Premier in
1827-1828.

2 J. Stuart Wortley (1801-1855), M.P. for the West Riding, afterwards
the second Lord Wharncliffe.

8 Dr Howley.

1841] MR COBDEN SPEAKS 377

and with the least trouble. Lord Melbourne has little
doubt that the Lords and Commons will send their
addresses by the officers of the Household.

Lord Melbourne entreats your Majesty to pick up
your spirits.

Lord John Russell to Queen Victoria.

WILTON CRESCENT, 26th August 1841.

Lord John Russell presents his humble duty to
your Majesty, and has the honour to report that
nothing remarkable occurred in the debate of yesterday,
except a powerful speech from Mr Cobden, a manu-
facturer.1

The debate will probably close this evening. No
one of the Tory leaders, except Sir Robert Peel,
appears disposed to speak.

Should the Address be voted to-night, and reported
to-morrow, it may be presented to your Majesty by
Lord Marcus Hill2 on Saturday.

But should the debate be continued over this night,
the report of the Address can hardly take place till
Monday. This, however, is not very likely.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, 21th August 1841.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. Upon his arrival he found that there was
no precedent of the House meeting again after an
Address, without receiving an answer from the Crown.
Lord Erroll therefore delivered the answer in the terms
which had been submitted by Lord Melbourne to your
Majesty, and it appeared to give satisfaction. The
debate will probably terminate in the House of
Commons to-night ; at the same time it may not. If
it does we must place our resignation in your Majesty's
hands on Saturday, and it must be announced to the

1 Cobden had just been elected for the first time for Stockport.
a Son of Lord Downshire, and M.P. for Eveshara ; afterwards (under a
special remainder) the third Lord Sandys.

378 AN OVERWHELMING MAJORITY [CHAP, x

Houses of Parliament on Monday. Your Majesty
will then do well not to delay sending for some other
person beyond Tuesday. Lord Melbourne will write
to your Majesty more fully upon all these subjects
to-morrow, when he will know the result of the night's
debate, and be able more surely to point out the course
of events.

Lord Melbourne received the Eau-de-Cologne, and
returns your Majesty many thanks for it.

Lord Melbourne understands that the Duke of
Wellington is, in fact, very desirous of having the
Foreign Seals,1 and that, if your Majesty feels any
preference for him in that department, the slightest
intimation of your Majesty's wish in that respect will
fix him in his desire to have it.

Lord John Russell to Queen Victoria.

»-

WILTON CRESCENT, 28th August 1841.

Lord John Russell presents his humble duty to
your Majesty, and has the honour to report that the
Amendment to the Address was carried by 91, the
numbers being —

For the Address ........ 269

For the Amendment ....... 360

The Tory party proposed that the House should
meet this day, and the Speaker signified that he should
take the Chair at twelve o'clock. The Address will
be carried to Windsor by Lord Marcus Hill this
evening, if then ready.

Lord John Russell takes this opportunity of closing
his Reports again, to express to your Majesty his deep
sense of your Majesty's goodness towards him. It is
his fervent prayer that your Majesty may enjoy a long
and happy reign.

1 The Duke had been Foreign Secretary in 1835.

1841] THE RESIGNATION 379

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, 28th August 1841.

. . . Your Majesty must, of course, consider us as
having tendered our resignations immediately after the
vote of last night, and your Majesty will probably
think it right to request us to continue to hold our
offices and transact the current business until our
successors are appointed.

Lord Melbourne will have the honour of writing
again to your Majesty in the course of the day.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 28th August 1841.

. . . Albert will not stay for the dinner, and I
expect him back at about eleven to-night. He went at
half-past eleven this morning. It is the first time that
we have ever been separated for so long since our
marriage, and I am quite melancholy about it.

You will forgive me if I mention it to you, but I
understand that the Queen Dowager has been some-
what offended at your not taking leave of- her when
she came here, and at your not answering her, when
she wrote to you. Perhaps you would write to her and
soften and smoothen matters. She did not the least
expect you to come to her. Believe me always, your
most devoted Niece, VICTORIA R.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, 28th August 1841.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and begs to acknowledge gratefully the
communication which he has just received from your
Majesty. Lord Melbourne feels certain that your
Majesty's sense and firmness will enable your Majesty
to bear up under this which your Majesty names a
severe trial. The kindness of your Majesty's expressions
emboldens Lord Melbourne to say that he also feels

380 DELAY UNDESIRABLE [CHAP, x

deeply the pain of separation from a service, which has
now for four years and more been no less his pleasure
than his pride.

Lord Melbourne would have been anxious to have
waited upon your Majesty to-day, but he feels that his
presence is in some degree material at a meeting, at
which not only the present situation of your Majesty's
servants, but also their future conduct and prospects
will be considered.

Lord Melbourne is sure that your Majesty will at
once perceive that it would not have a good appearance
if he were to return to Windsor immediately after
having announced his resignation to the House of
Lords on Monday next.

It is right that there should be no appearance of
delay or of unwillingness to carry into effect the wishes
of both Houses of Parliament, and, therefore, your
Majesty will forgive Lord Melbourne if he suggests
that it would be well if your Majesty could make up
your mind to appoint Sir R. Peel on Monday next,
so that there might be as little delay as possible in the
formation of a new Government. On all accounts, and
particularly on account of the lateness of the Season,
it is desirable that this should be done as speedily as
possible.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

29th August 1841.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. He knows well what that feeling of working
under the impression of trouble and annoyance is, but
if the first gloom is brushed away, confidence and hope
and spirits return, and things begin to appear more
cheerful. Lord Melbourne is much obliged by your
Majesty's enquiries. He slept well, but waked early,
which he always does now, and which is a sure sign of
anxiety of mind.

Lord Melbourne will be ready to attend your
Majesty at any time.

1841] THE NEW ARRANGEMENTS 381

Memorandum by Mr Anson.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 29th August 1841.

Lord Melbourne is to take his farewell audience of
the Queen to-morrow, and Her Majesty has appointed
Sir Robert Peel to come down here at three o'clock
to-morrow.

1 went with Lord Melbourne from luncheon to
his room. He seemed in tolerable spirits, though some-
what sad when he alluded to taking leave of the
Queen. He said he was anxious that Her Majesty
should lose no time in writing to appoint Sir Robert
Peel to be here to-morrow, for though he was not
afraid of Sir Robert taking affront, his Party would
be too ready to construe any delay on the Queen's
part into a slight. He said the Prince had been with
him just before, and amongst other things had urged
him to continue to him and to the Queen his advice
and assistance, especially on measures affecting their
private concerns and family concerns ; he told Lord
Melbourne it was on these points that he felt Lord
Melbourne's advice had been peculiarly sound, and
there was no reason why this should not be continued,
and any communication might be made through
me. Lord Melbourne said that the Prince had also
entered upon the subject of the Baroness, and
expressed the constant state of annoyance he was
kept in by her interference. Lord Melbourne said to
me : " It will be far more difficult to remove her after
the change of Government than now, because, if
pressed to do it by a Tory Minister, the Queen's
prejudice would be immediately aroused." I admitted
this, but said that though the Prince felt that if he
pressed the point against the Baroness remaining he
should be able to carry it, still his good feeling and
affection for the Queen prevented him from pressing
what he knew would be painful, and what could
not be carried without an exciting scene ; he must
remain on his guard, and patiently abide the result.
People were beginning much better to understand that
lady's character, and time must surely work its own ends.

382 PARTING WITH LORD MELBOURNE [CHAP, x

On my being sent for by the Prince, Lord Melbourne
said, " I shall see you again before I take my leave."
I was much affected by the earnestness with which
this was said, and said I would certainly be with him
before he saw the Queen to-morrow.

The Prince said that Her Majesty was cheerful
and in good spirits, and the only part of the approaching
scene which he dreaded was the farewell with Lord
Melbourne. The Queen had, however, been much
relieved by the Prince arranging for her hearing from
Lord Melbourne whenever she wished it.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

30th August 1841.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and thanks your Majesty much for the very
clever and interesting etchings which your Majesty
most kindly sent him yesterday evening. Lord
Melbourne will ever treasure them as remembrances of
your Majesty's kindness and regard, which he prizes
beyond measure.

They will, as your Majesty says, certainly recall to
recollection a melancholy day, but still Lord Melbourne
hopes and trusts that with the divine blessing it will
hereafter be looked back upon with less grief and
bitterness of feeling, than it must be regarded at
present.

Memorandum by Mr Anson.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 30th August 1841.

Directly I got here this morning the Prince sent
for me, and said he had been made somewhat uneasy
by a conversation he had just had with the Queen.
Her Majesty said that after the manner in which the
Tories had treated the Prince (relative to annuity) he
ought now to keep them at a distance. She said they
would try to flatter him, and would all come to see
him ; this he should resist, and should refuse to see
them, at all events for some time.

1841] THE PRINCE IN A NEW POSITION 383

The Prince wished me to mention this to Lord
Melbourne when I went to take leave of him, and to
urge Lord Melbourne to set this right with the Queen
by his advice before he parted with the Queen, remind-
ing him that his view had always been that from this
moment the Prince would take up a new position, and
that the Queen, no longer having Lord Melbourne to
resort to in case of need, must from this moment
consult and advise with the Prince. That Lord
Melbourne should urge the Queen to have no scruple
in employing the Prince, and showing that unless a
proper understanding existed from the first, he in
attempting to do good would be easily misrepresented.

I found Lord Melbourne alone in his dressing-room
and put this case before him. He said he had always
thought that when he left the service of the Queen
the Prince would of necessity be brought forward, and
must render great assistance to the Queen ; and the
Queen's confidence in his judgment having so much
increased, this consequence was the more natural. The
Prince must, however, be very cautious at first, and in
a little time he would fall into it. He must be very
careful not to alarm the Queen, by Her Majesty for
an instant supposing that the Prince was carrying on
business with Peel without her cognisance.

If it were possible for any one to advise Peel, he
would recommend that he should write fully to Her
Majesty, and elementarily, as Her Majesty always liked
to have full knowledge upon everything which was
going on. He would advise the Queen to be cautious
in giving a verbal decision, that she should not allow
herself to be driven into a corner, and forced to decide
where she felt her mind was not made up and required
reflection.

Peel should be very careful that intelligence came
first from him direct. King William was very particular
upon this point, so was the Queen.

I asked Lord Melbourne if he had considered the
future position of himself with the Queen, and also
of Peel with the Queen. He said he owned he had not,

384 THE QUEEN AND SIR 'ROBERT PEEL [CHAP. *

and would avoid entering into any discussion — he felt
sure that he should be regarded with extreme jealousy,
not so much by Peel as by the party. He would be
looked upon as Lord Bute had been in his relation to
George III., — always suspected of secret intercourse and
intrigue. He would make me the medium of any
written communication.

With regard to Peel's position with the Queen, he
thought that circumstances must make it. He thought
the Queen must see him oftener than King William
did him, as he thought the present state of things
would require more frequent intercourse. The late
King used to see him once a week after the Levee,
seldom oftener ; all the rest of the business was
transacted by correspondence, but this mode, though
it had its merits in some respect, very much impeded
the public business.

The less personal objections the Queen took to
any one the better, as any such expression is sure to
come out and a personal enemy is made. It was also
to be recollected that Peel was in a very different
position now, backed by a large majority, to when
the other overture was made. He had the power now
to extort what he pleased, and he fancied he saw the
blank faces of the heads of the Party when Peel told
them that he had agreed to the dismissal or resignation
of only three of the Queen's ladies.

Lord Melbourne said the Queen was afraid she
never could be at ease with Peel, because his manner
was so embarrassed, and that conveyed embarrassment
also to her, which it would be very difficult to get over.

The Queen took leave of Lord Melbourne to-day.
Her Majesty was much affected, but soon recovered
her calmness.

Peel had his first audience at half-past three o'clock.

Discount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

30th August 1841, 6 P.M.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. The announcement has been made in both

1841] MELBOURNE'S OPINION OF THE PRINCE 385

Houses of Parliament. A few words were said by
Lord Stanley l in the House of Commons, and nothing
in the House of Lords.

Lord Melbourne cannot satisfy himself without
again stating to your Majesty in writing what he had
the honour of saying to your Majesty respecting his
Royal Highness the Prince. Lord Melbourne has
formed the highest opinion of his Royal Highness's
judgment, temper, and discretion, and he cannot but
feel a great consolation and security in the reflection
that he leaves your Majesty in a situation in which
your Majesty has the inestimable advantage of such
advice and assistance. Lord Melbourne feels certain
that your Majesty cannot do better than have recourse
to it, whenever it is needed, and rely upon it with
confidence.

Lord Melbourne will be anxious to hear from your
Majesty as to what has passed with Sir R. Peel. Your
Majesty will, Lord Melbourne is sure, feel that the same
general secrecy which your Majesty has always
observed respecting public affairs is more particularly
necessary at the present moment.

Lord Melbourne earnestly hopes that your Majesty
is well and composed, and with the most anxious
wishes for your Majesty's welfare and happiness,
remains ever your Majesty's most devoted and attached
Servant, and he trusts that he may add, without
presumption, your Majesty's faithful and affectionate
friend.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria. Memorandum.

Your Majesty might say, if to your Majesty it
seems good, that in consequence of the Addresses
voted by both Houses of Parliament, your Majesty's
servants had tended their resignations, and that for the
same reason your Majesty had accepted those resigna-
tions. That your Majesty's present servants possessed
your Majesty's confidence, and that you only parted
with them in deference to the opinion of Parliament.

1 Who now became Colonial Secretary.
VOL. L— 25

386 THE QUESTION OF THE HOUSEHOLD [CHAP, z

That your Majesty naturally had recourse to Sir
Robert Peel as possessing the confidence of the great
Party which constitutes the majority of both Houses,
and that you were prepared to empower him to form
an Administration.

That your Majesty did not conceive that the
giving him this commission of itself empowered him
to advise the removal of the officers of your Majesty's
Household ; that you conceive that all that the
Constitution required was that the Sovereign's
Household should support the Sovereign's Ministers ;
but that you was prepared to place at his disposal,
and to take his advice upon all the offices of the
Household at present filled by members of either
House of Parliament, with the exception of those
whom your Majesty might think proper to name, i.e.,
Lord Byron1 — and it should be understood that this
exception was not to extend further than to him.

If Sir Robert Peel should wish that in case of
Lord Byron's remaining it should be considered as a
fresh appointment made by his advice, this wish
might properly be acceded to.

The Ladies. — If any difficulty should arise it may
be asked to be stated in writing, and reserved for
consideration. But it is of great importance that Sir
Robert Peel should return to London with full power
to form an Administration. Such must be the final
result, and the more readily and graciously it is
acquiesced in the better.

Your Majesty must take care not to be driven to
the wall, and to be put into a situation in which it is
necessary to Aye or No. No positive objection
should be taken either to men or measures.

It must be recollected that at the time of the
negotiation in 1839 Lord Melbourne and Lord John
Russell were still at the head of a majority in the
House of Commons. This is not the case now.

1 George Anson, seventh Lord Byron (1789-1868), cousin and successor of
the poet

1841] THE CABINET 387

THE CABINET OF LORD MELBOURNE,

As it stood in September 1841.

First Lord of the Treasury . . . VISCOUNT MELBOURNE.

Lord Chancellor LORD (afterwards Earl of)

COTTENHAM.

Chancellor of the Exchequer . . Mr FRANCIS BARING (after-
wards Lord Northbrook).

Lord President of the Council . . MARQUIS OF LANSDOWNE.

I^ord Privy Seal EARL OF CLARENDON.

Home Secretary MARQUIS OF NORMANDY.

Foreign Secretary VISCOUNT PALMERSTON.

Colonial Secretary LORD JOHN (afterwards Earl)

RUSSELL.

First Lord of the Admiralty . . EARL OF MINTO.

President of the Board of Control . Sir JOHN CAM HOBHOUSE (after-
wards Lord Broughton).

Secretary at War Mr T. B. (afterwards Lord)

MACAULAY.

President of the Board of Trade . Mr LABOUCHERE (afterwards

Lord Taunton).

Chief Secretary for Ireland . . . VISCOUNT MORPETH (after-
wards Earl of Carlisle).

First Commissioner of Land Revenue VISCOUNT DUNCANNON (after-
wards Earl of Bessborough).

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Sir GEORGE GREY.

THE CABINET OF SIR ROBERT PEEL/

As formed in September 1841.

First Lord of the Treasury . . . Sir ROBERT PEEL.

Lord Chancellor LORD LYNDHURST.

Chancellor of the Exchequer . . Mr H. GOULBURN.

(Without Office) DUKE OF WELLINGTON.

Lord President of the Council . . LORD WHARNCLIFFE.

Lord Privy Seal DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM.

Home Secretary Sir JAMES GRAHAM.

Foreign Secretary EARL OF ABERDEEN.

Colonial Secretary LORD STANLEY (afterwards

Earl of Derby).

First Lord of the Admiralty . . EARL OF HADDINGTON.

President of the Board of Control . LORD (afterwards Earl of)

ELLENBOROUGH.

Secretary at War Sir HENRY (afterwards Vis-
count) HARDINGE.

President of the Board of Trade . EARL OF RIPON.

Pay master- General Sir EDWARD KNATCHBULL,

1 The Peel Ministry of 1841 was unique in containing three ex- Premiers :
Sir Robert Peel himself, the Earl of Ripon, and the Duke of Wellington,

388 INTERVIEW WITH SIR ROBERT PEEL [CHAP.

Queen Victoria to Viscount Melbourne.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 30th August 1841.

. . . The first interview with Sir Robert Peel has
gone off well, and only lasted twenty minutes ; and
he sends the Queen to-morrow, in writing, the proposed
arrangements, and will only come down on Wednesday
morning. He first wished to come to-morrow, but on
the Queen's saying that he need not to do that, but
might send it and only come down Wednesday, he
thought the Queen might prefer having it to consider
a little, which she said she certainly should, though
she meant no want of confidence. The Queen, in
the first instance, stated that she concluded he was
prepared for her sending for him, and then stated
exactly what Lord Melbourne wrote, viz., the resigna-
tion having taken place in consequence of the
Addresses, — the Queen's great regret at parting with
her present Ministers — the confidence she had in
them, and her only acceding in consequence of the
Addresses in Parliament, and then that consequently
she looked to him (Sir Robert Peel) as possessing the
confidence of both Houses of Parliament to form an
Administration. He made many protestations of his

who succeeded Lord Goderich as Premier in 1828. Ripon's career was a
curious one ; he was a singularly ineffective Prime Minister, and indeed, did
not, during the course of his Ministry (August 1827-January 1828) ever have
to meet Parliament. He was disappointed at not being invited to join the
Wellington Ministry, subsequently joined the Reform Ministry of Lord
Grey, but followed Lord Stanley, Sir James Graham, and the Duke of Rich-
mond out of it. In August 1841 he moved the vote of want of confidence
in the Melbourne Ministry, and became President of the Board of Trade in
Peel's Government. In 1846 it fell to him, when President of the Board of
Control, to move the Corn Law Repeal Bill in the Lords.

The only later instance of an ex-Premier accepting a subordinate office
was in the case of Lord John Russell, who, in 1852, took the Foreign
Office under Aberdeen, subsequently vacating the office and sitting in the
Cabinet without office. In June 1854, he became Lord President of the
Council, and left the Ministry when it was menaced by Roebuck's motion.
When Lord Palmerston formed a Ministry in 1855, Lord John, after an
interval, became Colonial Secretary, again resigning in five months.
Finally, in 1859, he went back to the Foreign Office, where he remained
until he succeeded Palmerston as Premier in 1865.

The Government also contained three future Premiers, Aberdeen, Stanley,
and Gladstone.

1841] THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON 389

sorrow, at what must give pain to the Queen (as she
said to him it did), but of course said he accepted
the task. The Duke of Wellington's health too
uncertain, and himself too prone to sleep coming
over him — as Peel expressed it — to admit of his
taking an office in which he would have much to do,
but to be in the Cabinet, which the Queen expressed
her wish he should. He named Lord De Grey1
as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and Lord Eliot2 as
Secretary for Ireland, who, he said, were both moderate
people. The Queen said she gave up to him the
officers of State and those of her Household who
were in Parliament, and he then asked if Lord
Liverpool would be agreeable as Lord Steward (the
Queen said he would), and if she would object to Lord
Jersey as Master of the Horse (she said she would
not), as she believed he understood it perfectly. He
said he was so anxious to do everything which could
be agreeable to the Queen, that he wished her to name
whom she should like as Lord Chamberlain ; she said
he might suggest someone, but as he would not, and
pressed the Queen to name whoever she pleased, she
said she should like the Duke of Rutland, and he said
he would certainly name it to him. The Queen said
that Lord Melbourne had always been very particular
to name no one who might be disagreeable to her
in the Household, and Sir R. Peel said he felt this,
and should be most anxious to do what could be agree-
able to me and for my comfort, and that he would
even sacrifice any advantage to this. The Queen men-
tioned the three Ladies' resignation, and her wish
not to fill up the three Ladies' places immediately.
She mentioned Lady Byron,3 to which he agreed
immediately, and then said, as I had alluded to
those communications, he hoped that he had been

1 Thomas, Earl de Grey (1781-1859) ; he was the elder brother of Lord
Ripon who had been previously known as Mr Robinson and Viscount
Goderich, and whose son, besides inheriting his father's and uncle's honours,
was created Marquis of Ripon.

2 Afterwards third Earl of St Germans.

8 Lady Byron had been Miss Elizabeth Chandos-Pole.

390 THE LADIES [CHAP, s

understoood respecting the other appointments (meaning
the Ladies), that provided I chose some who had a
leaning towards the politics of the Administration, I
might take any I liked, and that he quite understood
that I should notify it to them. The Queen said this
was her rule, and that she wished to choose moderate
people who should not have scruples to resign in case
another Administration should come in, as changing
was disagreeable to her. Here it ended, and so far
well. He was very anxious the Queen should under-
stand how anxious he was to do everything which was
agreeable to the Queen. The Queen wishes to know
if Lord Melbourne thinks she should name the
Duchess of Buccleuch Mistress of the Robes, on
Wednesday, and if she shall ask Sir Robert to sound
the Duchess, or some one else, and then write to
appoint her? She thinks of proposing Lady de la
Warr and Lady Abercorn by and by as the two
Ladies, but these she will sound herself through
other people, or Lady Canning, or Lady Rosslyn in
case these others should not take it. She should say
she meant to sound those, and no more. What the
Queen felt when she parted from her dear, kind
friend, Lord Melbourne, is better imagined than
described ; she was dreadfully affected for some time
after, but is calm now. It is very, very sad ; and she
cannot quite believe it yet — The Prince felt it very,
very much too, and really the Queen cannot say how
kind and affectionate he is to her, and how anxious to
do everything to lighten this heavy trial ; he was quite
affected at this sad parting. We do, and shall, miss
you so dreadfully ; Lord Melbourne will easily under-
stand what a change it is, after these four years when
she had the happiness of having Lord Melbourne
always about her. But it will not be so long till
we meet again. Happier and brighter times will
come again. We anxiously hope Lord Melbourne
is well, and got up well and safe. The Queen trusts
he will take care of his valuable health, now more
than ever.

1841] MR ANSON INTERVIEWS MELBOURNE 391
Memorandum by Mr Anson.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 3lst August 1841.

I was sent up to Town to-day to see Lord Melbourne
and Sir Robert Peel. I found Lord Melbourne as
usual up in his bedroom. He had received the account
of Her Majesty's first interview with Peel, which he
thought very satisfactory. Sir Robert very much
regretted that he should have been the instrument of
obliging Her Majesty to change her Government. The
Queen had said to Sir Robert that though she did not
conceive the Minister could demand any of the House-
hold appointments, still it was Her Majesty's intention
to give up to him the great offices of State, and all
other places in the Household filled by people in
Parliament. He was to send his proposed list for
offices the next day and be at Windsor the morning
after that. Lord Melbourne had written to the Queen
the night before, stating his opinion of the Prince — that
he had great discretion, temper, and judgment, and
that he considered him to be well worthy of Her
Majesty's confidence, and that now was the time for
Her Majesty to feel comfort and assistance from giving
him her fullest confidence. He had just received the
Queen's answer to this, saying what " pleasure it had
given the Queen to receive his letter with this expression
of his opinion of her beloved husband, and that what
he said could not fail to increase the confidence which
she already felt in him. He was indeed a great comfort
to her in this trying moment ; at times she was very
low indeed though she strove to bear up. It would
always be a satisfaction to her to feel secure of Lord
Melbourne's faithful and affectionate friendship to her
and the Prince. She hoped after a time to see him
here again, and it would always be a pleasure to her
to hear from him frequently."

From South Street I went to Sir Robert Peel's.
I told him I came to speak to him about Lord Exeter,
whom the Prince proposed to make the head of his
Household, should it not interfere with any of Sir

:>1W MKLHOUHNK'S Ol KK'IAL KAKUWKl.l. KU.U-. x

Kobert's arrangements for the Queen. Sir IJobcrl saitl
he was so good a man and one that he tell sure the
Prince would like, and he therefore thought he had
better propose the situation to him at once.

Melbourne to (|)//<r// r

S.'i in Sruii r, :\\sf .lii.inxf IHIl.

Lord Melbourne hat! the pleasure of receiving lasl
night both your Majesty's letters, the one dated (our

t2 • •" •

o'docki ami written immediately after your Majesty's

interview with Sir K. Peel, the other dated half-past
nine. Lord Melbourne thanks your Majesty niueh
for them both, and tor the expressions of kindness
Contained in them. Lord Melbourne will ever consider
the time during which your Majesty is oood enough
tt> think that lit' has been of service to your Majesty

• •' •

the proudosl as well as the happiest pnrl of his life.

Lord Melbourne has read with great care your
Majesty's ycry clear and full account of what passed.
It appears to Lord Melbourne that nothing could be
better. Sir Kohcil Peel seems to have been anxious
to act with the utmost respect anil consideration for
\ our Majesty, and your Majesty most properly and
wisely met him halfway. In the spirit in which the
negotiation has been commenced 1 see the prospect
of a termination of it, which will be not so unsalis
factory to your Majesty as your Majesty anticipated,

. • »' • • •' .

and not. Lord Melbourne trusts, disadvantageous to the
country. . . .

Lord Melbourne concludes with the most anxious
wishes for your Majesty's happiness, and with expressing
a great admiration of the firmness, prudence and good
sense with which your Majesty has conducted yourself.

. *' . »

Lord Melbourne begs to be remembered to 11 is
Koyal Highness most respectfully, most allect lonately.

t'iscoiint Melbourne to

:u.sY .lii-.nmt is 1 1

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duly to your
Majesty, and has just received your .Majesty's letter.

urn] Sill HOllKUT PHKI/S KKCKITION MW

Lord Melbourne rejoices much to learn that, your
Majesty feels more composed and that yon are well.
Recollect IIONV precious is your Majesty's lie:ill.h, ;nul

how much health depends u|)on tranquillity of mind. . . .

Lord Melbourne will either write to Sir I<Yaneis
Chantrey ' to-morrow i Morning, or call upon him :md
settle without further delay about the DUSt, There
is no end of subscript ions to Monuments, but perhaps
your Majesty will do well to subscribe to Sir David

Wilkie's.'

Your Majesty is very <jfood about the blue Kihhand,
but Lord Melbourne is certain that upon the whole,
it is belter lor his own position and character that he
should not have it.

The Karl of Clarendon* to I'/scoi/nt Melbourne*

(iiiosvKNoii ('III:SI'I<:NT, '.list. Aiiiiii.it, IHH.

MY DKAII MELBOURNE,- - ^^ou may like to know
that 1'eel was perfectly satisfied with his reception
yesterday, and does lull justice' to the Queen's decl.'i-
ralion of her regret at parting with her Ministers,
which he said it was (juite natural she should 1'eel,
and quite ri^ht she should express. This I know
from undoubted authority, and from a person who
came to enquire of me whether I could tell what
impression Peel had produced upon the Queen, which
of course I could not.

lie assured the Queen that he had had no com-
munication with his friends, and was not prepared to

submit an Administration for her approval, but he

is to see her a.^ain to-morrow morning.

The only appointment yet settled is I )e (Hrey to
Ireland ; he was very unwilling, but I 'eel insisted.
Yours sincerely, CI.AI<|'.NIM>N.

1 Sir I'V.'incis di.'intrry, the sculptor, horn in I7HI, died on \'.!>\\\ November

1841.

J Sir Duvid Wilkic, I'ainler in ( )rdiiuiry lo Hie Queen, liad died ou lnt
June, a/v'd fifty-six.

;i Tlie retiring I /ord Privy Se:d.

0 Letter forw.'irdcd by Lord Melbourne to Hie Quern.

394 ARRANGEMENTS FOR RESIGNATION [CHAP, x

Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria.

CARLTON TERRACE, 31st August 1841.

. . . Viscount Palmerston begs to be allowed to
tender to your Majesty the grateful thanks of himself
and of Viscountess Palmerston for your Majesty's
gracious expressions towards them. Viscount Palmer-
ston sees with deep regret the termination of those
duties in your Majesty's service, in the course of
which he has had the honour of experiencing from
your Majesty so much condescending personal kind-
ness, and such flattering official confidence ; and it
affords him the highest gratification to have obtained
your Majesty's approbation.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, 2nd September 1841.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. He received your Majesty's letter yesterday
evening, and was very glad to learn from it that your
Majesty was not ill satisfied with Sir Robert Peel,
and that the arrangements were going on smoothly,
which it is highly desirable that they should. Your
Majesty should desire Sir Robert Peel to give notice
to all those who have insignia of office, such as
Seals, Wands, to give up, to attend at Claremont on
Friday ; but of course he will do this of himself.
Your Majesty will have much to go through upon
that day and much that is painful. Your Majesty
should spare yourself and be spared as much as
possible. It will not be necessary for Lord Melbourne
to go down. He may be considered as having
resigned at the Audience which he had of your
Majesty at Windsor, and Lord Melbourne has
ventured to tell Lord Lansdowne that he thinks he
need not do so either, and that your Majesty will
excuse his attendance. Lord Melbourne need say
nothing about the Secretaries of State, with all of
whom your Majesty is so well acquainted; but

1841] NEW APPOINTMENTS 395

perhaps your Majesty will not omit to thank Mr
Baring l cordially for his services. He is a thoroughly
honest man and an able public servant. If your
Majesty could say to the Lord Chancellor,2 " that you
part with him with much sorrow ; that you are sensible
that much of the strength of the late Administration
was derived from the manner in which he discharged
the duties of his office, and that you consider his retire-
ment a great and serious loss to the country," it would
certainly be no more than he deserves.

It is thought by some who know him here that
the Duke of Rutland will be so extremely pleased
with the offer being made, and that by your Majesty
yourself, that he will accept it ; but he is a year older
than Lord Melbourne, and therefore hardly fit for any
very active duty. . . .

The appointment of Colonel Arbuthnot will of
course be very agreeable to the Duke of Wellington.
The Arbuthnots are quiet, demure people before
others ; but they are not without depth of purpose,
and they are very bitter at bottom.

Your Majesty will not forget the two Knights for
Mr de la Beche3and Major Monro.

Lord Melbourne begins to hope that this affair
will be got through more satisfactorily and with less
annoyance than your Majesty anticipated. As long
as your Majesty is desirous of receiving his com-
munications, he will be always most careful to give
your Majesty his impartial opinion and the best
advice which he has to offer. His most fervent
prayer will always be for your Majesty's welfare and
happiness.

discount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, 2nd September 1841.

. . . Lord Melbourne hopes and trusts that when
to-morrow is over your Majesty will recover from that

1 The retiring Chancellor of the Exchequer.

8 Lord Cottenham.

3 Sir Henry T. de la Beche, an eminent geologist.

396 COUNCIL AT CLAREMONT [CHAP, x

depression of spirits under which your Majesty now
labours. Lord Melbourne never doubted that it would
be so, but is glad to learn from your Majesty the
support and consolation which your Majesty finds in
the advice and affection of the Prince.

This is the last letter which Lord Melbourne will
send in a box. He will to-morrow morning return
his keys to the Foreign Office, and after that your
Majesty will be good enough to send the letters,
with which you may honour Lord Melbourne, through
Mr Anson.

Lord Melbourne most anxiously wishes your Majesty
every blessing.

Viscount Melbowne to Queen Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, 3rd September 1841.

Lord Melbourne earnestly hopes that your Majesty
is well after this trying day.1 Lord Melbourne has
thought and felt for your Majesty all this morning.
But now that the matter is settled it will be necessary
that your Majesty should take a calm and composed
view of the whole situation, which Lord Melbourne
trusts that your Majesty will find by no means
unsatisfactory.

And first with respect to public affairs. In the
concerns of a great nation like this there will always be
some difficulties and entanglements, but upon the
whole the present state is good and the prospect is
good for the future. There is no reason to expect
that Sir Robert Peel will either be desirous or be
able to take a very different course from that which
has been taken by your Majesty's late servants, and
some difficulties will certainly be removed, and some
obstacles smoothed, by the change which has lately
taken place.

With respect to the effect which will be produced

i A Council had been held at Claremont for the outgoing Ministers to
give up their Seals of Office, which were bestowed upon Sir Robert Peel and
the incoming Cabinet

1841] LETTERS FROM LORD MELBOURNE 397

upon the comfort of your Majesty's private life, it
would be idle in Lord Melbourne, after what your
Majesty has said, to doubt of the manner in which
your Majesty will feel the change, which must take
place in your Majesty, to long accustomed habits
and relations. But your Majesty may rest assured
of Lord Melbourne's devoted and disinterested attach-
ment to your Majesty, and that he will devote
himself to giving to your Majesty such information
and advice as may be serviceable to your Majesty
with the sole view of promoting your Majesty's public
interests and private happiness.

Lord Melbourne hopes, and indeed ventures to
expect, that your Majesty, upon reflection and con-
sideration of the real state of circumstances, will
recover your spirits, and Lord Melbourne has himself
great satisfaction in thinking upon the consideration of
the advice which he has given, that it has not tended
to impair your Majesty's influence and authority, but, on
the contrary, to secure to your Majesty the affection,
attachment, approbation, and support of all parties.

In the course of this correspondence Lord Melbourne
has thought it his duty to your Majesty to express
himself with great freedom upon the characters of
many individuals, whose names have come under con-
sideration, but Lord Melbourne thinks it right to say
that he may have spoken upon insufficient grounds,
that he may have been mistaken, and that the persons
in question may turn out to be far better than he has
been induced to represent them.

Viscount Melbourne to Qiieen Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, 4th September 1841.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. He was most happy to hear yesterday the
best accounts of everything that had taken place at
Claremont. Everybody praised, in the highest manner,
the dignity, propriety, and kindness of your Majesty's

398 MELBOURNE ON THE NEW MINISTRY [CHAP. *

•

deportment, and if it can be done without anything
of deceit or dissimulation, it is well to take advantage
of the powers and qualities which have been given,
and which are so well calculated to gain a fair and
powerful influence over the minds and feelings of
others. Your Majesty may depend upon it, that the
impression made upon the minds of all who were
present yesterday, is most favourable. Of course, with
persons in new and rather awkward situations, some
of whom had never been in high office before, all of
whom had not been so now for some years, there was
a good deal of embarrassment and mistakes. Forms
which are only gone through at long intervals of time,
and not every day, are necessarily forgotten, and when
they are required nobody knows them. But Lord
Melbourne cannot really think that they looked cross ;
most probably they did look shy and embarrassed.
Strange faces are apt to give the idea of ill humour. . . .
Lord Melbourne anxiously hopes that your Majesty
is well and happy to-day.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, 5th September 1841.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. Your Majesty may depend upon it, that
if Lord Melbourne hears anything respecting your
Majesty, which it appears to him to be important or
advantageous, that your Majesty should know, Lord
Melbourne will not fail to convey it to your Majesty.

Lord Melbourne encloses the exact names of the
two gentlemen to whom Knighthood has been promised
by your Majesty. . . .

Your Majesty is very good, very good indeed, to
think of doing what your Majesty mentions for Fanny ;
but Lord Melbourne fears that it would hardly suit
with their present situation, or with the comfort of
their domestic life. But Lord Melbourne mentioned

1841] LORD MELBOURNE'S ADVICE 399

the matter yesterday to his sister, and he encloses the
letter which she has written to him this morning, after
reflecting upon the subject. By that letter your
Majesty will perceive that Jocelyn is not so much in
debt, as Lord Melbourne's letter had led your Majesty
to suppose. . . .

Lord B is a very old friend of Lord

Melbourne's. They were at Eton together, and inti-
mate there. He is a gentlemanly man and a good

man, but not very agreeable. Few of the P s

are, and very bitter in politics ; but still Lord
Melbourne is glad, for old acquaintance sake, that
your Majesty has taken him. Lord Melbourne must
again repeat that when he writes with so much
freedom about individual characters, it is only to
put your Majesty in possession of what he knows
respecting them, and not with a view of inducing
your Majesty to object to their being appointed. . . .

Might not Fanny have the Bedchamber Woman's
place ? It would be a help to her, and would not
take her away from home. This only strikes Lord
Melbourne as he is writing.

6th September 1841.

Lord Melbourne wrote the above yesterday, but
had no opportunity of sending it, as there was no
post. Lord Melbourne has since seen Lady Palmer-
ston, and finds that his last suggestion about Fanny
will not do.

Lord Melbourne encloses Lady Palmerston's two
notes upon the subject, which will explain to your
Majesty what she wishes. But if Jocelyn is himself
to get a place, this will be a better arrangement, and
puts an end to all the others.

What Lady Palmerston says about Sir R. Peel is
very unjust. There is no shabbiness whatever in his
not coming to a decision upon the factory question.1

1 Lady Palmerston (no doubt in sympathy with Lord Ashley) expected
some factory legislation to be announced.

400 LETTER TO LADY GAINSBOROUGH [CHAP. x

Queen Victoria to the Countess of Gainsborough.1

CLAREMONT, 6th September 1841.

MY DEAREST LADY GAINSBOROUGH, — I had the
pleasure of receiving your two kind letters of the 24th
and 25th ult. yesterday, and thank you much for them.
1 am so happy that you are really better. . . .

I hoped that you would be pleased at what you
thank me for ; you see I did not forget what you told
me once at Windsor when we were out driving, and
I assure you that Lord Melbourne was very anxious
to do it. Last week was a most painful trying one
to me, and this separation from my truly excellent
and kind friend Lord Melbourne, most distressing.
You will understand what a change it must be to me.
I am, however, so happy in my home, and have such
a perfect angel in the Prince who has been such a
comfort to me, that one must be thankful and grateful
for these blessings, and take these hard trials as lessons
sent from above, for our best.

Our little girl makes great progress, and suffers
comparatively but very little from her teething. We
came here to be quiet for a few days, as this place
is so very private.

The Baroness will write to Lord Gainsborough to
say that I wish much you would take Lady Lyttelton's
waiting, which begins on 23rd of November.

The Prince begs to be kindly named to you, and
I to Fanny and your brother, and pray believe me
always, Dearest Lady Gainsborough, ever yours most
affectionately, VICTORIA R.

Pray thank Fanny for her kind letter.

Quec?i Victoria to Sir Robert Peel.

7th September 1841.

The Queen wishes that Sir Robert Peel would
mention to Lord De la Warr 2 that he should be very

1 Formerly, as Lady Barbara, a Lady of the Bedchamber. Lord Barham
had been created Earl of Gainsborough in the course of the year (1841).

2 See ante, p. 196.

1841] LORD CHAMBERLAIN'S DEPARTMENT 401

particular in always naming to the Queen any appoint-
ment he wishes to make in his department, and always
to take her pleasure upon an appointment before he
settles on them ; this is a point upon which the Queen
has always laid great stress. This applies in great
measure to the appointment of Physicians and Chap-
lains, which used to be very badly managed formerly,
and who were appointed in a very careless manner ;
but since the Queen's accession the Physicians and
Chaplains have been appointed only for merit and
abilities, by the Queen herself, which the Queen is
certain Sir Robert Peel will at once see is a far better
way, and one which must be of use in every way. Sir
Robert Peel may also tell Lord De la Warr that it is
unnecessary for him to appear in uniform, as the Queen
always dispenses with this in the country. This applies
also to the Ministers, who the Queen does not expect
or wish should appear in uniform at Councils which
are held in the country. The Queen concludes that
it will be necessary to hold a Council some time
next week to swear in some of the new Officers who
are not Privy Councillors ; but Sir Robert Peel will
be able to tell the Queen when he thinks this will
be necessary.

Queen Victoria to Sir Robert Peel.

8th September 1841.

There is a subject which the Queen wishes to
mention to Sir Robert Peel as she is at present so little
acquainted with Lord Aberdeen; the Queen is very
desirous that, if it were possible, Sir Hamilton Seymour
should not be removed from Brussels. The Queen
believes that his political views are not violent either
way, and she knows that he is peculiarly agreeable to
her Uncle, which has, therefore, prompted her to write
this to Sir Robert Peel. The Queen seizes the same
opportunity to say that she is also very anxious that a
moderate and conciliatory person should be sent to
Lisbon, as it is of great importance there.

VOL. i. — 26

402 A MELANCHOLY CHANGE [CHAP, x

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

CLAUEMONT, 8th September 1841.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — I begin my letter to-day,
for fear 1 should have no time to write to-morrow.
Your kind letter gave me great pleasure, and I must
own your silence on all that was going on distressed
me very much ! It has been indeed a sad time for me,
and I am still bewildered, and can't believe that my
excellent Lord Melbourne is no longer my Minister,
but he will be, as you say, and has already proved
himself, very useful and valuable as my friend out
of office. He writes to me often, and I write to
him, and he gives really the fairest and most impartial
advice possible. But after seeing him for four years,
with very few exceptions — daily — you may imagine
that I must feel the change ; and the longer the time
gets since we parted, the more I feel it. Eleven days
was the longest I ever was without seeing him, and this
time will be elapsed on Saturday, so you may imagine
what the change must be. I cannot say what a
comfort and support my beloved Angel is to me,
and how well and how kindly and properly he
behaves. I cannot resist copying for you what
Lord Melbourne wrote to me about Albert, the
evening after we parted ; he has already praised him
greatly to me, before he took leave of me. It is as
follows :

" Lord Melbourne cannot satisfy himself without
again stating to your Majesty in writing what he
had the honour of saying to your Majesty respecting
H.R.H. the Prince. Lord Melbourne has formed
the highest opinion of H.R.H's judgment, temper
and discretion, and he cannot but feel a great con-
solation and security in the reflection that he leaves
your Majesty in a situation in which your Majesty
has the inestimable advantage of such advice and
assistance. Lord Melbourne feels certain that your
Majesty cannot do better than have recourse to it,

1841] THE FRENCH AMBASSADOR 403

whenever it is needed, and rely upon it with
confidence."

This naturally gave me great pleasure, and made
me very proud, as it comes from a person who is no
flatterer, and would not have said it if he did not
think so, or feel so. The new Cabinet you have by
this time seen in the papers.

The Household (of which I send you a list) is
well constituted — for Tones.

Lord Aberdeen has written to me to say Bourqueney
has announced St Aulaire1 as Ambassador. This is
very well, but let me beg you, for decency's sake,
to stop his coming immediately ; if even not meant to,
it would have the effect of their sending an ambassador
the moment the Government changed, which would
be too marked, and most offensive personally to me.
Indeed Guizot behaved very badly about refusing to
sign that Slave Trade Treaty 2 which they had so long
ago settled to do ; it is unwise and foolish to irritate
the late Government who may so easily come in
again ; for Palmerston will not forgive or forget
offences, and then France would be worse off than
before, with England. I therefore beg you to stop
St Aulaire for a little while, else / shall feel it a
great personal offence.

Qt/i — I have had a letter from Lord Melbourne
to-day who is much gratified by yours to him. . . .
Now adieu ! Believe me always, your devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

Queen Adelaide to Queen Victoria.

SUDBUHY HALL, Bth September 1841.

MY DEAREST NIECE, — I have not ventured to
disturb you with a letter since we parted, knowing
how fully your time was employed with business of
importance. I cannot any longer now refrain to
enquire after you, after all you have gone through

1 See post, p. 419.

2 A treaty on the subject was signed in London on 20th December between
Great Britain, France, Austria, Prussia, and Russia.

404 LETTER FROM QUEEN ADELAIDE [CHAP, x

lately, and I must congratulate you with all my heart
on having so well completed your difficult task.

There is but one voice of praise, I hear, of your
perfect composure and beautiful conduct during the
trying scenes of last week. It has gratified me more
than I can express, for I had fully expected it of you,
and it has made me very happy to find that it has
been generally remarked and has given so much
satisfaction. Everybody feels deeply for you, and
the devotion and zeal in your service is redoubled
by the interest your trying position has evoked.
May our Heavenly Father support and guide you
always as hitherto, is my constant prayer 1

I hope that the selection of your Government
is to your own satisfaction, and though the change
must have been very trying to you, I trust that you
will have perfect confidence in the able men who
form your Council. Our beloved late King's anxious
wishes to see Wellington and Peel again at the head
of the Administration is now fulfilled. His blessing
rests upon you.

Excuse my having touched upon this subject,
but I could not keep silent whilst the heart is so
full of earnest good wishes for your and the country's
prosperity.

1 hope that an article of the newspapers, of the
indisposition of your darling child, is not true, and
that she is quite well. God bless and protect her ! . . .

I am much amused with reading your Life by
Miss Strickland,1 which, though full of errors, is earnest
on the whole, and very interesting to me. However,
I wish she would correct the gross errors which
otherwise will go down to posterity. She ought to
have taken first better information before she published
her work. . . .

With my affectionate love to dear Prince Albert,
believe me ever, my dearest Niece, your most devoted
and affectionate Aunt, ADELAIDE.

1 Miss Agnes Strickland (1808-1874), who also edited Letters &f Mary
Queen of Scots, etc.

1841] NEW ARRANGEMENTS 405

Memorandum by Mr Anson.

CLAREMOHT, 9th September 1841.

The Ministerial arrangements are now nearly
completed. Writs for new elections moved last night.

Wrote to Sir Robert, telling him the Queen ought
to have heard from him respecting the adjournment
of the House of Commons, instead of seeing it first
in the public papers. Told him also of its being the
Queen's wish that a short report of the debates in
each House should always be sent to Her Majesty,
from him in the Commons and from the Duke of
Wellington in the Lords.

The Queen had a letter to-day from the Queen
Dowager, which was kindly meant, but which made
Her Majesty rather angry, complimenting Her Majesty
on the good grace with which she had changed her
Government, and saying that the late King's blessing
rested upon her for calling the Duke of Wellington
and Peel to her Councils, etc. . . .

Queen Victoria to Sir Robert Peel.

9th September 1841.

The Queen takes this opportunity of writing to
Sir Robert Peel confidentially about another person :

this is about Lord . The Queen is strongly

of opinion that Lord should not be employed

in any post of importance, as his being so would,
in her opinion, be detrimental to the interests of
the country. The Queen wishes Sir Robert to
state this to Lord Aberdeen as her opinion. The
Queen is certain that Sir Robert will take care
that it should not be known generally that this is
her opinion, for she is always most anxious to avoid
anything that might appear personal towards anybody.
The Queen cannot refrain from saying that she can-
not quite approve of Sir Charles Bagot's * appointment,
as from what she has heard of his qualities she does
not think that they are of a character quite to suit

1 As Governor-General of Canada.

406 CONFIDENTIAL COMMUNICATIONS [CHAP, x

in the arduous and difficult position in which he will
be placed. At the same time the Queen does not
mean to object to his appointment (for she has
already formally approved of it), but she feels it her
duty to state frankly and at all times her opinion,
as she begs Sir Robert also to do unreservedly to
her. For the future, it appears to the Queen that it
would be best in all appointments of such importance
that before a direct communication was entered into
with the individual intended to be proposed, that the
Queen should be informed of it, so that she might
talk to her Ministers fully about it ; not because it is
likely that she would object to the appointment, but
merely that she might have time to be acquainted
with the qualities and abilities of the person. The
Queen has stated this thus freely to Sir Robert as
she feels certain that he will understand and appreciate
the motives which prompt her to do so. The Queen
would wish the Council to be at two on Tuesday,
and she begs Sir Robert would inform her which of
the Ministers besides him will attend.

Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria.

9th September 1841.

. . . Sir Robert Peel will have the honour of
writing to your Majesty to-morrow on the subjects
adverted to in the note which he has just received
from your Majesty.

He begs for the present to assure your Majesty
that he shall consider every communication which
your Majesty may be pleased to address to him in
reference to the personal merits or disqualifications
of individuals as of a most confidential character.

Sir Robert Peel to Mr Anson.

WHITEHALL, Wth September 1841.

MY DEAR SIR, — I am sorry if I have failed to
make any communication to Her Majesty respecting

1841] THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS 407

public matters, which Her Majesty has been in the
habit of receiving, or which she would have wished
to receive.

Having been occupied in the execution of the
important trust committed to me not less than sixteen
or eighteen hours of the twenty-four for several days
past, it may be that I have made some omissions in
this respect, which under other circumstances I might
have avoided. I did not think Her Majesty would
wish to be informed of the issue of writs, necessarily
following the appointments to certain offices of all
which Her Majesty had approved. I certainly ought
to have written to Her Majesty previously to the
adjournment of the House of Commons until Thursday
the 1 6th of September. It was an inadvertent omission
on my part, amid the mass of business which I have
had to transact, and I have little doubt that if I had
been in Parliament I should have avoided it.

The circumstances of my having vacated my seat,
and of having thus been compelled to leave to others
the duty of proposing the adjournment of the House,
was one cause of my inadvertence.

Both the Duke of Wellington and I fully intended
to make a report to Her Majesty after the close of
the Parliamentary business of each day, and will do
so without fail on the reassembling of Parliament.

I am, my dear Sir, very faithfully yours,

ROBERT PEEL.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, 10th September 1841.

. . . Lord Melbourne has no doubt that Sir Robert
Peel has the most anxious wish to do everything that
can be agreeable to your Majesty.

Your Majesty should not omit to speak fully
and seriously to him upon the disposal of great
appointments. Their Diplomatic Corps, from which
Ambassadors and Governors are generally taken, is
the weakest part of their establishment. They have

408 DIPLOMATIC APPOINTMENTS [CHAP. 2

amongst them men of moderate abilities and of
doubtful integrity, who yet have held high offices
and have strong claims upon them. The public
service may suffer most essentially by the employment
of such men. Lord Melbourne would say to Peel that
" affairs depend more upon the hands to which they
are entrusted than upon any other cause, and that
you hope he will well consider those whose appoint-
ment to high and important situations he sanctions,
and that he will not suffer claims of connection or of
support to overbalance a due regard for your Majesty's
service and the welfare of the country." Such an
expression of your Majesty's opinion may possibly
be a support to Sir Robert Peel against pretensions
which he would be otherwise unable to resist ; but
this is entirely submitted to your Majesty's judgment,
seeing that your Majesty, from an exact knowledge
of all that is passing, must be able to form a much
more correct opinion of the propriety and discretion of
any step than Lord Melbourne can do. . . .

Lord Melbourne has a letter from Lord John Russell
rather eager for active opposition ; but Lord Melbourne
will write to your Majesty more fully upon these
subjects from Woburn.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

WOBUUN ABBEY, l<2th September 1847.

Lord Melbourne has this morning received your
Majesty's letter of yesterday. Lord Melbourne entirely
agrees with your Majesty about appointments. He
knows, as your Majesty does from experience, that
with all the claims which there are to satisfy, with
all the prejudices which are to be encountered, and
with all the interests which require to be reconciled,
it is impossible to select the best men, or even
always those properly qualified. He is the last
man who would wish that a Minister who has the
whole machine of the Government before him

1841] GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF CANADA 409

should be unnecessarily thwarted or interfered with in
the selection of those whom he may be desirous to
employ. Lord Melbourne would therefore by no means
advise your Majesty to throw difficulty in the way of
the diplomatic arrangements which may be proposed,
unless there should be in them anything manifestly and

glaringly bad. The nomination of Lord would

have been so, but otherwise it cannot very greatly signify
who is the Ambassador at Vienna, or even at Peters-
burg or Paris. Stuart de Rothesay l and Strangford 2 are
not good men, either of them, but it will be difficult
for Lord Aberdeen to neglect their claims altogether.
Heytesbury3 is an able man, the best they have.
Sir Robert Gordon4 is an honest man, slow but not
illiberal. It would be well if your Majesty showed
Lord Aberdeen that you know these men, and have
an opinion upon the subject of them.

Canada is another matter. It is a most difficult
and most hazardous task. There has been recent
rebellion in the country. A new Constitution has
lately been imposed upon it by Parliament. The two
Provinces have been united, and the united Province
is bordered by a most hostile and uncontrollable com-
munity, the United States of North America. To
govern such a country at such a moment requires a
man of great abilities, a man experienced and practical
in the management of popular assemblies. ... It is
possible that matters may go smoothly there, and that
if difficulties do arise Sir C. Bagot may prove more
equal to them than from his general knowledge of his
character Lord Melbourne would judge him to be. . . .

Upon the subject of diplomatic appointments
Lord Melbourne has forgotten to make one general
observation which he thinks of importance. Upon

1 The new ambassador to St Petersburg.

a Percy, sixth Viscount Strangford (1780-1855), formerly Ambassador to
Constantinople, whom Byron described as

" Hibernian Strangford, with thine eyes of blue,

And boasted locks of red or auburn hue."
* See post, p. 414.
4 The new ambassador to Vienna.

410 INDIA AND AFGHANISTAN [CHAP, x

a change of Government a very great and sudden
change of all or many of the Ministers at Foreign
Courts is an evil and to be avoided, inasmuch as
it induces an idea of a general change of policy,
and disturbs everything that has been settled.
George III. always set his face against and dis-
couraged such numerous removals as tending to
shake confidence abroad in the Government of
England generally, and to give it a character of
uncertainty and instability. It would be well if
your Majesty could make this remark to Lord
Aberdeen.

Lord Ellenborough * to Queen Victoria.

Lord Ellenborough presents his most humble duty
to your Majesty, and humbly acquaints your Majesty
that having, on the morning after the Council held
at Claremont on the third of this month, requested
the clerks of the India Board to put him in posses-
sion of the latest information with respect to the
Political, Military, and Financial affairs of India, he
ascertained that on the 4th of June instructions had
been addressed to the Governor-General of India in
Council in the following terms : — "We direct that
unless circumstances now unknown to us should
induce you to adopt a different course, an adequate
force be advanced upon Herat, and that that city
and its dependencies may be occupied by our troops,
and dispositions made for annexing them to the
kingdom of Cabul."2

The last letters from Calcutta, dated the 9th of
July, did not intimate any intention on the part of
the Governor - General in Council of directing any
hostile movement against Herat, and the Governor-
General himself having always evinced much reluc-

1 President of the Board of Control.

2 For the progress of affairs in Afghanistan, tee Introductory Notes for
1839-1842.

1841] LORD ELLENBOROUGKTS REPORT 411

tance to extend the operations of the army to that
city, it seemed most probable that the execution of
the orders of the 4th of June would have been
suspended until further communication could be had
with the Home Authorities.

Nevertheless, in a matter of so much moment it
did not appear to be prudent to leave anything to
probability, and at Lord Ellenborough's instance your
Majesty's confidential servants came to the conclusion
that no time should be lost in addressing to the
Governor-General in Council a letter in the following
terms — such letter being sent, as your Majesty must
be aware, not directly by the Commissioners for the
Affairs of India, but, as the Act of Parliament pre-
scribes in affairs requiring secrecy, by their direction
through and in the name of the Secret Committee
of the Court of Directors : —

" From the Secret Committee of the Court of
Directors of the East India Company to the Governor-
General of India in Council.

" Her Majesty having been pleased to form a new
Administration, we think it expedient that no step
should be taken with respect to Herat which would
have the effect of compelling the prosecution of a
specific line of Policy in the countries beyond the
Indus, until the new Ministers shall have had time
to take the subject into their deliberate consideration,
and to communicate to us their opinions thereupon.

"We therefore direct that, unless you should
have already taken measures in pursuance of our
Instructions of the 4th of June 1841 — which commit
the honour of your Government to the prosecution
of the line of Policy which we thereby ordered you
to adopt, or which could not be arrested without
prejudice to the Public interests, or danger to the
troops employed — you will consider those Instruc-
tions to be suspended.

" We shall not fail to communicate to you at an
early period our fixed decision upon this subject."

412 RUSSIA AND CENTRAL ASIA [CHAP. *

It was not possible to bring this subject before
your Majesty's confidential servants before the after-
noon of Saturday the 4th. The mail for India, which
should have been despatched on the 1st, had been
detained till Monday the 6th by the direction of your
Majesty's late Ministers, in order to enable your
Majesty's present servants to transmit to India and
China any orders which it might seem to them to be
expedient to issue forthwith. Further delay would
have been productive of much mercantile incon-
venience, and in India probably of much alarm.
In this emergency your Majesty's Ministers thought
that your Majesty would be graciously pleased to
approve of their exercising at once the power of
directing the immediate transmission to India of these
Instructions.

Your Majesty must have had frequently before
you strong proofs of the deep interest taken by
Russia in the affairs of Herat, and your Majesty
cannot but be sensible of the difficulty of maintain-
ing in Europe that good understanding with Russia
which has such an important bearing upon the general
peace, if serious differences should exist between your
Majesty and that Power with respect to the States
of Central Asia.

But even if the annexation of Herat to the
kingdom of Cabul were not to have the effect of
endangering the continuance of the good understand-
ing between your Majesty and Russia, still your
Majesty will not have failed to observe that the
further advance of your Majesty's forces 360 miles
into the interior of Central Asia for the purpose of
effecting that annexation, could not but render more
difficult of accomplishment the original intention of
your Majesty, publicly announced to the world, of
withdrawing your Majesty's troops from Afghanistan
as soon as Shah Sooja should be firmly established
upon the throne he owes to your Majesty's aid.

These considerations alone would have led Lord
Ellenborough to desire that the execution of the

1841] INDIAN FINANCES 413

orders given on the 4th of June should at least be
delayed until your Majesty's confidential servants
had had time to consider maturely the Policy which
it might be their duty to advise your Majesty to
sanction with respect to the countries on the right
bank of the Indus ; but financial considerations
strengthened this desire and seemed to render it an
imperative duty to endeavour to obtain time for
mature reflection before any step should be taken
which might seriously affect the tranquillity of
Europe, and must necessarily have disastrous effects
upon the Administration of India.

It appeared that the political and military charges
now incurred beyond the Indus amounted to £1,250.000
a year — that the estimate of the expense of the
additions made to the Army in India, since April
1838, was £1,138,750 a year, and that the deficit of
Indian Revenue in 1839-40 having been £2,425,625, a
further deficit of £1,987,000 was expected in 1840-41.

Your Majesty must be too well informed of the
many evils consequent upon financial embarrass-
ment and entertains too deep a natural affection for
all your Majesty's subjects not to desire that in
whatever advice your Majesty's confidential servants
may tender to your Majesty with respect to the
Policy to be observed in Afghanistan, they should
have especial regard to the effect which the pro-
tracted continuance of military operations in that
country, still more any extension of them to a new
and distant field, would have upon the Finances of
India, and thereby upon the welfare of eighty millions
of people who there acknowledge your Majesty's rule.

Queen Victoria to Lord Ellenborough.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 19th September 1841.

The Queen thanks Lord Ellenborough for this
clear and interesting Memorandum he has sent. It
seems to the Queen that the course intended to be
pursued — namely to take time to consider the affairs of

414 LORD HEYTESBURY [CHAP, x

India without making any precipitate change in the
Policy hitherto pursued, and without involving the
country hastily in expenses, is far the best and safest.

Queen Victoria to the Earl of Aberdeen.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 19th September 1841.

In the conversation that the Queen had with Lord
Aberdeen last week, she omitted mentioning two
persons to him. The one is Lord Heytesbury ; the
Queen believes him to be a very able man, and
would it not therefore be a good thing to employ
him in some important mission ? The other person
is Mr Aston, who is at Madrid ; the Queen hopes
it may be possible to leave him there, for she thinks
that he acted with great discretion, prudence, and
moderation since he has been there, and the post is
one of considerable importance. He was, the Queen
believes, long Secretary to the Legation at Paris.

The Earl of Aberdeen to Queen Victoria.

FOREIGN OFFICE, 2lst September 1841.

Lord Aberdeen presents his most humble duty to
your Majesty. . . .

Lord Aberdeen has seen the favourable opinion
which your Majesty has been graciously pleased to
express of Lord Heytesbury, and he humbly presumes
to think that this honour is not unmerited. The
situation of Governor-General of India has recently
been proposed by Sir Robert Peel for Lord Heytes-
bury's acceptance, which has been declined by him,
and it is understood that Lord Heytesbury is not at
present desirous of public employment.1

Your Majesty's servants have not yet fully con-
sidered the propriety of submitting to your Majesty
any proposal of a change in the Spanish Mission ; but
the opinion which your Majesty has been pleased to
signify respecting the conduct of Mr Aston at Madrid

1 He was made Governor and Captain of the Isle of Wight, and Governor
of Carisbrook Castle.

1841] THE SPANISH MISSION 415

appears, in the humble judgment of Lord Aberdeen,
to be fully confirmed by the correspondence in this
Office.

Lord Aberdeen would, however, venture humbly
to mention that the person filling this Mission has
usually been replaced on a change of the Administra-
tion at home. Should this be the case in the present
instance, Lord Aberdeen begs to assure your Majesty
that the greatest care will be taken to select an
individual for your Majesty's approbation who may
be qualified to carry into effect the wise, just, and
moderate policy which your Majesty has been
graciously pleased to recognise in the conduct of Mr
Aston.

Memorandum by Mr Anson.

ROYAL LODGE, 91st September 1841.

Saw Baron Stockmar this morning at the Castle,
and had a good deal of conversation with him on
various matters. He is very apprehensive that evil
will spring out of the correspondence now carried on
between the Queen and Lord Melbourne. He thinks
it is productive of the greatest possible danger, and
especially to Lord Melbourne ; he thought no Govern-
ment could stand such undermining influence. I
might tell this to Lord Melbourne, and say that if
he was totally disconnected from his Party, instead
of being the acknowledged head, there would not be
the same objection. He said, Remind Lord Melbourne
of the time immediately after the Queen's accession,
when he had promised the King of the Belgians to
write to him from time to time an account of all that
was going on in this country ; and upon Lord Melbourne
telling him of this promise, he replied, This will not
do. It cannot be kept a secret that you keep up this
correspondence, and jealousy and distrust will be the
fruit of a knowledge of it. " Leave it to me," he said,
" to arrange with the King ; you cease to write, and I
will put it straight with the King."

416 CORRESPONDENCE WITH MELBOURNE [CHAP. x

The Baron seemed to expect Lord Melbourne to
draw the inference from this that a correspondence
between Lord Melbourne and the Queen was fraught
with the same danger, and would, when known, be
followed by distrust and jealousy on the part of Sir
Robert Peel. I said I reconciled it to myself because
I felt that it had been productive of much good and
no harm — and that, feeling that it was conducted on
such honourable terms, I should not, if it were necessary,
scruple to acquaint Sir Robert Peel of its existence.
The Baron said, " Ask Lord Melbourne whether he
would object to it." He said Peel, when he heard it,
would not, on the first impression, at all approve of
it ; but prudence and caution would be immediately
summoned to his aid, and he would see that it was
his policy to play the generous part — and would say
he felt all was honourably intended, and he had no
objection to offer — " but," said the Baron, "look to the
result. Distrust being implanted from the first, when-
ever the first misunderstanding arose, or things took
a wrong turn, all would, in Peel's mind, be immediately
attributed to this cause."

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

WINDSOU CASTLE, 24£A September 1841.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — I have already thanked you
for your two kind letters, but I did not wish to answer
them but by a Messenger. I feel thankful for your
praise of my conduct ; all is going on well, but it would
be needless to attempt to deny that I feel the change,
and I own I am much happier when I need not see
the Ministers ; luckily they do not want to see me often.
I feel much the King's kindness about St Aulaire ; *
I shall see him here on Tuesday next.

I return you our excellent friend Melbourne's letter,
which I had already seen, as he sent it me to read, and
then seal and send. I miss him much, but I often
hear from him, which is a great pleasure to me. It

1 See post, p. 419.

1841] FINE ARTS COMMISSION 417

is a great satisfaction to us to have Stockmar here ;
he is a great resource, and is now in excellent spirits.
Mamma is, I suppose, with you now, and we may
expect her here either next Thursday or Friday.
How much she will have to tell us ! I am very
grateful for what you say of Claremont, which could
so easily be made perfect; and I must say we enjoy
ourselves there always particulierement. . . . Albert
begs me to make you his excuses for not writing, but
I can bear testimony that he really has not time to-day.
And now addio ! dearest Uncle, and pray believe me
always, your devoted Niece, VICTORIA R.

Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria.

26th September 1841.

Sir Robert Peel presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and begs to be permitted to submit for your
Majesty's consideration a suggestion which has occurred
to Sir Robert Peel, and which has reference to the com-
munication which he recently addressed to your Majesty
on the subject of the promotion of the Fine Arts in
connection with the building of the new Houses of
Parliament.

Sir Robert Peel would humbly enquire from your
Majesty whether (in the event of your Majesty's being
graciously pleased to approve of the appointment of a
Royal Commission for the further investigation and
consideration of a subject of such deep importance and
interest to the encouragement of art in this country)
your Majesty would deem it desirable that the Prince
should be invited in the name of your Majesty to place
himself at the head of this Commission, and to give to
it the authority and influence of his high name, and
the advantage of his taste and knowledge.

Sir Robert Peel will not of course mention this
subject to any one, until he has had the honour of
receiving from your Majesty an intimation of your
Majesty's opinions and wishes on this subject.

VOL. 1 — 27

418 THE DUKE OF BEAUFORT [CHAP. x

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, 28th September 1841.

. . . The diplomatic appointments are as well as
they could be made. At least Lord Melbourne thinks
so — at least as much in consequence of those whom
they exclude, as of those whom they admit. The
Duke of Beaufort will do better for Petersburg
than for Vienna. He is hardly equal to the place,
which requires a clever man, it being more difficult
to get information there, and to find out what is going
on, than in any other country in Europe. . . . But Lord
Melbourne does not much regard this, and the Duke
of Beaufort possesses one advantage, which is of the
greatest importance in that country. He is a soldier,
was the Duke of Wellington's Aide-de-camp, and
served during much of the Peninsular War. He will
therefore be able to accompany the Emperor to
reviews, and to talk with him about troops and
manoeuvres. Sir Robert Gordon and Sir S. Canning
will do very well.1

Lord Melbourne is very glad to hear that your
Majesty was pleased and impressed with Archdeacon
Wilberforce's 2 sermon and his manner of delivering
it. Lord Melbourne has never seen or heard him.
His father had as beautiful and touching a voice as
ever was heard. It wras very fine in itself. He
spoiled it a little by giving it a methodistical and
precatory intonation.

Hayter has been to Lord Melbourne to-day to press
him to sit to him, which he will do as soon as
he has done with Chantrey. Chantrey says that all
Lord Melbourne's face is very easy except the mouth.
The mouth, he says, is always the most difficult
feature, and he can rarely satisfy himself with the

1 For Vienna and Constantinople.

3 Samuel, son of William Wilberforce, at this date Archdeacon of Surrey,
and chaplain to Prince Albert ; afterwards, in 184-4, appointed Bishop of Oxford
and eventually translated to the see of Winchester.

1841] STE AULAIRE 419

delineation of any mouth, but Lord Melbourne's is
so flexible and changeable that it is almost impossible
to catch it.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, 1st October 1841.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. He received your Majesty's letter yesterday
evening, and cannot express to your Majesty how
much obliged he feels by your Majesty's taking the
trouble to give him so much information upon so
many points. Ste Aulaire's hair-powder seems to
make a very deep and general impression.1 Every-
body talks about it. " He appears to be very amiable
and agreeable," everybody says, but then adds, " I
never saw a man wear so much powder." A head so
whitened with flour is quite a novelty and a prodigy
in these times. Lord Melbourne has not yet seen him,
but means to call upon him immediately. Lord
Melbourne is upon the whole glad that the Duke of
Beaufort has declined St Petersburg. It is an
appointment that might have been acquiesced in,
but would not have been approved. Bulwer2 will
not be a bad choice to accompany Sir Charles3 to
Canada. Your Majesty knows Bulwer well. He is
clever, keen, active ; somewhat bitter and caustic, and
rather suspicious. A man of a more straightforward
character would have done better, but it would be
easy to have found many who would have done
worse. Lord Melbourne is very glad that it has been
offered to the Prince to be at the head of this
Commission, and that His Royal Highness has accepted
it. It is an easy unexceptionable manner of seeing
and becoming acquainted with a great many people,
and of observing the mode of transacting business in

1 Madame de Lieven wrote to Aberdeen, 12th September 1841: "Nejugez
pas cet Ambassadeur par son exterieur ; il personnifie un peu les Marquis de
Moliere. . . . Passez-lui ses cheveux poudres, son air galant et papillon
aupres des femmes. He cannot help it."

a Sir Henry Bulwer, afterwards Ix»rd Calling.

8 Sir Charles Bagot

420 HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT [CHAP, x

this country. The Commission itself will be a scene
of very considerable difference of opinion. Lord
Melbourne is for decorating the interior of the Houses
of Parliament, if it be right to do so, but he is not
for doing it, whether right or wrong, for the purpose of
spending the public money in the encouragement of the
Fine Arts. Whether it is to be painting or sculpture,
or both ; if painting, what sort of painting, what are to
be the subjects chosen, and who are to be the artists
employed ? All these questions furnish ample food
for discussion, difference, and dispute. Chantrey says
fresco will never do ; it stands ill in every climate,
will never stand long in this, even in the interior
of a building, and in a public work such as this is,
durability is the first object to be aimed at. He says
that there is in the Vatican a compartment of which
the middle portion has been painted by Giulio Romano1
in fresco, and at each of the ends there is a figure
painted by Raphael in oil. The fresco painting
has been so often repaired in consequence of decay,
that not a vestige of the original work remains ; while
the two figures painted by Raphael in oil still stand
out in all their original freshness, and even improved
from what they were when first executed. . . .

Lord Melbourne dined and slept on Wednesday at
Wimbledon.2 He met there Lord and Lady Cottenham,
Lord3 and Lady Langdale, Lord Glenelg and his
brother Mr Wm. Grant, who was his private
secretary, and is an amusing man. Lord Melbourne is
going there again to-morrow to stay until Monday.
The place is beautiful ; it is not like Claremont, but
it is quite of the same character, and always puts
Lord Melbourne in mind of it. The Duchess has
many merits, but amongst them is the not small one
of having one of the best cooks in England.

1 He was a pupil of Raphael, celebrated for (among other works) his
" Fall of the Titans."

J The word is almost illegible. Wimbledon Park was the property of
Lord Spencer.

8 Master of the Rolls.

1841] PEERS AND AUDIENCES 421

Sir James Graham to Queen Victoria.

WHITEHALL, 2nd October 1841.

Sir James Graham with humble duty begs to lay
before your Majesty two letters, which he has received
from the Earl of Radnor,1 together with the copy
of the answer which Sir James Graham returned to
the first of the two letters.

If the presentation of Petitions were the sole
subject of the Audience, it might be needless to
impose on your Majesty the trouble incident to this
mode of receiving them, since they might be trans-
mitted through the accustomed channel of one of the
Secretaries of State ; but Sir James Graham infers
from a conversation which, since the receipt of the
letters he has had with Lord Radnor, that the
Audience is asked in exercise of a right claimed by
Peers of the Realm.

The existence of this right is not recognised by
Statute ; but it rests in ancient usage, and is noticed
by Judge Blackstone in his Commentaries on the
Laws of England in the following terms : —

" It is usually looked upon to be the right of each
particular Peer of the Realm to demand an Audience
of the King, and to lay before him, with decency and
respect, such matters as he shall judge of import-
ance to the public weal."

The general practice on the part of the Sovereign
has been not to refuse these Audiences when Peers
have asked them. . . .

The above is humbly submitted by your Majesty's
dutiful Subject and Servant, J. R. G. GRAHAM.

Queen Victoria to Sir James Graham.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 3rd October 1841.

The Queen has received Sir James Graham's
communication with the enclosures. She thinks
that it would be extremely inconvenient if Audiences

1 William, third Earl, formerly M.P. for Salisbury.

422 LORD RADNOR'S CLAIM [CHAP. x

were to be granted to Peers for the purpose of
presenting Petitions or Addresses. The Queen knows
that it has always been considered a sort of right of
theirs to ask for and receive an Audience of the
King or Queen. But the Queen knows that upon
several occasions Lord Melbourne and Lord John
Russell wrote to the Peers who requested Audiences
stating that it would be very inconvenient for the
Queen, particularly in the country, and that they
had better either put off asking for it, till the
Queen came to town, or send what they had to
say ; communicate in writing — which was complied
with. If, therefore, Sir J. Graham wrould state this
to Lord Radnor, he may probably give up pressing
for an Audience. Should he, however, urge his
wish very strongly, the Queen will see him in the
manner proposed by Sir James. The Queen would
wish to hear from Sir James again before she gives
a final answer.

Lord Ellenborough to Queen Victoria.

INDIA BOARD, 2nd October 18-»

Lord Ellenborough with his most humble duty
to your Majesty humbly acquaints your Majesty that
your Majesty's Ministers, taking into consideration the
smallness of the force writh which the campaign in
China was commenced this year, and the advanced
period of the season at which the reinforcements
would arrive (which reinforcements would not so
raise the strength of the Army as to afford any
reasonable expectation that its operations will produce
during the present year any decisive results), have
deemed it expedient that instructions would be at
once issued to the Indian Government with a view
to the making of timely preparations for the
campaign of 1842.1

Your Majesty's Ministers are of opinion that the

1 Ninppo was taken by Sir Hugh Gough on 13th October 1841, and no
further operations took place till the spring of the following year. See Intro-
ductory Note, ante, p, 320.

1841] THE CHINESE CAMPAIGN 423

War with China should be conducted on an enlarged
scale, and the Indian Government will be directed to have
all their disposable military and naval force at Singapore
in April, so that the operations may commence at the
earliest period which the season allows.

Lord Ellenborough cannot but entertain a sanguine
expectation that that force so commencing its opera-
tions, and directed upon a point where it will intercept
the principal internal communication of the Chinese
Empire, will finally compel the Chinese Government
to accede to terms of Peace honourable to your
Majesty, and affording future security to the trade
of your Majesty's subjects.

Memorandum by Mr Anson.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 3rd October 1841.

Sat by the Queen last night at dinner. Her
Majesty alluded to Sir Robert Peel's awkward manner,
which she felt she could not get over. I asked if
Her Majesty had yet made any effort, which I was
good-humouredly assured Her Majesty " thought she
really had done."

Sir Robert's ignorance of character was most striking
and unaccountable ; feeling this, made it difficult for
Her Majesty to place reliance upon his judgment in
recommendations.

discount Melbourne to Qiteen Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, Uh October 1841.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to
your Majesty. He had the honour of receiving
your Majesty's letter of the 2nd inst. yesterday, at
Wimbledon. If Lord Melbourne should hear anything
of what your Majesty asks respecting the impression
made upon Sir Robert and Lady Peel, he will take
care and inform your Majesty, but, of course, they
will speak very favourably, and if they feel otherwise
will not breathe it except in the most secret and
confidential manner.

424 ENGLISH AND FOREIGN ARTISTS [CHAP. x

Lord Melbourne is very much rejoiced to hear that
the Duchess of Kent arrived safe and well in
good spirits.

Lord Melbourne sat to Sir F. Chantrey on Saturday
last. He will, Lord Melbourne believes, require only
one more sitting, which he wishes to be at the distance
of a week from the last, in order that he may take a
fresh view of the bust, and not become reconciled
to its imperfections by continually looking at it. It
may give the Prince some idea of the national feeling
which prevails here, when he is told that Lord
Melbourne upon asking Sir F. Chantrey what ought to
be done if foreign artists were employed to paint the
Houses of Parliament, received from him the following
answer : " Why, their heads ought to be broke and
they driven out of the country, and, old as I am, I
should like to lend a hand for that purpose."

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, 5th October 1841.

. . . Lord Melbourne, by telling your Majesty what
Sir Francis Chantrey said respecting foreign artists,
and by requesting your Majesty to repeat it to the
Prince, by no means intended to imply that there
was any disposition on the part of His Royal Highness
to recommend the employment of foreigners. He only
meant to convey an idea of the strength of the pre-
judice which is felt by enlightened and able men
upon the subject. Lord Melbourne has been sitting
this morning to Hayter for the picture of the marriage,
and he (Hayter) held an entirely contrary language.
His tone is : " If foreign artists are more capable than
English, let them be employed. All I require is that
the work should be done as well as it can be." The
English are certainly very jealous of foreigners, and
so, Lord Melbourne apprehends, are the rest of man-
kind, but not knowing himself any nation except the
English, he cannot venture to make positively that
assertion. Lord Melbourne has been reading the

1841] LORD MELBOURNE AND THE COURT 425

evidence given before the committee of the House
of Commons upon this subject. It is well worth
attention, particularly Mr Eastlake's,1 which apppears
to Lord Melbourne to be very enlightened, dispassionate,
and just. . . .

Memorandum by Mr Anson.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 6th October 1841.

Sat by Her Majesty last night at dinner.

The Queen had written to Lord INI el bourne about
coming to the Castle, but in his answer he had made
no allusion to it ; she did not know whether this was
accidental or intentional, for he very often gave no
answer to questions which were put.

I told Her Majesty that I feared he had raised
an obstacle to his visit by making a strong speech
against the Government just at the time he was
thinking of coming. That this attack had identified
him as the leader of his Party, at a moment when I
had been most anxious that he should abstain from
taking an active part, and by withdrawing himself
from politics he would enable himself to become the
more useful friend to Her Majesty. The Queen had
not seen the speech, was sorry he had felt himself
obliged to make it, but it would be difficult for him
to avoid it after having been so long Prime Minister.

Her Majesty told me that previous to the exit
of the late Government, Lord John had earnestly
cautioned Her Majesty not to propose any new grant
of money, as it would in the case of £70,000 for
the new stables, however unfairly, bring great
unpopularity upon the Queen. I said in regard
to any increase to the Prince's annuity, I thought
it would be very imprudent in him to think of
it, except under veiy peculiar circumstances which
might arise, but which could not yet be foreseen.
The Queen said that nothing should induce Her
Majesty to accept such a favour from these Ministers.

1 Afterwards Sir Charles Eastlake, Keeper of the National Gallery,
1843-1847, President of the Royal Academy, 1850-1865.

426 THE QUEEN AND HER GOVERNMENT [CHAP, x

Peel probably now regretted his opposition to the
grant; but it was, and was intended to be, a personal
insult to herself, and it was followed up [by] opposition
to her private wishes in the precedency question, where
the Duke of Wellington took the lead against her
wishes, as Peel had done in the Commons against the
Prince's grant. She never could forget it, and no
favour to her should come from such a quarter. I
told Her Majesty I could not rest the Prince's case
on Her Majesty's objections if they were the only ones
which could be brought forward. If the case again arose
I feared Her Majesty would find many who before, from
Party views, voted according to Her Majesty's wishes,
would now rank on the opposite side.

Her Majesty asked Dr. Hawtrey the evening before
who was the cleverest boy at Eton.

Dr Hawtrey made a profound bow to the Queen
and said, " I trust your Majesty will excuse my answer-
ing, for if I did I make 600 enemies at once."

Memorandum by Baron Stockmar.

6th October 1&41.

The Queen had asked Lord Melbourne whether
he would soon visit her at Windsor. He had not
replied on that point, but had written to Prince Albert
in order to learn first the Prince's opinion on the
feasibility of the matter.

The Prince sent for me and consulted with me.
I was of opinion that the Prince had better refrain
from giving an answer, and that I should give my
opinion in the written form of a Memorandum, with
which Anson should betake himself to town. He
was to read it aloud to Melbourne, and orally to add
what amplications might be necessary.

And so it was done.

My Memorandum was as follows : —

Sir Robert Peel has yet to make his position
opposite1 the Queen, which for him to obtain is

1 I.e. with.

18*1] STOCKMAITS OPINION 427

important and desirable from obvious reasons. I
have good cause to doubt that Sir Robert is sure
within himself of the good-will and confidence of the
Queen. As long as the secret communication exists
between Her Majesty and Lord Melbourne, this
ground, upon which alone Sir Robert could obtain
the position necessary to him as Premier, must remain
cut away from under his feet. I hold, therefore, this
secret interchange an essential injustice to Sir Robert's
present situation. I think it equally wrong to call
upon the Prince to give an opinion on the subject,
as he has not the means to cause his opinion to be
either regarded or complied with. In this particular
matter nobody has paramount power to do right or
wrong but the Queen, and more especially Lord
Melbourne himself. To any danger which may come
out of this to Her Majesty's character, the caution
and objection must come from him, and from him
alone ; and if I was standing in his shoes I would
show the Queen, of my own accord, and upon
constitutional grounds too, that a continued corre-
spondence of that sort must be fraught with imminent
danger to the Queen, especially to Lord Melbourne,
and to the State.

I then gave Anson the further arguments with
which he was to accompany the reading out of this
Memo.

On the next day Anson went to Melbourne and
told him that his note to him had raised a great
consultation, that the Prince felt much averse to
giving any opinion in a case upon which he could
exercise no control, and in which, if it was known
that he had given his sanction, he would be held
responsible for any mischief which might arise. He
had consulted Baron Stockmar, who had written the
enclosed opinion, which the Prince had desired Anson
to read to Lord Melbourne. Melbourne read it
attentively twice through, with an occasional change
of countenance and compression of lips. He said on
concluding it : " This is a most decided opinion indeed,

428 DISCRETION URGED ON MELBOURNE [CHAP. x

quite an 'apple1 opinion.' Anson told him that the
Prince felt that if the Queen's confidence in Peel
was in a way to be established, it would be extremely
shaken by his (Lord Melbourne's) visit at such a
moment. He felt that it would be better that Lord
Melbourne's appearance should be in London, where
he would meet the Queen only on the terms of
general society, but at the same time he (the Prince)
was extremely reluctant to give an opinion upon a
case which Lord Melbourne's own sense of right
ought to decide. Anson added how he feared his
speech of yesterday in the House of Lords 2 had added
another impediment to his coming at this moment,
as it had identified him with and established as the
head of the Opposition party, which he (Anson) had
hoped Melbourne would have been able to avoid.
Melbourne, who was then sitting on the sofa, rushed
up upon this, and went up and down the room in a
violent frenzy, exclaiming — " God eternally d — n it ! "
etc., etc. " Flesh and blood cannot stand this. 1 only
spoke upon the defensive, which Ripon's speech at
the beginning of the session rendered quite necessary.
I cannot be expected to give up my position in the
country, neither do 1 think that it is to the Queen's
interest that I should."

Anson continued that the Baron thought th'at no
Ministry could stand the force of such an undercurrent
influence, that all the good that was to be derived from
pacifying the Queen's mind at the change had been
gained, and that the danger which we were liable to,
and which threatened him in particular, could only be
averted by his own straightforward decision with the
Queen. Anson asked him, if he saw any danger likely
to arise from this correspondence. After a long pause
he said, "/ certainly cannot think it right" though
he felt sure that some medium of communication of

1 No doubt Lord Melbourne said an " apple-pie opinion."

2 At the opening of the Session Lord Ripon had reprobated the late
Government for resorting to temporary expedients, and Lord Melbourne on
the second reading of the Exchequer-bills Funding Bill, caustically but good-
humouredly replied to the attack.

1841] LORD MELBOURNE'S INFLUENCE 429

this sort was no new precedent. He took care never
to say anything which could bring his opinion in
opposition to Sir Robert's, and he should distinctly
advise the Queen to adhere to her Ministers in every-
thing,1 unless he saw the time had arrived at which
it might be resisted"* The principal evil, replied
Anson, to be dreaded from the continuance of Lord
Melbourne's influence was, according to the Baron's
opinion, that so long as the Queen felt she could
resort to Lord Melbourne for his advice, she never
would be disposed (from not feeling the necessity) to
place any real confidence in the advice she received
from Peel.

The Earl of Liverpool to Baron Stoekmar. z

FIFE HOUSE, 7th October 1841.

MY DEAR BARON, — Peel sent for me this morning
to speak to me about the contents of his letter to me.
After some general conversation on matters respecting
the Royal Household, he said that he had had much
satisfaction in his intercourse lately with Her Majesty,
and specifically yesterday, and he asked me whether I
had seen Her Majesty, or the Prince yesterday, and
whether they were satisfied with him. I told him that
except in public I had not seen Her Majesty, and
except for a moment in your room I had not seen the
Prince, but that as he spoke to me on this matter, I
must take the opportunity of saying a word to him
about you, from whom I had learnt yesterday that
both the Queen and Prince are extremely well pleased
with him. That I had known you very long, but that
our great intimacy began when King Leopold sent you

1 Note by Baron Stoekmar. — If he wishes to carry this out consistently and
quite honestly, what then is the value of his advice, if it be only the copy of
that of Sir R. Peel?

2 Note by Baron Stoekmar. —This means, in my way of reading it : "The
Queen, by her correspondence with me, puts Peel into my hands, and there
I mean to let him stay unhurt, until time and extraneous circumstances
— but more especially the advantage that will accrue to me by my secret
correspondence with the Queen — shall enable me to plunge, in all security,
the dagger into his back."

8 This letter was submitted to the Queen.

430 STOCKMAR AND PEEL [CHAP, s

over just previous to the Queen's accession ; that we
had acted together on that occasion, and that our
mutual esteem and intimacy had increased ; that your
position was a very peculiar one, and that you might
be truly said to be a species of second parent to the
Queen and the Prince ; that your only object was their
welfare, and your only ambition to be of service to
them ; that in this sense you had communicated with
Melbourne, and that I wished that in this sense you
should communicate with him (Peel). He said that
he saw the matter exactly as I did, that he wished to
communicate with you, and felt the greatest anxiety
to do everything to meet the wishes of the Queen
and Prince in all matters within his power, and as
far as consistent with his known and avowed political
principles ; that in all matters respecting the Household
and their private feelings that the smallest hint sufficed
to guide him, as he would not give way to any party
feeling or job which should in any way militate against
Her Majesty or his Royal Highness's comfort ; that he
wished particularly that it should be known that he
never had a thought of riding roughshod over Her
Majesty's wishes ; that if you would come to him at
any time, and be candid and explicit with him, you
might depend upon his frankness and discretion ; that
above all if you had said anything to him, and
expressed a wish that it might not be communicated
even to the Duke of Wellington (that was his
expression), that he wished me to assure you that
your wishes should be strictly attended to. Pray give
me a line to say that you do not disapprove of what 1
have done. We had a great deal more conversation,
but with this I will not now load my letter, being ever
sincerely yours, LIVERPOOL.

Direct your answer to this house.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, Sth October 1841.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. He has this morning received your Majesty's

1841] PEERS AND AUDIENCES 431

letter of yesterday. There can be no doubt that your
Majesty is right about the Audiences which have been
requested. . . .

Sir Robert Peel is probably right in supposing that
the claim of a Peer to an Audience of the Sovereign
originated in early times, and before the present course
of government by responsible advisers was fully and
decidedly established, which it hardly can be said to
have been until after the accession of the House of
Hanover, but the custom of asking for such Audiences,
and of their being in general granted, was well known,
and has for the most part been observed and adhered to.
Lord Melbourne remembers that during the part of the
French War when considerable alarm began to prevail
respecting its duration, and the serious aspect which
it was assuming, George III. gave Audiences to the
Duke of Norfolk and others, which he certainly would
not have been inclined to do if he had not thought
himself bound by his duty and by Constitutional
precedent. At the time of the passing of the Roman
Catholic Relief Act, George IV. received very many
Peers, much no doubt against his will, who came
to remonstrate with him upon the course which his
Ministers were pursuing. William IV. did the same
at the time of the Reform Bill, and certainly spoke
upon the subject in a manner which Lord Melbourne
always thought indiscreet and imprudent. Upon the
whole the practice has been so much acted upon and
established, that Lord Melbourne will certainly not
think it wise to make any alteration now, especially
as it has in itself beneficial effects, especially as in
a time of strong political feeling it is a satisfaction to
the people to think that their wishes and opinions are
laid before the Sovereign fairly and impartially. It is
not likely to be a very heavy burthen, inasmuch as such
Audiences are only asked at particular moments, and
they are not in themselves very burthensome nor
difficult to deal with. It is only for the Sovereign to
say that he is convinced of the good motives which
have actuated the step, and that consideration will be

432 PEERS AND AUDIENCES [CHAP, x

given to the matter and arguments which have been
stated.

Lord Melbourne has one vague recollection of a
correspondence upon this subject between Lord Holland
and some King, but does not remember the circum-
stances with any accuracy.

Duncannon1 persuaded Brougham to give up asking
an Audience upon condition of Lord Melbourne's
promising to place his letters in your Majesty's hands,
which he did.2 Lord Charlemont3 also was prevented
in some manner or another, which Lord Melbourne
forgets.

Upon the whole, Lord Melbourne thinks that it is
best to concede this privilege of the Peerage, whether
it actually exists or not, but to restrain it within due
and reasonable bounds, which in ordinary times it is
not difficult to do. Extraordinary times must be dealt
with as they can be. ...

Lady A is, as your Majesty says, good-
natured. She talks three or four times as much as she
ought, and like many such women often says exactly

the things she ought not to say. Lady B has ten

times the sense of her mother, and a little residue
of her folly.

Sir Robert Peel to Q?iccn Victoria.

9th October 1841.

Sir Robert Peel with his humble duty to your
Majesty, begs leave to inform your Majesty that in
consequence of the opinion which your Majesty was
graciously pleased to express when Sir Robert Peel
last had the honour of waiting upon your Majesty,
with respect to the superior qualifications of Lord
Ellenborough for the important trust of Governor-
General of India, Sir Robert Peel saw his Lordship
yesterday, and enquired whether he would permit Sir

i Ex-First Commissioner of Land Revenue.
» See ante, pp. 368 and 421-2.

3 Francis William, fifth Viscount Charlemont (1775-18G3) created a Peer
of the United Kingdom in 183T.

1841] LORD ELLENBOROUGH AND INDIA 433

Robert Peel to propose his appointment to your
Majesty.

Lord Ellenborough was very much gratified by the
proposal, admitted at once that it was very difficult to
find an unexceptionable candidate for an office of such
pre-eminent importance, but made some difficulty on
two points.

First — Considerations of health, which though
disregarded personally by himself, might he feared
interfere with the execution of such unremitting and
laborious duties as would devolve upon the Governor-
General of India.

Secondly — The consideration that on his acceptance
of the office he would be required by law to give up
during his tenure of it no less than £7,500 per annum,
the amount of compensation now paid to him in
consequence of the abolition of a very valuable office l
which he held in the Courts of Law.

During Lord Ellenborough 's conversation with Sir
Robert Peel, and while the mind of Lord Ellenborough
was very much in doubt as to the policy of his acceptance
of the office, the box which contained your Majesty's
note of yesterday was brought to Sir Robert Peel.

Sir Robert Peel humbly acquaints your Majesty
that he ventured to read to Lord Ellenborough on the
instant the concluding paragraph of your Majesty's
note, namely —

" The more the Queen thinks of it, the more she
thinks that Lord Ellenborough would be far the most
fit person to send to India."

Sir Robert Peel is perfectly convinced that this
opinion of your Majesty, so graciously expressed,
removed every doubt and difficulty from Lord
Ellenborough1 s mind, and decided him to forego every
personal consideration rather than appear unmindful
of such a favourable impression of his qualifications for
public service on the part of his Sovereign.

1 He was Joint Chief Clerk of the pleas in the Queen's Bench, a sinecure
conferred on him by his father, who was Lord Chief Justice of the King's
Bench, 1809-1818.

VOL. i — 28

434 AFFAIRS IN SPAIN [CHAP. x

Sir Robert Peel humbly hopes that your Majesty
will not disapprove of the use which he made of a
confidential note from your Majesty.

As your Majesty kindly permitted Sir Robert Peel
to send occasionally letters to your Majesty of a private
rather than a public character, he ventures to enclose
one from the Duke of Wellington on the subject of
the appointment of Governor-General.

Sir Robert Peel had observed to the Duke of
Wellington that he had great confidence in Lord
Ellenborough's integrity, unremitting industry, and
intimate knowledge of Indian affairs ; that his only
fear was that Lord Ellenborough might err from over-
activity and eagerness — but that he hoped his tendency
to hasty decisions would be checked by the experience
and mature judgment of Indian advisers on the spot.

The Duke of Wellington's comments have reference
to these observations of Sir Robert Peel. Your Majesty
will nevertheless perceive that the Duke considers upon
the whole " that Lord Ellenborough is better qualified
than any man in England for the office of Governor-
General."

Queen Victoria to the King- of the Belgians.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 12th October 1841.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — ... Respecting the Spanish
affairs,1 I can give you perfectly satisfactory intelli-
gence concerning the Infants' return. Espartero sees
them return with the greatest regret, but said he felt
he could not prevent them from doing so. If,
however, they should be found to intrigue at all,
they will not be allowed to remain. Respecting a
marriage with the eldest son of Dona Carlotta, I
know positively that Espartero never would hear of
it ; but, on the other hand, he is equally strongly

1 The Queen Mother who was living in Paris had been deprived by a vote
of the Cortes of the guardianship of the young Queen, Isabella II., and
risings in her interest now took place at Pampeluna and Vittoria. On the
7th October, a bold attempt was made at Madrid to storm the Palace, and get
possession of the person of the young Queen. Queen Christina denied com-
plicity, but the Regent, Espartero, suspended her pension on the ground
that she had encouraged the conspirators.

1841] LORD ELLENBOROUGH'S APPOINTMENT 435

opposed to poor little Isabel marrying any French
Prince, and I must add that we could never allow
that. You will see that I have given you a frank
and fair account. ...

Viscount Melbourne to Qiicen Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, 12th October 1841.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and returns many thanks for the letter received
yesterday informing Lord Melbourne of the time of
your Majesty's coming to London. Lord Melbourne
earnestly hopes that your Majesty continues well.

Lord Melbourne is very glad to hear of the
appointment of Lord Ellenborough. The reasons
which your Majesty gives are sound and just, and
it is of great importance that a man not only of
great ability but of high station, and perfectly in the
confidence of the Government at home, should be
named to this important post. Lord Ellenborough
is a man of great abilities, of much knowledge of
India, of great industry and of very accurate habits
of business, and Lord Melbourne knows of no objection
to his appointment, except the loss of him here,
where, whether in or out of office, he has always
been of great service. He has hitherto been an
unpopular man, and his manners have been considered
contemptuous and overbearing, but he is evidently
much softened and amended in this respect, as most
men are by time, experience and observation. Lord
Fitzgerald 1 is a very able public man, Lord Melbourne
would say one of the most able, if not the most
able they have ; but Lord Melbourne is told by others,
who know Lord Fitzgerald better, that Lord Melbourne
overrates him. He is a very good speaker, he has
not naturally much industry, and his health is bad,
which will probably disable him from a very close
and assiduous attention to business. It is, however,

1 On Lord Ellenborough becoming Governor-General, Lord Fitzgerald and
Vesci, an ex-M.P., and former Chancellor of the Irish Exchequer, succeeded
him at the Board of Control.

436 FRANCE AND SPAIN [CHAP. x

upon the whole an adequate appointment, and he is
perhaps more likely to go on smoothly with the
Court of Directors, which is a great matter, than
Lord Ellenborough.

The Earl of Aberdeen to Queen Victoria.

FOREIGN OFFICE, 16th October 1841.

Lord Aberdeen, with his most humble duty, begs to
lay before your Majesty a private letter from M. Guizot,
which has just been communicated to him by M. de Ste
Aulaire, on the recent attempt in favour of Queen
Christina in Spain. Your Majesty will see that
although M. Guizot denies, with every appearance of
sincerity, all participation of the French Government
in this attempt, he does not conceal that it has their
cordial good wishes for its success. These feelings,
on the part of such a Government as that of France,
will probably be connected with practical assistance
of some kind, although M. Guizot 's declarations may
perhaps be literally true.

Queen Victoria to the Earl of Aberdeen.

The Queen must say that she fears the French are
at the bottom of it, for their jealousy of our influence
in Spain is such, that the Queen fears they would not
be indisposed to see civil war to a certain degree
restored, rather than that Spain should go on quietly
supported by us.1 The Queen, however, hopes that,
as far as it is possible, the English Government will
support the present Regent, who is thoroughly attached
to England, and who, from all that the Queen hears of
him, is the fittest man they have in Spain for the post
he occupies ; and indeed matters till now had gone on
much more quietly than they had for some time previous,
since Espartero is at the head of the Government. The
French intrigues should really be frustrated. The Queen
certainly thinks that M. Guizot 's veracity is generally
not to be doubted, but the conduct of France regarding
Spain has always been very equivocal.

1 See post, p. 438.

1841] PROFESSOR WHEWELL 437

Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria.

16th October 1841.

Sir Robert Peel, with his humble duty to your
Majesty, begs leave to acquaint your Majesty that the
Master of Trinity College, Cambridge, has formally
signified his wish to retire from the duties of that
important trust.

Sir Robert Peel has reason to believe that it
would be advantageous that the selection of a successor
to Dr Wordsworth should be made from members of
Trinity College who are or have been fellows of the
College. Of these, the most eminent in respect to the
qualifications required in the office of Master, and to
academical distinction, are : —
Professor W he well.1

The Rev Mr Martin,2 Bursar of the College.
The Rev Dr Wordsworth,3 Head Master of
Harrow School, and son of the present
Master of Trinity.

The latter is a highly distinguished scholar, but his
success as Head Master of Harrow has not been such
as to overcome the objection which applies on general
grounds to the succession of a father by a son in an
office of this description.

Professor Whewell is a member of Trinity College
of the highest scientific attainments. His name is
probably familiar to your Majesty as the author of
one of the Bridgewater Treatises,4 and of other works
which have attracted considerable notice.

He is a general favourite among all who have had
intercourse with him from his good temper and easy
and conciliatory manners. Though not peculiarly

1 Then Knightsbridge Professor of Moral Philosophy.

8 Francis Martin, afterwards Vice-Master, died 1868.

8 Christopher Wordsworth, afterwards Bishop of Lincoln.

4 By the will (dated 1825) of the eighth Earl of Bridgewater — who must
not be confounded with the third and last Duke, projector of inland navigation
— £8,000 was left for the best work on the " Goodness of God as manifested
in the Creation." The money was divided amongst eight persons, including
Whewell, who wrote on Astronomy, considered in reference to Natural
Theology.

438 QUEEN CHRISTINA [CHAP. x

eminent as a divine (less so at least than a writer
on scientific and philosophical subjects), his works
manifest a deep sense of the importance of religion
and sound religious views. The Archbishop of
Canterbury1 and the Bishop of London2 (himself of
Trinity College) incline to think that the most satis-
factory appointment upon the whole would be that
of Professor Whewell.

Sir Robert Peel, after making every enquiry into the
subject, and with a deep conviction of the importance
of the appointment, has arrived at the same conclusion
and humbly therefore recommends to your Majesty that
Professor Whewell should succeed Dr Wordsworth as
Master of Trinity College, Cambridge.

Queen Victoria to the Earl of Aberdeen.

nth October 1841.

The Queen received Lord Aberdeen's letter
yesterday evening, and quite approves of the draft to
Mr Aston, and of Lord Aberdeen's having sent it off
at once. Her earnest wish is that the English
Government should be firm, and uphold the Regent
as far as it is in our power. The Queen has perused
M. Guizot's letter with great attention, but she cannot
help fearing that assistance and encouragement has
been given in some shape or other to the revolts
which have taken place. The Queen Christina's
residence at Paris is very suspicious, and much to be
regretted ; every one who saw the Queen and knew
her when Regent, knew her to be clever and capable of
governing, had she but attended to her duties. This
she did not, but wasted her time in frivolous amuse-
ments and neglected her children sadly, and finally left
them. It was her own doing, and therefore it is not the
kindest conduct towards her children, but the very
worst, to try and disturb the tranquillity of a country
which was just beginning to recover from the baneful
effects of one of the most bloody civil wars imaginable.

i William Howley. C. J. Blomfield

1841] QUEEN ISABELLA 439

The Queen is certain that Lord Aberdeen will
feel with her of what importance it is to England
that Spain should not become subject to French
interests, as it is evident France wishes to make it.
The marriage of Queen Isabel is a most important
question, and the Queen is likewise certain that Lord
Aberdeen sees at once that we could never let her
marry a French Prince. Ere long the Queen must
speak to Lord Aberdeen on this subject. In the
meantime the Queen thought it might be of use to
Lord Aberdeen to put him in possession of her feelings
on the state of Spain, in which the Queen has always
taken a very warm interest.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

PANSHANGER, 21st October 1841.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. He received here yesterday your Majesty's
letter of the 19th inst, and he earnestly hopes that
your Majesty has arrived quite safe and well in
London. Besides the family we have had hardly
anybody here except Lady Clanricarde.1 Yesterday
Sir Edward L. Bulwer2 came, beating his brother
hollow in ridiculousness of attire, ridiculous as the
other is. He has, however, much in him, and is
agreeable when you come to converse with him. . . .

Lord Melbourne is rather in doubt about his own
movements. Lord Leicester 3 presses him much to go to
Holkham, where Lord Fortescue,4 Mr Ellice 5 and others
are to be, and considering Lord Leicester's age, Lord
Melbourne thinks that it will gratify him to see
Lord Melbourne again there. But at Holkham they
shoot from morning until night, and if you do not shoot
you are* like a fish upon dry land. Lord Melbourne
hardly feels equal to the exertion, and therefore thinks
that he shall establish himself for the present at

1 A daughter of George Canning, the Prime Minister.

2 Afterwards Lord Lytton, the novelist.

8 The famous country gentleman, " Mr Coke of Holkham."

* Hugh, second Earl, K.G.

6 The Right Hon. Edward Ellice, M.P. (" Bear" Ellice).

440 FRENCH INFLUENCE IN SPAIN [CHAP, x

Melbourne, where he will be within reach of Trentham,
Beau Desert,1 Wentworth,2 and Castle Howard,3 if he
likes to go to them. The only annoyance is that it is
close to Lord and Lady G , whom he will be per-
petually meeting.

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

LAEKEN, 22nd October 1841.

... In France there is a great outcry that a
Bourbon must be the future husband of the Queen
of Spain, etc. I must say that as the Spaniards and
the late King changed themselves the Salic custom
which Philip V. had brought from France,4 it is
natural for the rest of Europe to wish that no
Bourbon should go there. Besides, it must be
confessed that the thing is not even easy, as there
is great hatred amongst the various branches of that
family. The King of the French himself has always
been opposed to the idea of one of his sons going
there ; in France, however, that opinion still exists,
and Thiers had it strongly.

I confess that I regret that Queen Christina was
encouraged to settle at Paris, as it gave the thing the
appearance of something preconcerted. I believe that
a wish existed that Christina would retire peaceably
and par la force des cir Constances, but now this took
a turn which I am sure the King does not like ; it
places him, besides, into une position ingrate ; the
Radicals hate him, the Moderates will cry out that
he has left them in the lurch, and the Carlists are
kept under key, and of course also not much pleased.
I meant to have remained in my wilds till yesterday,
but my Ministers were so anxious for my return, there
being a good many things on the tapis, that I came
back on Tuesday, the 19th. . . .

1 Near Lichfield, a seat of Lord Anglesey.
a Lord FitzwiJliam's house, near Rotherham.

3 Lord Carlisle's house, near York, built by Vanbrugh.

4 The Pragmatic Sanction of Philip V. was repealed in 1792 by the
Cortes, but the repeal was not promulgated by the King. Under the Salic
Law, Don Carlos would have been on the throne. See ante, p. 56.

1841] HOLLAND AND BELGIUM 441

Here one is exactly shut up as if one was in a
menagerie, walking round and round like a tame bear.
One breathes here also a mixture of all sorts of moist
compounds which one is told is fresh air, but which
is not the least like it. I suppose, however, that my
neighbour in Holland, where they have not even got
a hill as high as yours in Buckingham Gardens, would
consider Laeken as an Alpine country. The tender
meeting of the old King and the new King,1 as one
can hardly call him a young King, must be most
amusing. I am told that if the old King had not
made that love-match, he would be perfectly able to
dethrone his son ; I heard that yesterday from a person
rather attached to the son and hating the father. In
the meantime, though one can hardly say that he is
well at home, some strange mixture of cut-throats and
ruined soldiers of fortune had a mind to play us some
tricks here ; we have got more and more insight into
this. Is it by instigation from him personally, or does
he only know of it without being a party to it ? that
is difficult to tell, the more so as he makes immense
demonstration of friendly dispositions towards us, and
me in particular. I would I could make a chassez
croisez with Otho ; 2 he would be the gainer in solids,
and I should have sun and an interesting country ; I
will try to make him understand this, the more so
as you do not any longer want me in the West.

Queen Victoria to Sir Robert Peel.

25th October 1841.

With respect to the appointment of Chief Justice
of the Queen's Bench, the Queen approves of Mr
Pennefather3 for that office. The Queen may be
mistaken, for she is not very well acquainted with the
judicial officers in Ireland, but it strikes her that
Serjeant Jackson belonged to the very violent Orange

1 William I., who had abdicated in order to marry again, and William
II., his son, who was nearly fifty.

3 The King of Greece, elected in 1833.

£ Recently appointed Solicitor-General ; Sergeant J. D. Jackson now
succeeded him.

DEPARTURE OF AMBASSADORS [CHAP. x

party in Ireland, and if this should be the case
she suggests to Sir Robert Peel whether it would
not be better not to appoint him. If, on the other
hand, the Queen should be mistaken as to his political
opinions, she would not disapprove of his succeeding
Mr Pennefather.

The Queen saw in the papers that Lord Stuart
de Rothesay is already gone. The Queen can hardly
believe this, as no Ambassador or Minister ever left
England without previously asking for an Audience
and receiving one, as the Queen wishes always to
see them before they repair to their posts. Would
Sir Robert be so very good as to ask Lord Aberdeen
whether Lord Stuart de Rothesay is gone or not, and
if he should be, to tell Lord Aberdeen that in future
she would wish him always to inform her when they
intend to go, and to ask for an Audience, which, if the
Queen is well, she would always grant. It is possible
that as the Queen said the other day that she did not
wish to give many Audiences after the Council, that
Lord Aberdeen may have misunderstood this and
thought the Queen would give none, which was
not her intention. The Queen would be thankful to
Sir Robert if he would undertake to clear up this
mistake, which she is certain (should Lord Stuart be
gone) arose entirely from misapprehension.

The Queen also wishes Sir Robert to desire Lord
Haddington to send her some details of the intended
reductions in the Fleet which she sees by a draft of
Lord Aberdeen's to Mr Bulwer have taken place.1

Memorandum by Baron Stockmar.

2oth October 1841.

... I told [Lord Melbourne] that, as I read the
English Constitution, it meant to assign to the Sovereign
in his functions a deliberative part — that I was not sure
the Queen had the means within herself to execute this
deliberative part properly, but I was sure that the only

1 The statement of the Royal Navy in Commission at the beginning of
1841 sets out 160 vessels carrying 4,277 guns.

1841] STOCKMAR AND MELBOURNE 443

way for her to execute her functions at all was to be
strictly honest to those men who at the time being were
her Ministers. That it was chiefly on this account that
I had been so very sorry to have found now, on my
return from the Continent, that on the change of the
Ministry a capital opportunity to read a great Con-
stitutional maxim to the Queen had not only been
lost by Lord Melbourne, but that he had himself
turned an instrument for working great good into an
instrument which must produce mischief and danger.
That I was afraid that, from what Lord Melbourne
had been so weak as to have allowed himself to
be driven into, against his own and better conviction,
the Queen must have received a most pernicious bias,
which on any future occasion would make her inclined
to act in a similar position similarly to that what she
does now, being convinced that what she does now
must be right on all future occasions, or else Lord
Melbourne would not have sanctioned it. Upon this,
Lord Melbourne endeavoured to palliate, to represent
the danger, which would arise from his secret corre-
spondence with the Queen as very little, to adduce
precedents from history, and to screen his present
conduct behind what he imagined Lord Bute's conduct
had been under George III.1 I listened patiently, and
replied in the end : All this might be mighty fine
and quite calculated to lay a flattering unction on his
own soul, or it might suffice to tranquillize the minds of
the Prince and Anson, but that I was to oold to find
the slightest argument in what I had just now heard,
nor could it in any way allay my apprehension. I
began then to dissect all that he had produced for his
excusation, and showed him — as I thought clearly,
and as he admitted convincingly — that it would be
impossible to carry on this secret commerce with the
Sovereign for any length of time without exposing

1 For some time after the accession of George III., Bute, though neither
in the Cabinet nor in Parliament, was virtually Prime Minister, but he
became Secretary of State on 25th March 1761. George II. had disliked
him, but he was generally believed to have exercised an undue influence over
the consort of Prince Frederic of Wales, mother of George III.

444 STOCKMAR'S ADVICE [CHAP. x

the Queen's character and creating mighty embarrass-
ments in the quiet and regular working of a Constitu-
tional machine.

My representations seemed to make a very deep
impression, and Lord Melbourne became visibly nervous,
perplexed and distressed. After he had recovered a
little I said, " I never was inclined to obtrude advice ;
but if you don't dislike to hear my opinion, I am
prepared to give it to you." He said, " What is it ? '
I said, " You allow the Queen's confinement to pass
over quietly, and you wait till her perfect recovery of
it. As soon as this period has arrived, you state of
your own accord to Her Majesty that this secret and
confidential correspondence with her must cease ; that
you gave in to it, much against your feelings, and with
a decided notion of its impropriety and danger, and
merely out of a sincere solicitude to calm Her
Majesty's mind in a critical time, and to prevent the
ill effects which great and mental agitation might
have produced on her health. That this part of your
purpose now being most happily achieved, you thought
yourself in duty bound to advise Her Majesty to
cease all her communications to you on political subjects,
as you felt it wrong within yourself to receive them,
and to return your political advice and opinions on
such matters ; that painful as such a step must be
to your feelings, which to the last moment of your
life will remain those of the most loyal attachment
and devotion to the Queen's person, it is dictated to
you by a deep sense of what you owe to the country,
to your Sovereign, and to yourself."

Queen Victoria to Sir Robert Peel

26th October 1841.

With respect to Serjeant Jackson the Queen will
not oppose his appointment, in consequence of the
high character Sir Robert Peel gives him ; but she
cannot refrain from saying that she very much fears
that the favourable effect which has hitherto been

1841] NEW KINGDOMS 445

produced by the formation of so mild and conciliatory
a Government in Ireland, may be endangered by this
appointment, which the Queen would sincerely regret.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, 26th October 1841.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and returns your Majesty the letters of the
King of the Belgians, with many thanks. It certainly
is a very unfortunate thing that the Queen Christina
was encouraged to fix her residence at Paris, and the
suspicion arising, therefore, cannot but be very injurious
both to the King of the French and to the French
nation.

Lord Melbourne returns his warmest thanks for
your Majesty's kind expressions. He felt the greatest
pleasure at seeing your Majesty again and looking
so well, and he hopes that his high spirits did not
betray him into talking too much or too heedlessly,
which he is conscious that they sometimes do.

The King Leopold, Lord Melbourne perceives, still
hankers after Greece ; but Crowns will not bear to be
chopped and changed about in this manner. These
new kingdoms are not too firmly fixed as it is. and it
will not do to add to the uncertainty by alteration. . . .

Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria.

WHITEHALL, 28th October 1841.

. . . Sir Robert Peel humbly assures your Majesty
that he fully participates in the surprise which your
Majesty so naturally expresses at the extraordinary
intimation conveyed to Mr Fox1 by the President of
the United States.2

1 British Minister at Washington.

2 One Alexander M'Leod was tried at Utica on the charge of being impli-
cated in the destruction of the Caroline (an American vessel engaged in
carrying arms to the Canadian rebels), in 1837, and in the death of Mr.
Durfee, an American. The vessel had been boarded by Canadian loyalists
when lying in American waters, set on fire and sent over Niagara Falls, and
in the affray Durfee was killed. M'Leod was apprehended on American
territory, and hence arose the friction between the two countries. M'Leod
was acquitted 12th October 1841.

446 DISPUTE WITH UNITED STATES [CHAP. x

Immediately after reading Mr Fox's despatch upon
that subject, Sir Robert Peel sought an interview
with Lord Aberdeen. The measure contemplated by
the President is a perfectly novel one, a measure of a
hostile and unjustifiable character adopted with pacific
intentions.

Sir Robert Peel does not comprehend the object
of the President, and giving him credit for the desire
to prevent the interruption of amicable relations with
this country, Sir Robert Peel fears that the forcible
detention of the British Minister, after the demand of
passports, will produce a different impression on the
public mind, both here and in the United States, from
that which the President must (if he be sincere) have
anticipated. It appears to Sir Robert Peel that the
object which the President professes to have in view
would be better answered by the immediate compliance
with Mr Fox's demand for passports, and the simul-
taneous despatch of a special mission to this country
conveying whatever explanations or offers of reparation
the President may have in contemplation.

Sir Robert Peel humbly assures your Majesty that
he has advised such measures of preparation to be taken
in respect to the amount of disposable naval force, and
the position of it, as without bearing the character of
menace, or causing needless disquietude and alarm,
may provide for an unfavourable issue of our present
differences with the United States.

Sir Robert Peel fears that when the President
ventured to make to Mr Fox the communication
which he did make, he must have laboured under
apprehension that McLeod might be executed in
spite of the efforts of the general Government of the
United States to save his life.

Queen Victoria to the Earl of Aberdeen.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 3lst October 1841.

The Queen received yesterday evening Lord
Aberdeen's letter with the accompanying despatches

1841] PORTUGAL 447

and draft. She certainly is surprised at the strange
and improper tone in which Lord Howard's1 despatches
are written, and can only attribute them to an over-
eager and, she fully believes, mistaken feeling of the
danger to which he believes the throne of the Queen
to be exposed.

The Queen has carefully perused Lord Aberdeen's
draft, which she highly approves, but wishes to
suggest to Lord Aberdeen whether upon further con-
sideration it might not perhaps be as well to soften
the words under which she has drawn a pencil line, as
she fears they might irritate Lord Howard very much.

The Queen is induced to copy the following
sentences from a letter she received from her cousin,
the King of Portugal, a few days ago, and which it
may be satisfactory to Lord Aberdeen to see : —

" Je dois encore vous dire que nous avons toutcs les
raisons de nous loucr de la manicre dont le Portugal est
traite par votre Ministre dcs Affaires Etrangeres, et
nous ferons de notre cote notre possible pour prouver
notre bonne volonte"

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, 1st November 1841.

. . . Now for his Royal Highness's questions. . . .

How the power of Prime Ministry grew up into
its present form it is difficult to trace precisely, as
well as how it became attached, as it were, to the
office of First Commissioner of the Treasury. But
Lord Melbourne apprehends that Sir Robert Walpole
was the first man in whose person this union of
powers was decidedly established, and that its being
so arose from the very great confidence which both
George I. and George II. reposed in him, and from the
difficulty which they had in transacting business,
particularly George I., from their imperfect knowledge
of the language of the country.

With respect to the Secretary of State, Lord

1 Lord Howard de Walden, Minister Plenipotentiary at Lisbon.

448 SECRETARIES OF STATE [CHAP, x

Melbourne is not prepared from memory to state the
dates at which the different arrangements of that
office have taken place. There was originally but one
officer, and at the present the three are but the heads
of the different departments of one office. The
first division was into two, and they were called the
Secretary for the Northern and the Secretary for
the Southern department. They drew a line across the
world, and each transacted the business connected
with the countries within his own portion of the
globe. Another division then took place, and the
Foreign affairs were confided to one Secretary of
State, and the Home and Colonial affairs to the
other ; but the present arrangement was finally
settled in the year 1793, when the junction was
formed between Mr Pitt on the one hand, and
those friends of Mr Fox, who left him because they
differed with him upon the French Revolution. The
Home affairs were placed in the hands of one
Secretary of State, the Foreign of another, and the
Colonial and Military affairs of a third, and this
arrangement has continued ever since.1 The persons
then appointed were the Duke of Portland ,2 Lord
Grenville,3 and Mr Dundas,4 Home, Foreign, and
Colonial Secretaries.

Writing from recollection, it is very possible that
Lord Melbourne may be wrong in some of the dates
which he has ventured to specify.5

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, kth November 1841.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. He has this morning had the honour

1 A fourth Secretary of State was added at the time of the Crimean
War, so as to separate Colonial and Military affairs, and a fifth after the
Indian Mutiny to supersede the President of the Board of Control See
Lord Melbourne's letter of 31st December 1837, ante, p. 130.

2 Third Duke (1738-1809).

« William Wyndham, Lord GrenviUe (1759-1834).
4 Henry Dundas (1742-1811), afterwards Lord Melville.
, 6 See post, pp. 449, 430, 431.

1841] THE ENGLISH CONSTITUTION 449

and pleasure of receiving your Majesty's letter of
yesterday. . . .

Lord Melbourne sends a letter which he has received
from his sister, which may not be unentertaining.
Lady Palmerston is struck, as everybody is who goes
to Ireland, with the candid warmth and vehement
demonstration of feeling. England always appears
cold, heartless and sulky in comparison. . . .

With respect to the questions put to me by your
Majesty at the desire of His Royal Highness, Lord
Melbourne begs leave to assure your Majesty that he
will be at all times most ready and anxious to give any
information in his power upon points of this sort, which
are very curious, very important, very worthy to be
enquired into, and upon which accurate information is
not easily to be found. All the political part of the
English Constitution is fully understood, and distinctly
stated in Blackstone and many other books, but the
Ministerial part, the work of conducting the executive
government, has rested so much on practice, on usage,
on understanding, that there is no publication to which
reference can be made for the explanation and
description of it. It is to be sought in debates, in
protests, in letters, in memoirs, and wherever it can
be picked up. It seems to be stupid not to be able
to say at once when two Secretaries of State were
established ; but Lord Melbourne is not able. He
apprehends that there was but one until the end of
Queen Anne's reign, and that two were instituted
by George I., probably because upon his frequent
journeys to Hanover he wanted the Secretary of State
with him, and at the same time it was necessary that
there should be an officer of the same authority left at
home to transact the domestic affairs.

Prime Minister is a term belonging to the last
century. Lord Melbourne doubts its being to be
found in English Parliamentary language previously.
Sir Robert Walpole was always accused of having
introduced and arrogated to himself an office previously
unknown to the Law and Constitution, that of Prime

VOL. i. — 29

450 THE " PRIME MINISTER " [CHAP. *

or Sole Minister, and we learn from Lady Charlotte
Lindsay's l accounts of her father, that in his own
family Lord North would never suffer himself to
be called prime Minister, because it was an office
unknown to the Constitution. This was a notion
derived from the combined Whig and Tory opposition
to Sir Robert Walpole, to which Lord North and his
family had belonged.

Lord Melbourne is very sorry to hear that the
Princess Royal continues to suffer from some degree of
indisposition. From what your Majesty had said more
than once before, Lord Melbourne had felt anxiety upon
this subject, and he saw the Baron yesterday, who con-
versed with him much upon it, and informed him of
what had taken place. Lord Melbourne hopes that your
Majesty will attribute it only to Lord Melbourne's
anxious desire for the security and increase of your
Majesty's happiness, if he ventures to say that the Baron
appears to him to have much reason in what he urges,
and in the view which he takes. It is absolutely
required that confidence should be reposed in those
who are to have the management and bear the respon-
sibility, and that they should not be too much
interrupted or interfered with.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, 5th November 1841.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. Not feeling satisfied of the correctness of
the information which he had given to your Majesty
respecting the office of Secretary of State, he yesterday
evening requested Mr Allen 2 to look into the matter,
and he has just received from him the enclosed short
memorandum, which he has the honour of transmitting

1 Daughter of Lord North (afterwards Earl of Guilford) and wife of
Lieut. -Colonel the Hon. John Lindsay. She lived till 1849 — a link with
the past.

a Secretary and Librarian at Holland House.

1841] THE "SECRETARIES OF STATE11 451

to your Majesty. This shows that Lord Melbourne was
quite wrong with respect to the period at which two
Secretaries of State were first employed, and that it
was much earlier than he had imagined.

The year 1782, when the third Secretary of State
was abolished, was the period of the adoption of the
great measure of Economical Reform which had been
introduced by Mr Burke in 1780.

The present arrangement was settled in 1794, which
is about the time which Lord Melbourne stated.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, 7th November 1841.

. . . Your Majesty asks whether Lord Melbourne
thinks that Prince Metternich holds the opinion of Sir
Robert Gordon, which he expresses to Lord Beauvale.
It is difficult to say what Prince Metternich's real sen-
timents are. Lord Melbourne takes him not to have
a very high opinion of the abilities of others in general,
and he is not unlikely to depreciate Sir Robert Gordon
to Lord Beauvale. Sir Robert Gordon is a man of
integrity, but he is tiresome, long and pompous, which
cannot be agreeable to the Prince, who has about him
much of the French vivacity, and also much of their
settled and regular style of argument. . . .

With respect to the latter part of your Majesty's
letter, Lord Melbourne returns for the expressions of
your Majesty's kindness his warm and grateful thanks.
Your Majesty may rest assured that he will always
speak to your Majesty without scruple or reserve, and
that he will never ask anything of your Majesty, or ever
make a suggestion, which he does not consider to be
for your Majesty's service and advantage. Lord
Melbourne is of opinion that his visits to the Palace
should not only avoid exciting suspicion and uneasiness
in your Majesty's present advisers, a result of which he
has very little apprehension, but they should not be

452 LETTER FROM BARON STOCKMAR [CHAP, x

so frequent as to attract public notice, comment and
observation, of which he would be more fearful. A
public rumour, however unfounded and absurd, has
more force in this country than objections which have
in them more of truth and reality. Upon these
grounds, and as your Majesty will probably not see
much company at present, and the parties therefore
will be a good deal confined to the actual Household,
Lord Melbourne thinks it would perhaps be as
well if he were not again to dine at the Palace at
present.

The course which it may be prudent to take here-
after will depend very much upon that which cannot
now be foreseen, namely, upon the general course which
will be taken by politics and political parties. In this
Lord Melbourne does not at present discern his way,
and he will not therefore hazard opinions which would
not be founded upon any certainty, and might be liable
to immediate change and alteration.

Memorandum: Par on Stockmar to Viscount Melbourne.

23rd November 1841.

The apprehension which haunts me since my return
to England is well known to you. It was my inten-
tion to have written to you upon it some time hereafter,
but the contents of a certain letter, sent by you just
before your departure, accelerates the execution of my
design. From your own expressions used some time
back, I was led to expect that you would be glad to
take advantage of any fair opportunity which might
contribute towards that devoutly to be wished for
object, viz., to let a certain correspondence die a
natural death. You may easily conceive how much
I felt disappointed when I heard that you had written
again, without a challenge, and that, without apparent
cause, you had volunteered the promise to write from
time to time. This happens at a moment when ijour
harassing apprehension received new life and strength,

1841] STOCKMAR ADVISES DISCRETION 453

from two incidents which I think it my duty to make
known to you, and of which the one came to pass
before, the other after, your departure from here.
Some weeks back I was walking in the streets with
Dr Prsetorius,1 when, finding myself opposite the house
of one of my friends, it came across my mind to give
him a call. Praetorius wanted to leave me, on a
conception that, as a stranger, he might obstruct the
freedom of our conversation. I insisted, however, on
his remaining with me, and we were shown into the
drawing-room, where in all there were five of us. For
some minutes the conversation had turned on insignifi-
cant things, when the person talking to me said quite
abruptly : " So I find the Queen is in daily correspon-
dence with Lord Melbourne." I replied, " Who told
you this ? " The answer was, " Mrs Norton ; she told
me the other evening. Don't you believe that Lord
Melbourne has lost his influence over the Queen's
mind ; he daily writes to her, and receives as many
answers, in which she communicates everything to
him." Without betraying much emotion I said, " I
don't believe a word of it ; the Queen may have
written once or twice on private matters, but the
daily correspondence on all matters is certainly the
amplification of a thoughtless and imprudent person,
who is not aware of such exaggerated assertions." My
speech was followed by a general silence, after which
we talked of other things, and soon took our leave.
When we were fairly in the open air, Preetorius
expressed to me his amazement at what he had heard,
and he remained for some time at a loss to compre-
hend the character of the person who, from mere
giddiness, let out so momentous a secret.

The other fact took place the day after you had
left. From the late events at Brussels, it had become
desirable that I should see Sir Robert Peel. From
Belgium we travelled over to Home politics. I
expressed my delight at seeing the Queen so happy,
and added a hope that more and more she would seek
and find her real happiness in her domestic relations

1 Librarian and German Secretary to Prince Albert

454 STOCKMAITS APPREHENSIONS [CHAP, x

only. He evidently caught at this, and assured me
that he should at all times be too happy to have a
share in anything which might be thought conducive
to the welfare of Her Majesty. That no consideration
of personal inconvenience would ever prevent him
from indulging the Queen in all her wishes relating
to matters of a private nature, and that the only return
for his sincere endeavours to please Her Majesty he
looked to, was honesty in public affairs. Becoming
then suddenly emphatic, he continued, " But on this
I must insist, and I do assure you, that that moment
I was to learn that the Queen takes advice upon public
matters in another place, 1 shall throw up ; for such a
thing I conceive the country could not stand, and I
would not remain an hour, whatever the consequences
of my resignation may be."

Fully sensible that he was talking at me, I
received the charge with the calmness of a good
conscience, and our time being exhausted I pre-
pared for retreat. But he did not allow me to do
so, before he had found means to come a second
time to the topic uppermost in his own mind, and
he repeated, it appeared to me with increased force
of tone, his determination to throw up, fearless of
all consequences, that moment he found himself
and the country dishonestly dealt by.

I think I have now reported to you correctly
the two occurrences which of late have added
so much to my antecedent suspicions and fears.
Permit me to join to this a few general considera-
tions which, from the nature of the recited incidents
alone, and without the slightest intervention of any
other cause, must have presented themselves to my
mind. The first is, that I derive from the events
related quite ground enough for concluding that the
danger I dread is great and imminent, and that,
if ill luck is to have its will, no human power can
prevent an explosion for a day, or even for an hour.
The second is the contemplation — what state will the
Queen be placed in by such a catastrophe ? That

1841] EXPOSTULATION WITH MELBOURNE 455

in my position, portraying to myself all the con-
sequences of such a possibility, I look chiefly to the
Queen, needs hardly, I trust, an excuse. . . . Can you
hope that the Queen's character will ever recover from
a shock received by a collision with Peel, upon such a
cause ? Pray, illustrate to yourself this particular
question by taking a purely political and general
survey of the time and period we live in at this
moment. In doing so must you not admit that all
England is agreed that the Tories must have another
trial, and that there is a decided desire in the nation that
it should be a fair one ? Would you have it said that
Sir Robert Peel failed in his trial, merely because the
Queen alone was not fair to him, and that principally
you had aided her in the game of dishonesty ? And
can you hope that this game can be played with
security, even for a short time only, when a person
has means of looking into your cards whom you your-
self have described to me some years ago as a most
passionate, giddy, imprudent and dangerous woman ?
I am sure beforehand that your loyalty and devotion
has nothing to oppose to the force of my exposition.
There are, however, some other and minor reasons
which ought likewise to be considered before you
come to the determination of trusting entirely to
possibilities and chance. For the results of your
deliberation you will have to come to will in their
working and effects go beyond yourself, and must
affect two other persons. These will have a right to
expect that your decision will not be taken regardless
of that position, which accidental circumstances have
assigned to them, in an affair the fate of which is
placed entirely within your discretion. This is an
additional argument why you should deliberate very
conscientiously. A mistake of yours in this respect
might by itself produce fresh difficulties and have
a complicating and perplexing retro effect upon the
existing ones ; because both, seeing that they must
be sufferers in the end, may begin to look only to
their own safety, and become inclined to refuse that

456 A DECISIVE STEP ADVISED [CHAP. *

passive obedience which till now constitutes the
vehicle of your hazardous enterprise.

Approaching the conclusion of this letter, I beg
to remind you of a conversation I had with you
on the same subject in South Street, the 25th of
last month.1 Though you did not avow it then in
direct words, I could read from your countenance and
manner that you assented in your head and heart to
all I had said, and in particular to the advice 1
volunteered at the end of my speech. At that time I
pointed out to you a period when I thought a decisive
step ought to be taken on your part. This period
seems to me to have arrived. Placing unreserved
confidence into your candour and manliness, I remain,
for ever, very faithfully yours, STOCKMAR.

Viscount Melbourne to Baron Stockmar.

2<Uh November 1841.
(Half-past 10 P.M.)

MY DEAR BARON, — I have just received your letter;
I think it unnecessary to detain your messenger. I will
write to you upon the subject and send it through
Anson. Yours faithfully, MELBOURNE.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 29th November 1841.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — I have to thank you for
four most kind letters, of the 4th, 6th, 19th and 26th ;
the last I received yesterday. I would have written
sooner, had I not been a little bilious, which made me
very low, and not in spirits to write. The weather has
been so exceedingly relaxing, that it made me at the
end of the fortnight quite bilious, and this, you know,
affects the spirits. I am much better, but they think

1 Ante, p. 442.

1841] THE HEIR APPARENT 457

that I shall not get my appetite and spirits back till I
can get out of town ; we are therefore going in a week
at latest. I am going for a drive this morning, and am
certain it will do me good. In all essentials, I am
better, if possible, than last year. Our little boy1 is
a wonderfully strong and large child, with very large
dark blue eyes, a finely formed but somewhat large
nose, and a pretty little mouth ; I hope and pray he
may be like his dearest Papa. He is to be called
Albert, and Edward is to be his second name. Pussy,
dear child, is still the great pet amongst us all, and is
getting so fat and strong again.

I beg my most affectionate love to dearest Louise
and the dear children. The Queen Dowager is
recovering wonderfully.

I beg you to forgive this letter being so badly
written, but my feet are being rubbed, and as I
have got the box on which I am writing on my
knee, it is not easy to write quite straight — but you
must not think my hand trembles. Ever your devoted
Niece, VICTORIA R.

Pussy is not at all pleased with her brother.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

TRENTHASI, 1st December 1841.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to
your Majesty, and has had the honour of receiving
here your Majesty's letters of yesterday, by which
he learns with sincere pleasure and satisfaction that
your Majesty is so much recovered as to go to
Windsor on so early a day as your Majesty names.
Lord Melbourne hears with great concern that your
Majesty has been suffering under depression and
lowness of spirits. . . . Lord Melbourne well knows how
to feel for those who suffer under it, especially as he
has lately had much of it himself.

Lord Melbourne is much rejoiced to hear so good

1 His Majesty King Edward VII., born 9th November.

458 NAMING THE YOUNG PRINCE [CHAP. x

an account of the Heir Apparent and of the Princess
Royal, and feels himself greatly obliged by the
information respecting the intended names and the
sponsors. Lord Melbourne supposes that your Majesty
has determined yourself upon the relative position of
the two names, but Edward is a good English appella-
tion, and has a certain degree of popularity attached
to it from ancient recollections. Albert is also an old
Anglo-Saxon name — the same, Lord Melbourne believes,
as Ethelred — but it has not been so common nor so
much in use since the Conquest. However, your
Majesty's feelings which Lord Melbourne perfectly
understands, must determine this point. The notion
of the King of Prussia1 gives great satisfaction here,
and will do so with all but Puseyites and Newmanites
and those who lean to the Roman Catholic faith.
His strong Protestant feelings, and his acting with us
in the matter of the Syrian Bishop, have made the
King of Prussia highly popular in this country, and
particularly with the more religious part of the
community.

Your Majesty cannot offer up for the young Prince
a more safe and judicious prayer than that he may
resemble his father. The character, in Lord Melbourne's
opinion, depends much upon the race, and on both
sides he has a good chance. Be not over solicitous
about education. It may be able to do much, but it
does not do so much as is expected from it. It
may mould and direct the character, but it rarely
alters it. George IV. and the Duke of York were
educated quite like English boys, by English school-
masters, and in the manner and upon the system of
English schools. The consequence was that, whatever
were their faults, they were quite Englishmen. The
others who were sent earlier abroad, and more to
foreign universities, were not quite so much so. The
late king was educated as a sailor, and was a complete
sailor. . . .

Lord Melbourne will tell your Majesty exactly what

1 King Frederick William IV. who was to be a sponsor.

PRINCE OF WALES 459

he thinks of John Russell's reply to the Plymouth
address. It is very angry and very bitter, and anger
and bitterness are never very dignified. Lord Melbourne
certainly would not have put in those sarcasms upon
the Duke of Wellington and Sir Robert Peel, for their
change of opinion and conduct upon the Roman
Catholic question. But the tone of the rest of the
answer is, in Lord Melbourne's opinion, just and right.
We certainly delivered the affairs of the country into
their hands in a good state, both at home and abroad,
and we should be acting unfairly by ourselves if we did
not maintain and assert this upon every occasion.
Lord Melbourne's notion of the conduct which he has
to pursue is, that it should not be aggressive, but that
it must be defensive. He would oppose no right
measures, but he cannot suffer the course of policy
which has been condemned in him to be adopted by
others without observation upon the inconsistency and
injustice. . . .

Lord Melbourne concludes with again wishing your
Majesty health and happiness, and much enjoyment
of the country.

Sir James G-raham to Queen Victoria.

WHITEHALL, 6th December 1841.

Sir James Graham, with humble duty, begs to
enclose for the Signature of your Majesty the Letters
Patent creating His Royal Highness, the Prince of
the United Kingdom, Prince of Wales and Earl of
Chester.1

Understanding that it is your Majesty's pleasure

1 His present Majesty had been referred to in letters of the previous month
as the Duke of Cornwall. " Know ye," ran the present letters patent, " that
we have made . . . our most dear son, the Prince of the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland (Duke of Saxony, Duke of Cornwall . . .) Prince
of Wales and Earl of Chester . . . and him our said most dear son, ... as
has been accustomed, we do ennoble and invest with the said Principality
and Earldom, by girding him with a sword, by putting a coronet on his
head, and a gold ring on his finger, and also by delivering a gold rod into
his hand, that he may preside there, and may direct and defend those
parts. ..."

460 THE ROYAL CHILDREN [CHAP, x

to have this Creation inserted in the Gazette of to-
morrow night, Sir James Graham has given direc-
tions, which will ensure the publication, though the
Letters Patent themselves may not be completed.
The Warrant already signed by your Majesty is a
sufficient authority.

The above is humbly submitted by your Majesty's
dutiful Subject and Servant, J. R. G. GRAHAM.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 1th December 1841.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — We arrived here sains et
saufs with our awfully large Nursery Establishment
yesterday morning. It was a nasty warm and very
rainy day, but to-day is very bright, clear and dry,
and we walked out early and felt like prisoners freed
from some dungeon. Many thanks for your kind
letter of the 2nd, by which I grieve to see that you
are not quite well. But let me repeat again, you
must not despond so ; you must not be so out of
spirits. I have likewise been suffering so from lowness
that it made me quite miserable, and I know how
difficult it is to fight against it. I am delighted to
hear that all the children are so well. I wonder
very much who our little boy will be like. You will
understand how fervent my prayers and I am [sure]
everybody s must be, to see him resemble his angelic
dearest Father in every, every respect, both in body
and mind. Oh ! my dearest Uncle, I am sure if
you knew hoiv happy, how blessed I feel, and how
proud I feel in possessing such a perfect being as my
husband, as he is, and if you think that you have
been instrumental in bringing about this union, it
must gladden your heart ! How happy should I
be to see our child grow up just like him ! Dear
Pussy travelled with us and behaved like a grown-
up person, so quiet and looking about and coquetting
with the Hussars on either side of the carriage. Now
adieu ! Ever your devoted Niece, VICTORIA R.

1841 J THE APPROACHING CHRISTENING 461

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

CASTLE HOWARD, <2<2nd December 1841.

. . . Lord Melbourne will consider himself most
highly honoured by being invited to the christening,
and will hold himself in readiness to attend, whenever
it may take place. He has written to Mr Anson in
answer to the letter which he received from him
this morning. Lord Melbourne has been obliged to
consent to receive an address from Derby, and has
fixed Monday the 27th inst. for that purpose. He
could have wished to have avoided this, but it was
impossible, and he must make the best of it that he
can, which he conceives will be effected by conceiving
his reply in very guarded terms, and in a tone defensive
of his own administration, but not offensive to those
who have succeeded him. . . .

Lord Melbourne is very glad to hear of the feelings
of the King of Prussia. For religious matters he is
at present very popular with many in this country,
and popularity, though transient and uncertain, is a
good thing whilst it lasts. The King of the Belgians
should not be surprised or mortified at the conduct
of the King of Holland. We must expect that
people will act according to their nature and feelings.
The Union of Belgium and Holland has been for
a long time the first wish and the daily dream of
the House of Orange. It has been the great object
of their lives, and by the separation, which took place
in 1830, they saw their fondest hopes disappointed
and destroyed at once. It must be expected that
under such a state of things, they will be unquiet,
and will try to obtain what they so eagerly desire
and have once possessed.

Lord Melbourne is much rejoiced to hear that your
Majesty is in the enjoyment of such good health. Your
Majesty's observations upon your own situation are in
the highest degree just and prudent, and it is a sign of

462 THE UNITED STATES [CHAP, x

a right mind and of good feelings to prize the blessings
we enjoy, and not to suffer them to be too much altered
by circumstances, which may not turn out exactly
according to our wishes.

The Earl of Aberdeen to Queen Victoria.

FOREIGN OFFICE, 2&th December 1841.

Lord Aberdeen presents his most humble duty to
your Majesty. He ventures to request your Majesty's
attention for a moment to the character of your
Majesty's present relations with the Government of
the United States. Your Majesty is aware that several
questions of great difficulty and importance have been
long pending between the two Governments.1 Some of
these have become more complicated than they were
ten years ago ; and any of them might, at any moment,
lead to consequences of the most disastrous nature.

Instead of continuing negotiations, necessarily
tedious and which promise to be interminable, your
Majesty's servants are humbly of opinion that an
effort ought to be made, by a Special Mission at
Washington, to bring all these differences promptly
to an adjustment. The public feeling in the Uniied
States at this time does not appear to be unfavourable
for such an attempt. Should it be undertaken by a
person whose rank, character, and abilities would
ensure respect, and whose knowledge of the subjects
under discussion, and of the people of the country,
together with his conciliatory manners, would render
him generally acceptable, your Majesty might perhaps
indulge the hope of a successful result.

Lord Aberdeen humbly ventures to think that such
a person may be found in Lord Ashburton,2 whom he
submits for your Majesty's gracious approbation.

1 The question of the North-West boundary had long been one source
of dispute ; another was the right the British Government claimed of search-
ing vessels suspected of being engaged in the slave trade.

2 Alexander, first Lord Ashburton, who had held office in Peel's short
Ministry, and married Miss Bingham of Philadelphia. See post, p. 577.

1841] CHRISTMASTIDE 463

Memorandum by Mr Anson.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 26th December 1841.

Christmas has brought its usual routine of festivity
and its agreeable accompaniment of Christmas presents.
The Queen was not at all well again yesterday, being
again troubled with lowness. The Melbourne corre-
spondence still is carried on, but I think not in its
pristine vigour by any means. He has taken no
notice of the Baron's remonstrance to him, and we
are in the dark in what manner, if at all, he means
to deal with it.

I have sat by Her Majesty at dinner several times
lately. I should say that Her Majesty interests herself
less and less about politics, and that her dislike is less
than it was to her present Ministers, though she would
not be prepared to acknowledge it. Her Majesty is
a good deal occupied with the little Princess Royal,
who begins to assume companionable qualities. In
an evening, instead of her usual conversation with her
old Prime Minister, some round game at cards is sub-
stituted, which always terminates at eleven. The
Prince, to amuse the Queen at this, has nearly left off
his chess ; his amusements — shooting or hunting — always
commence and terminate between eleven and two, not
to interfere with Her Majesty's arrangements, in which
he is included as her companion.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

MELBOURNE, *29th December 1841.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. He received here yesterday your Majesty's
letter of the 25th inst. upon a paper adorned with many
quaint and humorous Christmas devices, and Lord
Melbourne begs to offer to your Majesty, most sincerely
and most fervently, the good wishes of the Season.
Lord Melbourne will be in town on Friday evening
next, and after that day will wait upon your Majesty,
whenever your Majesty is pleased to command. . . .

464 A RAILWAY ACCIDENT [CHAP, x

Lord Melbourne is very glad to hear that the King
of the Belgians is reassured by his journey to Mons
and his reception upon it. He need not mind the
King of Holland, if he can keep all right at Paris.

The railway smash1 is awful and tremendous, as
all railway mishaps are, and Lord Melbourne fears
must always be. These slips and falls of earth from
the banks are the greatest danger that now impends
over them, and if they take place suddenly and in
the dark, Lord Melbourne does not see how the fatal
consequences of them are to be effectually guarded
against. They are peculiarly likely to happen now,
as the cuttings have been recently and hastily made,
the banks are very steep, and the season has been
peculiarly wet, interrupted by severe frosts.

Lord Melbourne received the deputation from
Derby, a large and respectable one, here on Monday
last. The address was very guarded, temperate and
judicious, and Lord Melbourne strove to construct his
answer in the same manner.

1 This accident took place on 24th December in the Sonning Hill cutting,
two and a half miles from Reading. Eight persons were killed on the spot

INTRODUCTORY NOTE
TO CHAPTER XI

THE session was mainly occupied by the great ministerial
measure of finance, direct taxation by means of income tax being
imposed, and the import duties on a large number of articles
being removed or relaxed, Mr Gladstone, now at the Board of
Trade, taking charge of the bills. Two more attempts on the
Queen's life were made, the former again on Constitution Hill
by one Francis, whose capital sentence was commuted ; the latter
by a hunchback, Bean, who was sentenced to eighteen months'
imprisonment. An Act was promptly passed to deal with such
outrages in future as misdemeanours, without giving them the
importance of high treason. Lord Ashley's Bill was passed, pro-
hibiting woman and child labour in mines and collieries. But the
Anti-Corn Law League of Manchester was not satisfied with the
policy of the Government and objected to the income tax ; while
riots broke out in the manufacturing districts of the North.

In Afghanistan, the disasters of the previous year were retrieved ;
Sir Robert Sale, who was gallantly defending Jellalabad, made a
sortie and defeated Akbar Khan ; General Nott arrived at Ghuznee,
but found it evacuated ; he destroyed the citadel and removed the
Gates of Somnauth. General Pollock swept the Khyber Pass and
entered Cabul. The captives taken on the retreat from Cabul
were recovered — Lady Macnaghten and Lady Sale among them.
In retribution for the murder of Macnaghten, the great bazaar of
Cabul, where his remains had been dishonoured, was destroyed by
Pollock ; the British force was then withdrawn. Dost Mahommed
made himself again ruler of Cabul, and a proclamation of Lord
Ellenborough announced that the British Government accepted any
Sovereign and Constitution approved by the Afghans themselves.

In China, also, operations were successfully terminated, Chapoo
being taken in May, and an attack by Admiral Parker upon
Nanking being only averted by the conclusion of a favourable
treaty, involving an indemnity, the cession by China of Hong
Kong, and the opening of important ports to commerce.

A dispute arose between this country and the United States on
the right of search of ships suspected of being engaged in the
slave trade. Lord Ashburton was accordingly sent out as a
Special Ambassador, and a treaty concluded in August for the
purpose (amongst others) of enforcing each country's rights and
obligations for suppressing the ti'ade.

VOL. i. — 30 465

CHAPTER XI
1842

Queen Adelaide to Queen Victoria.

SUDBURY HALL, \th January 1842.

MY DEAR NIECE, — Most grateful for your very
amiable kind letter full of good wishes for me, I
hasten to answer it and to assure you that I deeply
feel all your affectionate kindness to me in wishing
my life to be prolonged. From ill-health I have
become such a useless member of your family, that
I must wonder you have not long been tired of me.
I wish I was more able to be of any use to you
which you might like to make of me. My services
would be most faithful, I can assure you. Should
my life be spared, there may perhaps yet be a time
when I can prove to you, that what I say is not
merely a fapon de parler, but my sincere wish.

Your domestic happiness, dearest Victoria, gives
me great satisfaction whenever I think of it, and that
is very often. God continue it so, uninterrupted,
is my daily prayer.

Your approbation of my little offering to my dear
godchild gives me much pleasure. It occupied me
several days during my illness to make the drawing,
weak as I then was, and it was a pleasant occupation.

We have frost again, with a clear blue sky, which
is much better for me than the damp close weather
of last week, which oppressed me so much. I breathe
466

1842] BEAUTY OF WINDSOR 467

again, and my spirits get their usual tone, which they
had lost, but I still cough a great deal, which is very
fatiguing.

Will you kiss your darlings in my name and bless
them, and pray believe me ever, my dear Niece, your
most affectionately devoted Aunt, ADELAIDE.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Pretoria.

BaoADLANDS,1 5th January 1842.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and begs to return to your Majesty and to
His Royal Highness his thanks for all the kindness
shown him at Windsor. He was very happy to find
himself there again and in your Majesty's society.
He has seen many fine places and much fine country,
but after all there is nothing like Windsor and the
Park. Twenty very fine places might easily be
made out of the latter. Lord Melbourne as he drove
to Bagshot was very glad to see the plantations at
and about Cumberland Lodge and onwards so well
and judiciously thinned. He had a very prosperous
journey here. It is a very lovely place, with the
greatest beauty that a place can have, a very swift,
clear, natural stream, running and winding in front
of the house. The whole place is much improved
since Lord Melbourne saw it last ; a great deal of new
pleasure-ground has been made. The trees, cypresses,
elders, planes, elms, white poplars and acacias are
very fine indeed. . . .

Lord Melbourne thinks of staying here six or
seven days, and then returning to London and going
to Brocket Hall and Panshanger, but he has not
fixed his plans decidedly, which he is never very fond
of doing.

Lord Melbourne was delighted at thinking that
he left your Majesty in good health, which he
earnestly hopes and fervently prays may, together
with every other blessing, long continue.

1 The house of Lord Palmerston in Hants.

468 DISASTERS IN AFGHANISTAN [CHAP, a

The Earl of Aberdeen to Queen Victoria.

FOREIGN OFFICE, 6th January 1842.

... Sir Robert Peel has informed Lord Aberdeen
that he had mentioned to your Majesty the sugges-
tion of the King of Prussia to confer the Order of
the Black Eagle * upon the Prince of Wales, immedi-
ately after the christening of his Royal Highness.
Lord Aberdeen therefore abstains from troubling your
Majesty with any observations on this subject.

Lord Fitzgerald to Queen Victoria.

Slh January 1842.

Lord Fitzgerald, with his most humble duty to
your Majesty, begs leave humbly to inform your
Majesty that despatches have been this day received
at the India House from the Earl of Auckland,
Governor - General of India, which most officially
confirm to too great an extent the disastrous intelli-
gence contained in the public journals of yesterday,
the particulars of which the editors of these journals
had received by express messengers from Marseilles.2

This intelligence is of a most painful character,
and though the details which have arrived do high
honour to the courage and the gallantry of your
Majesty's forces, as well as of the East India
Company's Army, yet the loss sustained has been
very great, and many valuable officers have fallen
the victims of a widespread conspiracy which seems
to have embraced within its confederation the most
warlike tribes of the Afghan nation.

Lord Fitzgerald begs leave most humbly to lay
before your Majesty an interesting despatch from
Lord Auckland, comprising the most important details
of the late events in Afghanistan.

It is very satisfactory to Lord Fitzgerald to be
enabled humbly to acquaint your Majesty that Lord

1 Founded by Frederick I. in 1701.

2 See Introductory Note, 1841, ante, p. 320. The rebellion broke out at
Cabul on 2nd November, and Sir Alexander Burnes was murdered.

1842] THE OXFORD MOVEMENT 469

Auckland has decided on waiting the arrival of his
successor, Lord Ellenborough, and states to Lord
Fitzgerald that he will feel it to be his duty to
remain in his [Government], in the present critical
state of affairs, until he is relieved by the new Governor-
General.

All of which is most humbly submitted to your
Majesty, by your Majesty's most dutiful Subject and
Servant, FITZGERALD AND VESCI.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

BROADLANDS, 12th January 1842.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. He has this morning received your Majesty's
letter of the 10th inst., and is glad to infer from it
that your Majesty and the Prince are both well and
in good spirits.

With respect to the Oxford affair, your Majesty
is aware that for a long time a serious difference has
been fermenting and showing itself in the Church of
England, one party leaning back towards Popery, and
the other either wishing to keep doctrines as they
are, or, perhaps, to approach somewhat nearer to the
dissenting Churches. This difference has particularly
manifested itself in a publication, now discontinued,
but which had been long going on at Oxford, entitled
Tracts for the Times, and generally called the Oxford
Tracts. The Professorship of Poetry is now vacant
at Oxford, and two candidates have been put forward,
the one Mr Williams, who is the author of one or
two of the most questionable of the Oxford Tracts,
and the other Mr Garbett, who is a representative
of the opposite party. Of course the result of this
election, which is made by the Masters of Arts of
the University, is looked to with much interest and
anxiety, as likely to afford no unequivocal sign of
which is the strongest party in the University and
amongst the clergy generally. It is expected that
Mr Garbett will be chosen by a large majority. . . .

470 CHURCH MATTERS [CHAP,

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

SOUTH STHEET, nth January 1842.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to
your Majesty, and begs to acknowledge your Majesty's
letter of the 15th, which he has received here this
morning.

Lord Melbourne does not think this Puseyite differ-
ence in the Church so serious or dangerous as others
do. If it is discreetly managed, it will calm down or
blow over or sink into disputes of little significance.
All Lord Melbourne fears is lest the Bishops should
be induced to act hastily and should get into the
wrong. The Puseyites have the most learning, or,
rather, have considered the points more recently and
more accurately than their opponents.

Lord Melbourne hopes that the Spanish affair will be
settled. Lord Melbourne cannot doubt that the French
are wrong. Even if the precedents are in their favour,
the Spanish Court has a right to settle its own etiquette
and its own mode of transacting business, and to change
them if it thinks proper.1

Lord Melbourne was at Broadlands when the Article
to which your Majesty alludes appeared in the Morning
Chronicle, and he talked it over with Palmerston. He
does not think that Palmerston wrote it, because there
were in it errors, and those errors to Palmerston's
disadvantage ; but it was written by Easthope under
the impression that it conveyed Palmerston's notions
and opinions. Your Majesty knows very well that
Palmerston has long had much communication with
the Morning Chronicle and much influence over it, and
has made great use of it for the purpose of maintaining
and defending his own policy. In this sort of matter
there is much to be said upon both sides. A Minister

1 An Ambassador, M. de Salvandy, had been sent from France to Madrid.
Espartero, the Regent, required the credentials to be presented to him and
not to the young Queen. The French Ambassador having refused to comply,
an unseemly dispute arose, and M. de Salvandy left Madrid.

1842] THE MORNING CHRONICLE 471

has a great advantage in stating his own views to the
public, and if Palmerston in the Syrian affair had not
had as devoted an assistant as the Morning Chronicle, he
would hardly have been able to maintain his course
or carry through his measures. It has always been
Lord Melbourne's policy to keep himself aloof from
the public press and to hold it at arm's-length, and
he considers it the best course, but it is subject to
disadvantages. You are never in that case strongly
supported by them, nor are the motives and reasons
of your conduct given to the public with that force
and distinctness which they might be.

Lord Melbourne has no doubt that your Majesty's
assurance is well founded, and that the present Govern-
ment are anxious for the welfare and prosperity and
tranquillity of Spain. It cannot be otherwise.

Palmerston dislikes Aberdeen and has a low opinion
of him. He thinks him weak and timid, and likely to
let down the character and influence of the country.
Your Majesty knows that Lord Melbourne does not
partake these opinions, certainly not at least to
anything like the extent to which Palmerston carries
them.

Lord Melbourne is going down to Panshanger
to-morrow, where he understands that he is to meet
Lord and Lady Lansdowne and Lord and Lady
Leveson.1 Lord Melbourne will take care and say
nothing about Brighton, but is glad to hear that
your Majesty is going thither.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 18th January 1842.

MY DEAR UNCLE, — Not to miss my day, I write
a line to thank you for your kind letters of the 10th
and 13th, but shall write fully by the messenger.
Our Claremont trip was very enjoyable, only we

1 The late Lord Granville and his first wife, only child of the Due de Dalberg,
and widow of Sir Ferdinand Acton.

472 THE DUKE AND THE CHRISTENING [CHAP, xi

missed Pussy so much ; another time we shall take
her with us ; the dear child was so pleased to see us
again, particularly dear Albert, whom she is so fond of.
... We think of going to Brighton early in February,
as the physicians think it will do the children great
good, and perhaps it may me; for I am very strong
as to fatigue and exertion, but not quite right other-
wise ; I am growing thinner, and there is a want of
tone, which the sea may correct.

Albert's great fonction l yesterday went off beauti-
fully, and he was so much admired in all ways ; he
always fascinates the people wherever he goes, by his
very modest and unostentatious yet dignified ways.
He only came back at twelve last night ; it was very
kind of him to come. The King of Prussia means,
I believe, to cross on the 20th. Now addio. Ever
your most affectionate Niece, VICTORIA R.

The Duke of Wellington to Queen Victoria.

LONDON, 21st January 1842.

Field-Marshal the Duke of Wellington presents his
humble duty to your Majesty. He is much flattered
by your Majesty's most gracious desire that he should
bear the Sword of State at the ceremony of the
christening of His Royal Highness the Prince of
Wales.

He had already received from Sir Robert Peel an
intimation of your Majesty's gracious pleasure on this
subject. He is in such good health, as to be able to
perform any duty upon which your Majesty may
think proper to employ him ; and he will attend your
Majesty's gracious ceremony at Windsor Castle on
Tuesday morning, the 25th Jan. inst.

All of which is humbly submitted to your Majesty
by your Majesty's most dutiful, and devoted Subject
and Servant, WELLINGTON.

1 The Prince laid the foundation stone of the new Royal Exchange^ ,

1842] LORD MELBOURNE ILL 473

Queen Victoria to Viscount Melbourne.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 22»d January 1842.

The Queen cannot say how grieved she is, and the
Prince also, at hearing of Lord Melbourne's serious
indisposition, by his letter this morning. How very
provoking if he cannot come on Tuesday ! It will be
the only important ceremony during the Queen's reign
which Lord Melbourne has not been present at, and it
grieves her deeply. It was already a deep mortification
not to see him in his old place, but not to see him at all
is too provoking. If Lord Melbourne should soon get
well we shall hope to see him later during the King's *
stay. The Prince is gone to Greenwich to meet the
King, and I expect them about five o'clock.

The Queen hopes to hear soon of Lord Melbourne's
being better and expresses again her very sincere regret
at his being prevented from coming.

The Earl of Aberdeen to Queen Victoria.

28th January 1842.

Lord Aberdeen presents his most humble duty to
your Majesty. Some time ago, your Majesty was
graciously pleased to express a desire to have a copy of
•the Treaty concluded by your Majesty with the Four
Great Powers of Europe, for the more effectual
suppression of the Slave Trade.2 Lord Aberdeen has
had one prepared for your Majesty's use, which he
humbly begs to lay before your Majesty.

In obeying your Majesty's commands, Lord
Aberdeen thinks it his duty, at the same time, to
state to your Majesty that, with the exception of
some alterations and additions of little importance,
the Treaty in its present form had existed for a con-
siderable time in the Foreign Office. He found, also,
that there had been a reluctance to sign it on the
part of the French Government ; but as the objection
was chiefly of a personal nature, it was speedily
removed. The only share, therefore, which Lord

* Frederick William IV., King of Prussia.

* The treaty conferred a mutual right of search.

474- A FAVOURITE DOG [CHAP, a

Aberdeen can properly be said to have had in this
transaction is that of having been enabled to afford
your Majesty the great satisfaction of completing
this blessed work at an earlier period than would
otherwise have been the case.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, 1st February 1842.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and has to thank your Majesty for the letters
of the 28th and the 31st ult., the last of which he
received this morning.

Lord Melbourne is very glad that your Majesty
opens the Parliament in person. Your Majesty knows
Lord Melbourne's opinion, that it ought always to be
done, when it can be without reference to Ministers,
politics, or political questions. Lord Melbourne hopes
to be able to go to the House in the evening, but he
fears that it would be too much for him if he were
to attempt to attend also in the morning.

Lord Melbourne was in despair at hearing of poor
Eos.1 Favourites often get shot ; Lord Melbourne
has known it happen often in his time. That is
the worst of dogs, they add another strong interest
to a life which has already of itself interest enough,
and those, God knows ! sufficiently subject both to
accident and decay.

Lord Melbourne is sorry to do anything that
could trouble your Majesty in the slightest de-
gree, but he doubts not that your Majesty is already
aware of the matter, and therefore he has less scruple
in sending to your Majesty a letter2 which he has
received from the Duke of Sussex. Upon the plea
of not being well, Lord Melbourne has put off seeing
the Duke upon this subject until after Monday next,
and when he does see him, he will try to keep him
quiet, which your Majesty knows, when he has got
a thing of this sort into his head, is no easy matter.

1 A favourite greyhound of the Prince, accidentally shot by Prince
Ferdinand. Vide King Leopold's letter, 4th February.
54 This letter is not preserved among the Queen's papers.

1842] THE KING OF PRUSSIA 475

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 1st February 1842.

My DEAR UNCLE, — 1 have to thank you for a
kind, short note of the 27th inst., which I received
on Sunday. I gave your kind message to the King
of Prussia, who was much touche by it. He is a most
amiable man, so kind and well-meaning, and seems
so much beloved. He is so amusing too. He is very
anxious that Belgium should become liee with Germany,
and I think, dearest Uncle, that it would be for the
real good of Belgium if it could be so. You will
have heard how perfectly and splendidly everything
went off on the 25th. Nothing could have done
better, and little Albert (what a pleasure that he has
that dearest name ! ) behaved so well. The King left us
yesterday morning to go to town, where we follow him
to-morrow ; he was quite sad to leave Windsor, which
he admired so much. He dined with the Sutherlands
yesterday, and dines with the Duke of Wellington to-
day, and the Cambridges to-morrow. On Thursday he
dines with us (he lodges in Buckingham Palace), and
on Friday takes his departure. He is really a most
agreeable visitor, though I must own that I am some-
what knocked up by our great exertions.

Uncle Ferdinand is very well, and we are delighted
with dear Leopold ; 1 he is so much improved, and is
such a modest, sensible boy.

I can't say much for poor Gusti,2 though I love
him, but he is really too odd and inanimate. I hope
Louise will see the King of Prussia. You have heard
our great misfortune about dear Eos ; she is going on
well, but slowly, and still makes us rather anxious.
It made me quite ill the first day, and keeps me
fidgety still, till we know that she is quite safe.
Ever your devoted Niece, VICTORIA R.

We were grieved to hear Papa had been so ill.

1 Son of Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg, and brother of the King of
Portugal, afterwards a candidate for the khand of Queen Isabella of Spain.
See post, p. 609.

2 Prince Augustus, afterwards married to the Princess Clementine,
daughter of King Louis Philippe.

476 THE KING OF PRUSSIA IN BELGIUM [CHAP. «

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

LAEKEN, 4<A February 1842.

My DEAR VICTORIA, — Thousand thanks for your
kind letter of the 1st, which I received yesterday.

The King of Prussia is a very delightful person ; *
he is so clever and amiable, and, owing to his good-
nature, not by any means fatiguing. I fear you had
cold weather yesterday for the opening of Parliament.
To-day we have here a tremendous fog ; Heaven grant
that it may not be so heavy on the Thames ! else the
King's journey will be rendered difficult.

We expect him to-morrow about eleven o'clock ; he
wishes to be at Antwerp at five, which would indicate
his departure from hence at three o'clock. There can
be no doubt that nothing could be better than to link
this country as much as possible to Germany. The
public feeling was and is still favourable to this, but
in Germany some years ago they were childishly ultra,
and kicked us off most unnecessarily, which renders
everything of the sort now much less easy. In a
political point of view the King's journey will prove
useful, as it takes him still more out of the clutches
of Russia and gives him more correct views of what
is going on in the West of Europe.

I wish the King may also talk to his helter-skelter
cousin in Holland ; if the man goes on in his wild
intrigues, though he will get most probably nothing
by it himself, he may do a great deal of harm, and
may force us to incline more towards France for fear
of his intrigues with France.

I was extremely sorry to hear the accident which
befell dear Eos, a great friend of mine. I do not
understand how your uncle managed it ; he ought
rather to have shot somebody else of the family.

1 Lord Aberdeen wrote to Madame de Lieven : " I passed a great deal of
time with the King of Prussia when he was in this country, and perfectly sub-
scribe to the truth of the description you gave me of him before his arrival —
intelligent, high-minded, and sincere. Like all Germans, he is sometimes
a little in the clouds, but his projects are generous, and he wishes to do
what is right"

1842] MARRIAGE OF PRINCE ERNEST 477

Ernest has then been going on fast enough ; all I
hear of the lady is very satisfactory.1 I don't yet know
when he means to come here.

Now I must conclude in haste. Ever, my dear
Victoria, your affectionate Uncle, LEOPOLD R.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 8th February 1842.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — I thank you de tout mon
cceur for your kind letter of the 4th, which I received
the day before yesterday. You have now seen our
good, kind, amiable King of Prussia, for whom I have
really the greatest affection and respect. We were
quite sorry to lose him, and he was much affected at
going. He is so open and natural, and seems really so
anxious to do good whenever he can. His liberality
and generosity here has been immense. He is very
much displeased with his " helter-skelter cousin," 2 and
quite unhappy at the state of things in that country. . . .

Ernest's marriage is a great, great delight to us ;
thank God ! I say, as I so ardently wished it, and Alex-
andrina is said to be really so perfect. I have begged
Ernest beforehand to pass his honeymoon with us, and
I beg you to urge him to do it ; for he witnessed our
first happiness, and we must therefore witness his.

Leopold is a dear, sweet boy, really, so full of
feeling, and so very good-tempered and modest ; the
King was charmed with him and he with the King. I
am happy to say faithful Eos is quite convalescent ; she
walks about wrapped up in flannel.

We are off for Brighton the day after to-morrow, I
can't say I like it at all. We were, and the boy too, all
three, vaccinated from the same child yesterday ! Now
adieu ! Ever your devoted Niece, VICTORIA R.

Fanny Jocelyn is taking her first waiting, and
makes a most excellent and sedate Dame dHonneur.
I am sorry she is so very thin still.

1 He married the Grand Duchess Alexandrina of Baden on 3rd May
1842.

a The King of Holland. Vide King Leopold's letter of 4th February.

478 CHRISTENING OF PRINCE OF WALES [CHAP, xi
Queen Adelaide to Queen Victoria.

MARLBOROUGH HOUSE, 5th February 1842.

MY DEAR NIECE, — I thank you a thousand times
for your kind letter, just received, and am delighted with
the hope of seeing you, if you have time to spare, when
you come to town next week. I hardly dare to expect
it, but it will make me very happy should you be able
to fulfil your kind intention.

I was happy to hear how well the holy ceremony
went off on Tuesday, and how splendid the whole was.
The earnest attention of the King of Prussia to the
ceremony, and the manner with which he read the
responses, was universally remarked and admired. May
your dear child, our beloved Prince of Wales, follow
his pious example in future, and become as truly
estimable and amiable and good as his Godfather really
is. He is indeed most charming, and so very agreeable
and affable to everyone, that he must be loved and
respected by all who have the good fortune to approach
him. I hope he does not over-fatigue himself, for
he does a great deal in the short time of his stay in
England. He expresses himself delighted with his
reception.

I regret to find that your dear little girl is still
suffering so much from her teeth. God bless and
guard her and her brother ! — who by all descriptions
must be a very fine babe. The King of Prussia
admires little Victoria v cry much ; he described her
to me as the most lovely child he ever saw.

I enclose the impression of my seal, according to
your wish. . . .

With my best love to dear Albert, I beg you to
believe me ever, dearest Victoria, your most attached
and devoted Aunt, ADELAIDE.

May I ask you to give my affectionate respects to
the King of Prussia, and my love to your Mamma ?

THE CORN LAWS 479

Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria.

WHITEHALL, Monday night (half-past 1 A.M.)
February.

Sir Robert Peel, with his humble duty to your
Majesty, begs leave to acquaint your Majesty that Lord
John Russell proposed this evening in the House of
Commons a resolution condemnatory of the principle
of the plan for the adjustment of the Corn Laws
brought forward by your Majesty's servants.

Lord John Russell was followed in the debate by Mr.
Gladstone, the Vice- President of the 'Board of Trade,
who vindicated the plan. ...

Sir Robert Peel had a meeting yesterday of the
friends of the Government in the House of Commons,
and he is convinced that although many may have
wished that the plan of the Government had given an
increased degree of protection to agriculture, the great
body will support the measure, and that we shall have
no difficulty in resisting any detached efforts that may
be made to add to the duties on foreign corn.

Sir Robert Peel to the Prince Albert.

WHITEHALL, 15th February (?) 1842. '

SIR, — When I had the honour of last seeing your
Royal Highness at Windsor Castle, I stated to your
Royal Highness that it would give me great satisfac-
tion to have the opportunity from time to time of
apprising your Royal Highness of the legislative
measures in contemplation of Her Majesty's servants,
and of explaining in detail any matters in respect
to which your Royal Highness might wish for
information.

In conformity with this feeling on my part, I take
the liberty of sending to your Royal Highness two
confidential Memoranda prepared for the information
of Her Majesty's servants on the important subjects
respectively of the state of Slavery in the East Indies,
and of the Poor Laws in this country.

480 FREE TRADE [CHAP, n

They may probably be interesting to your Royal
Highness, and if your Royal Highness should encour-
age me to do so, I will, as occasion may arise, make
similar communications to your Royal Highness. I
have the honour to be, Sir, with sincere respect,
your Royal Highness's most faithful and humble
Servant, ROBERT PEEL.

P. S. — I do not think that the measure which I
have brought forward for the diminution of the duties
on the import of foreign corn, will deprive us of any
portion of the support or good-will of our friends.
Many wish that the reduction had not been carried
so far, but almost all are aware of the consequences of
rejecting or obstructing the measure.

Lord Fitzgerald and Vesci to Queen Victoria.

INDIA BOARD, 1st March 1842.

Lord Fitzgerald, with his most humble duty to
your Majesty, requests permission humbly to submit
to your Majesty, that the communications received
yesterday at the India House present a dark and
alarming picture of the position and danger of the
British troops in Afghanistan.1

Although the Governor-General's despatch announc-
ing these melancholy tidings also states that no strictly
official intelligence had reached him from Cabul, yet
the opinion of Lord Auckland evidently is, that the
reports on which his despatch is founded are but too
likely to be true.

From them it would appear that a numerous and
excited native population had succeeded in intercepting
all supplies, that the army at Cabul laboured under
severe privations, and that in consequence of the strict
investment of the cantonments by the enemy there
remained, according to a letter from the late Sir William
Macnaghten to an officer with Sir Robert Sale's force,
only three days' provision in the camp.

Under such circumstances it can perhaps be but

1 See Introductory Note, ante, pp. 320, 465.

1842] THE TIDINGS FROM CABUL 481

faintly hoped that any degree of gallantry and devotion
on the part of your Majesty's forces can have
extricated them from the difficulties by which they
were encompassed on every side.

Capitulation had been spoken of, and it may,
unhappily, have become inevitable, as the relieving
column, expected from Candahar, had been compelled
by the severity of an unusual season to retrace its
march.

The despatches from Calcutta being voluminous,
and embracing minute unofficial reports, Lord Fitz-
gerald has extracted and copied those parts which
relate to the military operations in Afghanistan, and
most humbly submits them to your Majesty.

He at the same time solicits permission to annex
a precis of some of the most important of the private
letters which have been forwarded from India ; and,
as your Majesty was graciously pleased to peruse with
interest some passages from the first journal of Lady
Sale, Lord Fitzgerald ventures to add the further
extracts, transmitted by Lord Auckland, in which
Lady Sale describes successive actions with the enemy,
and paints the state of the sufferings of the army, as
late as the 9th of December.

Nothing contained in any of these communications
encourages the hope of Sir Alexander Burnes's safety.
In one letter the death of an individual is mentioned,
who is described as the assassin of that lamented
officer.

All of which is most humbly submitted to your
Majesty by your Majesty's most dutiful Subject and
Servant, FITZGERALD AND VESCI.

Queen Victoria to Viscount Melbourne.

PAVILION, 4th March 1842.

The Queen thanks Lord Melbourne for his kind
letter, received the day before yesterday, by which

VOL. i. — 31

482 A MARINE EXCURSION [CHAP, xi

she is glad to see he is well, and Fanny got safe to
Dublin.

Our excursion was most successful and gratifying. It
rained very much all Monday evening at Portsmouth,
but, nevertheless, we visited the St Vincent, and the
Royal George yacht, and the Prince went all over the
Dockyards.

It stormed and rained all night, and rained when we
set off on board the Black Eagle (the Firebrand that
was) for Spithead on Tuesday morning ; it, however,
got quite fine when we got there, and we went on
board the Queen, and a glorious sight it was ; she is a
magnificent ship, so wide and roomy, and though only
just commissioned, in the best order. With marines,
etc., her crew is near upon a thousand men ! We saw
the men at dinner, and tasted the grog and soup, which
pleased them very much. Old Sir Edward Owen is
very proud of her.

It was a great pleasure for the Queen to be at sea
again, and not a creature thought even of being sick.
The saluting of all those great ships in the harbour
at once, as we came out and returned, has a splendid
effect.

The Queen was also much pleased at seeing four of
the crew of the Emerald again whom she knew so well
nine years ago ! The Prince was delighted with all he
saw, as were also our Uncle and Cousins ; these last, we
are sorry to say, leave us on Monday, — and we go up to
Town on Tuesday, where the Queen hopes to see Lord
Melbourne soon.

The Queen sends Lord Melbourne a letter from the
Queen of Portugal, all which tends to show how wrong
it is to think that they connive at the restoration of the
Charter. . . .

Lady Dunmore is in Waiting, and makes an
excellent Lady-in- Waiting. Lord Hardwicke the
Queen likes very much, he seems so straightforward.
He took the greatest care of the Queen when on
board ship.

1842] OUR WOODEN WALLS 483

Was not his father drowned at Spithead or Ports-
mouth ? l

The Queen hopes to hear that Lord Melbourne is
very well.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

PAVILION, 7th March 1842.

MY DEAR UNCLE, — As I wrote you so long a letter
yesterday, I shall only write you a few lines to-day, to
thank you for your kind letter of the 4th, received
yesterday. Our dear Uncle and dear Cousins have
just left us, and we are very sorry to see them go ; for
the longer one is together the more intimate one gets,
and they were quite become as belonging to us, and
were so quiet and unassuming, that we shall miss
them much, particularly dear Leopold, whom poor
Uncle Ferdinand recommended to my especial care,
and therefore am really very anxious that we should
settle something for his future. Uncle Ferdinand
likes the idea of his passing some time at Brussels,
and some time here, very much, and I hope we may
be able to settle that. Uncle and Cousins were sorry
to go.

You will have heard how well our Portsmouth
expedition went off; the sea was quite smooth on
Tuesday, and we had a delightful visit to the Queen,
which is a splendid ship. I think it is in these
immense wooden walls that our real greatness exists,
and I am proud to think that no other nation can
equal us in this. . . .

Now addio ! Ever your most affectionate Niece,

VICTORIA R.

1 " His father, Sir Joseph Yorke," Lord Melbourne replied, " was
drowned in the Southampton River, off Netley Abbey, when sailing for
pleasure. The boat was supposed to have been struck by lightning. His
cousin, Lord Royston, was drowned in the year 1807 in the Baltic, at Cron-
stadt " [according to Burke in 1808, off Liibeck, (et. twenty-three], " which
event, together with the death of two younger sons of Lord Hardwicke, gave
the earldom ultimately to the present Lord."

484 THE FALL OF CABUL [CHAP, xi

Lord Fitzgerald and Vesci to Queen Victoria.

Wlh March 1842.

Lord Fitzgerald, with his most humble duty to
your Majesty, begs leave most humbly and with deep
sorrow to lay before your Majesty reports which he
has only within this hour received.

They are to be found in a despatch from the
Governor and Council of Bombay, and unhappily
confirm, to an appalling degree, the disastrous intelli-
gence from Afghanistan. The commercial expresses,
which reached London yesterday, gave to the public
some of the details of the fall of Cabul ; and Lord
Fitzgerald laments that it is his painful duty most
humbly to inform your Majesty that the despatches
just arrived confirm to their full extent the particulars
of Sir William Macnagh ten's fate, and of the fate of
that remnant of gallant men who, on the faith of a
capitulation, had evacuated that cantonment which
they had defended with unavailing courage.

In addition to the despatch from the Council of
Bombay, Lord Fitzgerald humbly ventures to submit
to your Majesty a letter addressed to him by Mr
Anderson, the Acting-Governor of that Presidency,
with further details of these melancholy events.

The despatches from the Governor-General of India
come down to the date of the 22nd of January (three
days previous to the tragical death of Sir William
Macnagh ten). Lord Auckland was then uninformed
of the actual state of the force in Cabul, though not
unprepared for severe reverses.

Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria.

WHITEHALL, <20th March 1842

Sir Robert Peel presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and will take an opportunity to-morrow of
ascertaining your Majesty's pleasure with respect to
the remaining Garter which still remains undisposed
of, as your Majesty may probably think it advisable

1842] CANDIDATES FOR THE GARTER 485

that the Investiture of all the Knights selected for the
vacant Garters should take place at the same time.

Sir Robert Peel humbly represents to your Majesty
that those Peers who may severally be considered
from their rank and station candidates for this high
distinction, have behaved very well in respect to it, as
since Sir Robert Peel has had the honour of serving
your Majesty he has never received, excepting in the
cases of the Duke of Buckingham and recently of
Lord Cardigan, a direct application on the subject of
the Garter.

Of those who from their position and rank in
the Peerage, and from the Garter having been hereto-
fore conferred on their ancestors or relations, may
be regarded as competitors, the principal appear to
Sir Robert Peel to be the following : —

The Duke of Cleveland

The Duke of Montrose

The Marquis of Hertford

The Marquis of Bute

The Marquis of Abercorn

The Marquis Camden

The Marquis of Londonderry.

Sir Robert Peel names all, without meaning to
imply that the pretensions of all are very valid ones.
He would humbly represent for your Majesty's con-
sideration, whether on account of rank, fortune and
general character and station in the country, the claims
of the Duke of Cleveland do not upon the whole
predominate.1

His Grace is very much mortified and disappointed
at Sir Robert Peel's having humbly advised your
Majesty to apply the general rule against the son's
succeeding the father immediately in the Lieutenancy
of a county to his case in reference to his county
of Durham.

Sir Robert Peel thinks it better to write to your
Majesty upon this subject, as your Majesty may wish
to have an opportunity of considering it.

1 The Garter was conferred on the Duke of Cleveland.

486 THE EARL OF MUNSTER [CHAP, xi

Viseount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, 2lst March 1842.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. A letter from Charles Fox to Lady Holland,
and which she has sent to me, informs me of the
shocking end of Munster,1 which your Majesty will
have heard long before you receive this. Charles Fox
attributes it entirely to the vexatious and uneasy life
which he led with Lady Munster, but he was always,
as your Majesty knows, an unhappy and discontented
man, and there is something in that unfortunate
condition of illegitimacy which seems to distort the
mind and feelings and render them incapable of
justice or contentment.

It is not impossible that upon this event application
may be made to your Majesty for the continuance of
the pension upon the Privy Purse to his son. As
Lord Melbourne advised your Majesty to continue
these pensions upon the late King's death, perhaps
it may not be improper that he should now say that
it is his strong opinion that they should not be
continued further. There is no reason for it. They
are not very rich, but neither are very poor, and they
have very opulent connections and relations. It
appears to me that the first opportunity should be
taken to show that it is not your Majesty's intention
to charge the Crown with the maintenance and
support of all these families, which will otherwise
be the case. Lord Melbourne thinks it not improper
to mention this matter thus early, as otherwise the
[compassionate] feelings naturally raised by such an
event might lead to a different determination.

There is another matter mentioned in your
Majesty's letter, relating to money, which is of con-
siderable importance, and that is the determination
taken by your Majesty to subject your own provision
to the proposed duty on income.. When it was put

1 The Earl of Munster, son of William IV. and Mrs. Jordan, shot himself
20th March. His wife was a daughter of the Earl of Egremout.

1842] THE QUEEN AND THE INCOME TAX 487

to your Majesty Lord Melbourne is disposed to think
that your Majesty's determination 1 was right, and it
certainly will be very popular, which in the present
circumstances of the country and state of public
feelings is a great advantage. At the same time it
is giving up a principle of the Constitution, which
has hitherto exempted the Sovereign from all direct
taxation, and there are very great doubts entertained
whether the announcement to Parliament of the
intention was not in a constitutional point of view
objectionable, inasmuch as it pronounced the opinion
of the Crown upon a tax which was still under
discussion. It is also a great pecuniary sacrifice, and,
as your Majesty says, together with the loss of the
Duchy of Cornwall and other revenues will make a
great change in your Majesty's pecuniary circum-
stances. These defalcations can only be repaired by
care and economy. Your Majesty has all the most
right feelings and the best judgment about money,
and Lord Melbourne has no doubt that your Majesty
will so act as to avoid pecuniary embarrassment — the
only difficulty which Lord Melbourne fears for your
Majesty, and the only contingency which could involve
your Majesty in serious personal inconvenience.

Lord Melbourne thanks your Majesty much for
the kindness of your letter. . . .

Everybody says that the marriage between Miss
Stuart and Lord Waterford2 is likely to take place.
It is said that he would do almost anything rather
than go to St Petersburg. Lord Melbourne has not
seen Lord Waterford, but he is said to be very good-
looking ; we know him to be rich and of high rank,
and, after all, that sort of character is not disliked
by all ladies. Perhaps also she counts upon the
effect of her influence to soften, to tranquillise, and
to restrain.

Lord Melbourne hears a very bad account of Lord
Anglesey's affairs. His case is a hard one, for these

1 The Queen had decided that she would herself pay Income Tax.
3 Henry, third Marquis, and Louisa, second daughter of Lord Stuart de
Rothesay, were married on 8th June.

488 LAMBETH PALACE [CHAP xi

pecuniary difficulties are owing to the extravagance of
others, and by no means to his own. Lord Melbourne
saw Uxbridge and Ellen at Lady Palmerston's on
Saturday evening. The latter seemed in good spirits,
and said that she did not mean to shut herself up
too closely in Hertfordshire.

Lord Melbourne thought that your Majesty would
be pleased with Lambeth. The view from the great
window in the drawing-room over the river, and to
the Houses of Parliament and the Abbey, is very
fine indeed, but like all London views can rarely be
seen in consequence of the foggy atmosphere. . . .

No doubt your Majesty and His Royal Highness
must be anxious for a little quiet and repose, which
Lord Melbourne hopes that your Majesty will enjoy.
Lord Melbourne had feared that your Majesty's health
was not quite so good as it appeared. . . . Lord
Melbourne concludes this very long letter with the
most fervent expression of his most sincere wishes
for your Majesty's health and happiness.

Lord Melbourne in speaking of poor Lord Munster
forgot to mention that at the Levee on Wednesday
last he followed Lord Melbourne down the long gallery
as he was going away, came up to him with great
emotion of manner, pressed his hand warmly, and
said that he wished to take the earliest opportunity
of thanking Lord Melbourne for all the kindness he
had shown him whilst he had been in office.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

PANSHANGER, 3lst March 1842.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. He is much rejoiced to learn that your
Majesty has had fine weather and has enjoyed it. It
rained here hard yesterday in the morning, but cleared
up about half-past twelve and was very fine indeed.
Lord Melbourne went over to Brocket Hall and enjoyed
it much. He does not intend to return to London
until Monday next, when the House of Lords

1842] SALE AT STRAWBERRY HILL 489

reassembles. It is to be hoped that we shall then
soon have the Corn Bill up from the Commons and
pass it. The Income Tax will give some trouble, but
that done, and the Poor Law Bill, the end of the
Session may begin to be looked forward to.

The sale at Strawberry Hill1 naturally excites
interest, and things are not unlikely to be sold high.
The collection has after all been kept together, and
the place has remained in the family of his niece, 2 the
Duchess of Gloucester, to whom he bequeathed it,
longer than he himself expected. He says in one of
his letters that he would send a statue down to Linton,
Sir Horace Mann's place in Kent, because there it had
a better chance of remaining permanently, " for as to
this poor bauble of a place," he adds, " it will be knocked
to pieces in a very few years after my decease." It
has stood, however, and remained five-and-forty years,
a longer period than he had anticipated. Some of
the works, such as the bell by Benvenuto Cellini, and
the antique Eagle, are very fine ; others are only
curious. Lord Melbourne would not give much
money for a mere curiosity, unless there were also
some intrinsic merits or beauty. What is the value
of Cardinal Wolsey's cap for instance ? It was not
different from that of any other Cardinal, and a
Cardinal's cap is no great wonder.

Lord Melbourne returns Lord Munster's letter. It
is without date, but was evidently written in con-
templation of the dreadful act which he afterwards
perpetrated. It is very melancholy. Lord Melbourne
was certain that your Majesty would send to Lord
Adolphus3 the assurance which you have done, and
that you would be anxious to assist his children, and
promote their interests by every means in your power.

1 Near Twickenham, formerly the residence of Horace Walpole, and filled
with his collection of pictures and objets de vertu.

2 The Duke of Gloucester, brother of George III., married in 1766 Maria,
Countess-Dowager Waldegrave, illegitimate daughter of Sir Edward Walpole,
and niece of Horace Walpole. This, and the Duke of Cumberland's marriage in
1771 to Lady Anne Horton, occasioned the passing of the Royal Marriages Act.

8 Lord Adolphus FitzClarence (1802-1856), a Rear-Admiral, brother of
the Earl of Munster.

490 SELECTION OF A GOVERNESS [CHAP, xi

But both their brothers and they must be made sensible
that they must make some effort for themselves.

Lord Melbourne is very glad to learn that your
Majesty intends to offer the Round Tower1 to the
Duke of Sussex. It is in every respect kind. It
will be of essential service to him, and it will gratify
him most exceedingly.

Lord Melbourne thinks that your Majesty's decision
respecting the Governess 2 is right. It should be a lady
of rank ; but that she should be a woman of sense and
discretion, and capable of fulfilling the duties of the
office, is of more importance than whether she is a
Duchess, a Marchioness, or a Countess. The selection
is difficult, but if your Majesty can find a person,
it would not be well to consider either high or low
rank as a disqualification.

Lord Melbourne intends to take advantage of his
freedom from the restraints of office in order to see
a little of the bloom of spring and summer, which he
has missed for so many years. He has got one or two
horses, which he likes well enough, and has begun
to ride again a little. Lord Melbourne wishes your
Majesty much of the same enjoyment, together with
all health, happiness and prosperity.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

BROCKET HALL, 6th April 1842.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and has this morning received your Majesty's
very kind and confidential letter, for which he greatly
thanks your Majesty. Your Majesty may depend upon
it that Lord Melbourne will do everything in his power to
discourage and restrain factious and vexatious opposition,
not only on account of your Majesty's wish, but because
he disapproves it as much as your Majesty can possibly
do. But everything in his power he fears is but little.
The leaders of a party, or those who are so called, have

1 The Earl of Munster had held the office of Governor and Constable
of Windsor Castle, with a salary of £1,000 a year.

* To the Royal children. Lady Lyttelton was ultimately appointed.

1842] PARTY POLITICS 491

but little sway over their followers, particularly when
not in Government and when they have it not in their
power to threaten them with any very serious conse-
quences, such as the dissolution of the Administration.
Mr Pulteney, afterwards Earl of Bath, is reported to
have said that political parties were like snakes, guided
not by their heads, but by their tails. Lord Melbourne
does not know whether this is true of the snake, but
it is certainly so of the party. The conduct of the
Opposition upon the resolution respecting the Income
Tax is rendered peculiarly ridiculous by the result.
They forcibly put it off until after the holidays, and then
upon the first day of the meeting they vote it without
a division. What is this but admitting that they
looked to a movement in the country which they have
not been able to create ? Moreover, all Oppositions that
Lord Melbourne has ever seen are more or less factious.
The Opposition of Mr Fox to Mr Pitt was the least so,
but these were great men, greater than any that exist
at the present day, although Lord Melbourne is by no
means inclined to depreciate his own times. The
factiousness of one Opposition naturally produces the
same in the next. They say, " They did so to us ; why
should we not do so to them ? " Your Majesty may
rest assured that Lord Melbourne will do everything
he can to prevent delay, and to accelerate the trans-
action of the public business.

Lord Melbourne sends a letter which he has
received this morning from the Duke of Sussex, and
which expresses very right and proper feelings. Lord
Melbourne has written in reply that, " Your Majesty
was no doubt influenced principally by your natural
affection for him, and by your sense of the generosity
of his conduct towards Lord Munster, but that if any
thought of Lord Melbourne intervened, your Majesty
could not have given a higher or a more acceptable
proof of your approbation and regard."

The Garters l seem to Lord Melbourne to be given

1 The recipients had been the King of Saxony, the Duke of Beaufort, the
Duke of Buckingham, the Marquess of Salisbury, the Duke of Cleveland.

492 THE GARTER [CHAP. M

well enough. Your Majesty's feelings upon the subject
are most kind and amiable. But these things cannot
be helped, and it is upon the whole advantageous that
each party should have their portion of patronage and
honours. If there is very distinguished service, the
Garter should be bestowed upon it. Otherwise, in
Lord Melbourne's opinion, it is better given to noble-
men of high rank and great property. The chapter in
Ecclesiasticus, read in St George's Chapel on Obiit
Sunday, well describes those who ought to have it,
with the exception of those " who find out musical
tunes." Lord Melbourne does not think it well given
to Ministers. It is always then subject to the imputa-
tion of their giving it to themselves, and pronouncing
an approbation of their own conduct.

Lord Melbourne hopes that the Pope's standing
sponsor for the young Prince of Portugal is a sign
of complete reconciliation with the See of Rome. It
is a very awkward thing for a Roman Catholic
Government to be at variance with the Pope. He
is still a very ugly customer.

Lord Melbourne is very much concerned to hear
of the Baron's l illness — very much indeed ; he is an
excellent and most valuable man, with one of the
soundest and coolest judgments that Lord Melbourne
has ever met with. Your Majesty knows that Lord
Melbourne has never had a favourable opinion of his
health. There seems to be about him a settled
weakness of the stomach, which is in fact the seat
of health, strength, thought and life. Lord Melbourne
sees that a great physician says that Napoleon lost
the battle of Leipsic in consequence of some very
greasy soup which he ate the day before, and which
clouded his judgment and obscured his perceptions.

Lord Melbourne is very glad to hear that your
Majesty has amused yourself so well in the country,
and is not surprised that you are unwilling to quit it.
He means himself to see a little of the coming in of
the spring, which he has not done for many years.

1 Baron Stockraar.

1842] A BRILLIANT BALL 493

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 19th April 1842.

DEAREST UNCLE, — I am so sorry to see by your
kind letter of the 15th that you are all so enrhumes,
but hear to-day from Vecto that Charlotte is quite
well again. I am quite bewildered with all the
arrangements for our bat costume, which I wish
you could see ; we are to be Edward III. and
Queen Philippa, and a great number of our Court
to be dressed like the people in those times, and
very correctly, so as to make a grand Aufzug; but
there is such asking, and so many silks and drawings and
crowns, and God knows what, to look at, that I, who
hate being troubled about dress, am quite confuse.

To get a little rest we mean to run down to
Claremont with the children from Friday to Monday.
My last ball was very splendid, and I have a con-
cert on Monday next. . . .

I hope Ernest and dear Alexandrine will come
in June, and stay some time quietly with us in the
country. I saw another beautiful letter of hers, so
well and sensibly and religiously written, it would
have pleased you. Now adieu ! Ever your devoted
Niece, VICTORIA R.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

SOITTH STREET, 20th April 1842.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and thanks your Majesty much for your letter
of the 17th inst. Lord Melbourne has been so much
occupied with the debates in the House of Lords
during the last two days, that he has ventured to put
off replying to your Majesty's letters, which he trusts
that your Majesty will excuse.

Lord Melbourne did not leave the ball until ten
minutes after one, and as there were so many persons
there, which Lord Melbourne thinks quite right and
was very glad to see, Lord Melbourne had little hope of
seeing your Majesty again, and therefore ventured to

494 THE PRINCE AND THE ARMY [CHAP. XI

take advantage of having ordered his carriage at half-
past twelve and of its having come at the time that it
was ordered. It was a very brilliant and very beautiful
and a very gay ball.

Lord Melbourne is very sorry to be obliged to
express his fear that your Majesty will prove more
in the right than he was about the duration of
Parliament. There will be much debate in the
Committee upon the details of the Income Tax,
and the discussions upon the Tariff of duties, which
affects so many interests, are likely to be very long
indeed. There is one good thing in the House of
Lords, and that is that it never much delays or
obstructs public business. . . .

As Lord Melbourne drove down the Park on
Saturday evening last to dine with his sister, he could
see clearly into your Majesty's room, so as to be able
to distinguish the pictures, tables, etc., the candles being
lighted and the curtains not drawn. Your Majesty
was just setting off for the Opera.

Queen Victoria to Sir Robert Peel.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 20th April 1842.

The Queen encloses the Prince's letter to Sir
Robert Peel, containing his acceptance of the Guards.
At the same time, both the Prince and Queen feel
much regret at the Prince's leaving the llth, which
is, if possible, enhanced by seeing the Regiment out
to-day which is in beautiful order. It was, besides,
the Regiment which escorted the Prince from Dover to
Canterbury on his arrival in England in February '40.
The Queen fears, indeed knows, that Lord Cardigan
will be deeply mortified at the Prince's leaving the
Regiment, and that it will have the effect of appearing
like another slight to him ; therefore, the Queen much
wishes that at some fit opportunity1 a mark of favour
should be bestowed upon him. . . .

The Queen hopes Sir Robert will think of this.

1 Lord Cardigan was promoted Major-General in 1847. He became
Inspector-General of Cavalry, and received the K.C.B. in 1855.

1842] LADY LYTTELTON'S APPOINTMENT 495

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, 26th April 1842.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and acknowledges with many thanks your
Majesty's letter of the 24th inst., which he received
yesterday morning. Lord Melbourne learns with the
greatest satisfaction that Lady Lyttelton has under-
taken the important and interesting charge, for which
she is so well fitted. Lord Melbourne is most sincerely
of opinion that no other person so well qualified could
have been selected. Lord Melbourne will keep the
matter strictly secret ; he has not yet mentioned it to
anyone, nor has he heard it mentioned by any other
person, which, as it must be known to some, rather
surprises him. Unreserved approbation cannot be
expected for anything, but when it is known, Lord
Melbourne anticipates that it will meet with as general
an assent as could be anticipated for a choice in which
all the community will take, and indeed have, so deep
an interest.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

BROCKET HALL, 15th May 1842.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. He is very sorry indeed, and entreats your
Majesty's pardon for his great omission on Monday
evening. He was never told that he was to pass
before your Majesty at the beginning ; at the same
time he admits that it was a blundering piece of
stupidity not to find this out of himself. After this
he never saw the glimmer of a chance of being able
to get near to your Majesty.

Lord Melbourne wonders much who could have
whispered to your Majesty that he felt or expressed
anything but the most unqualified admiration of the
ball, which was the most magnificent and beautiful
spectacle that he ever beheld. Lord Melbourne also
believes it to be very popular, for the reasons which
your Majesty mentions.

496 GOETHE AND SCHILLER [CHAP. M

Your Majesty having generally chosen handsome
and attractive girls for the Maids of Honour, which is
very right, must expect to lose them in this way. Lord
Melbourne is very glad of the marriage. JLord Emlyn l
always seemed to him a very pleasing young man,
and well calculated to make a woman happy.

Lord Melbourne felt quite sure that there had been
a mistake about Ben Stanley, which was the reason
that he mentioned his name. He is sorry that he has
made a fool of himself by writing. Having had so
much to do with invitations during the two last years,
he was not altogether unnaturally mortified to find
himself not invited there.2 Stanley is not a man to
whom Lord Melbourne is very partial, but we must
give every one his due. Lord Melbourne always
discourages to the utmost of his power the notion
of any one's having a right or claim to be asked,
which notion, however, has a strong possession of
the minds of people in general.

Lord Melbourne is come down here again, being
determined to see this spring thoroughly and com-
pletely. His feelings are like those, so beautifully
described by Schiller, of Max Piccolomini,3 when,
after a youth passed entirely in war, he for the first
time sees a country which has enjoyed the blessings of
peace. The Germans seem to Lord Melbourne gener-
ally to prefer Goethe to Schiller, a decision which
surprises him, although he feels that he has no right
to dictate to a people, of whose language he does not
understand a word, their judgment upon their own
authors. But the one, Schiller, seems to him to be
all truth, clearness, nature and beauty ; the other,
principally mysticism, obscurity, and unintelligibility.

Lord Melbourne intends to return on Wednesday,
and will have the honour and pleasure of waiting
upon your Majesty on Thursday.

1 The second Earl Cawdor, who married Miss Susan Mary Cavendish.

2 Edward John, afterwards second Lord Stanley of Alderley, was nicknamed
Ben, after "Sir Benjamin Backbite." He had mentioned to Lord Melbourne
that he was disappointed at not receiving an invitation to the Royal Ball.

8 In the Wallenstein Trilogy.

1842] MR EDWIN LANDSEER 497

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

LAEKEV, 20th May 1842.

MY DEAREST VICTORIA, — I found here yesterday
a very long and dear letter from your august hand,
which made me very happy. Your fete I believe to
have been most probably one of the most splendid
ever given. There is hardly a country where so much
magnificence exists ; Austria has some of the means, but
the Court is not elegant from its nature. We regret
sincerely not to have been able to witness it, and will
admire the exhibition of your splendid costume,

Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria.

WHITEHALL, 27th May 1842.

. . . Sir Robert Peel humbly submits his opinion
to your Majesty that Mr Landseer's eminence as an
artist would fully justify his having the honour of
Knighthood, and would not give any legitimate ground
of complaint to any other artist on account of a similar
distinction not being conferred on him.

Sir Robert Peel proposes therefore to write to
Mr Landseer on the subject, as your Majesty's opinion
appears to be in favour of his name appearing with the
others, should he wish for the distinction. . . .

Queen Victoria to Viscount Melbourne.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 28th May 1842.

The Queen is quite vexed at having been quite
unable to write to Lord Melbourne sooner, but we
have been so occupied that she could not. She was
so vexed too to have not had her head turned the
other way when she met him yesterday, but she was
looking at the Prince, her Uncle, and Cousins riding,
and only turned to see Lord Melbourne's groom whom
she instantly recognized, but too late, alas ! The Queen
spent a very merry happy birthday at dear old Clare-
mont, and we finished by dancing in the gallery. She
was grieved Lord Melbourne could not be there.

VOL. i. — 32

498 THE MENSDORFF FAMILY [CHAP. «

We have got our dear Uncle MensdorfF1 and his
four sons here which is a great happiness to us. Dear
Uncle (who Lord Melbourne is aware is a most dis-
tinguished officer) is a delightful and amiable old man,
and the sons were all so nice and amiable and kind and
good ; Lord Melbourne remembers seeing Alexander
here in 1839, and that the Queen was very partial to
him. The two eldest and the youngest — Hugo,
Alphonse, and Arthur — are all amiable, though none
near so good looking, but so very well brought up and
so unassuming. The second is very clever. And it is
quite beautiful to see the love the father has for his
sons, and vice versa — and the affection the four brothers
have for one another ; this is so rarely seen that it
does one's heart good to witness it. The Queen has
appointed the Duchess of Norfolk in Lady Lyttelton's
place, and intends appointing Lady Canning in Lady
Dalhousie's, who has resigned from ill-health.

Lady Lyttelton is established here in her new
office, and does everything admirably.

The Queen must conclude here as she has got so
much to do — hoping Lord Melbourne is well.

Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria.

WHITEHALL, 3\st May 1842.

Sir Robert Peel, with his humble duty to your
Majesty, begs leave to acquaint your Majesty, that he
has just seen Mr Landseer.

Mr Landseer repeated his expressions of deep and
sincere gratitude for the favour and kindness with
which your Majesty had contemplated his claims for
professional distinction, but appeared to retain the
impression that he had yet scarcely done enough to
entitle him to the honour which it was contemplated
to bestow upon him.

In the course of conversation he observed that he
was now occupied upon works of a more important
character than any that he had yet completed, and
mentioned particularly an equestrian portrait of your

1 See p. 126.

.<-. 7c ..^tt ec// ( ('etc rid

• from //;<• inuLuitiLf-r at . /rMicfujiaficun

1842] ATTACK ON THE QUEEN 499

Majesty. He said that when these works were finished,
and should they prove successful and meet with your
Majesty's approbation, he might feel himself better
entitled to receive a mark of your Majesty's favour.
As these were evidently his sincere impressions and
wishes, Sir Robert Peel forebore from pressing upon
him the immediate acceptance of the honour of
Knighthood.

Queen Victoria to The King of the Belgians.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 31st May 1842.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — I wish to be the first to
inform you of what happened yesterday evening, and
to tell you that we are saines et sauves. On returning
from the chapel on Sunday, Albert was observing
how civil the people were, and then suddenly turned
to me and said it appeared to him as though a man
had held out a pistol to the carriage, and that it had
hung fire ; accordingly, when we came home he
mentioned it to Colonel Arbuthnot, who was only to
tell it to Sir J. Graham and Sir Robert Peel, and
have the police instructed, and nobody else. No one,
however, who was with us, such as footmen, etc.,
had seen anything at all. Albert began to doubt
what he believed he had seen. Well, yesterday
morning (Monday) a lad came to Murray (who of
course knew nothing) and said that he saw a man
in the crowd as we came home from church, present
a pistol to the carriage, which, however, did not go
off, and heard the man say, " Fool that I was not to
fire ! " The man then vanished, and this boy followed
another man (an old man) up St James's Street
who repeated twice, " How very extraordinary ! " but
instead of saying anything to the police, asked the
boy for his direction and disappeared. The boy
accordingly was sent to Sir Robert Peel, and
(doubtful as it all still was) every precaution was
taken, still keeping the thing completely secret, not
a soul in the house knowing a word, and accordingly

500 THE ATTEMPT REPEATED [CHAP. «

after some consultation, as nothing could be done,
we drove out — many police then in plain clothes
being distributed in and about the parks, and the
two Equerries riding so close on each side- that they
must have been hit, if anybody had ; still the feeling
of looking out for such a man was not des plus
agr cables ; however, we drove through the parks, up
to Hampstead, and back again. All was so quiet
that we almost thought of nothing, — when, as we drove
down Constitution Hill, very fast, we heard the report
of a pistol, but not at all loud, so that had we not
been on the alert we should hardly have taken
notice of it. We saw the man seized by a police-
man, next to whom he was standing- when he fired,
but we did not stop. Colonel Arbuthnot and two
others saw him take aim, but we only heard the
report (looking both the other way). We felt both
very glad that our drive had had the effect of having
the man seized. Whether it was loaded or not we
cannot yet tell, but we are again full of gratitude to
Providence for invariably protecting- us ! The feeling
of horror is very great in the public, and great affec-
tion is shown us. The man was yesterday examined
at the Home Office, is called John Francis, is a
cabinet-maker, and son of a machine-maker of
Covent Garden Theatre, is good-looking (they say).
I have never seen him at all close, but Arbuthnot
gave the description of him from what he saw on
Sunday, which exactly answered. Only twenty or
twenty-one years old, and not the least mad — but
very cunning. The boy identified him this morning,
amongst many others. Everything is to be kept
secret this time, which is very right, and altogether
I think it is being well done. Every further particular
you shall hear. I was really not at all frightened,
and feel very proud at dear Uncle Mensdorff calling
me " sehr ??mthig," which I shall ever remember with
peculiar pride, coming from so distinguished an officer
as he is ! Thank God my Angel is also well ! but he
says that had the man fired on Sunday, he must have

1842] LETTER FROM QUEEN ADELAIDE 501

been hit in the head ! God is merciful ; that indeed we
must feel daily more ! Uncle and cousins were quite
horrified. . . . Ever your devoted Niece, VICTORIA R.
You will tell Louise all of course.

Queen Adelaide to Queen Victoria.

BUSHY HOUSE (Monday night), May 1842.

MY DEAR NIECE, — I must write a line to express
to you what I felt when I took up the newspapers
which informed me of what had happened yesterday.
Is it possible ? — can it be true ? was my first question.
However, the detailed accounts leave no doubt that
a pistol was pointed at you again, though not fired.
It is really shocking that such wretches exist who
dare tempt (sic) to alarm you — though in this instance
there was nothing alarming except the evil spirit which
inspired the boy.

How grateful must we not feel to our merciful God,
who protects you so visibly, and gives you courage and
confidence in Him, who is and ever will be your safest
guide and support. Trust in Him and you will not fail
to be well guided.

I hope it is true that you were not aware of what
had happened when you went to church, not to be
disturbed in your devotions, and that the account did
not agitate you.

Edward1 came yesterday from town, but he knew
nothing but that a pistol had been taken from a man
in the Park. We hardly believed the story till the
papers informed us of the truth. Pray say to dear
Albert what 1 feel for and with you both., and how I
thank God and pray that His merciful protection may
never fail you.

We are going to Frogmore to-morrow, and from
there shall drive in the Park and to St. George's Chapel.
I hope the weather will be as fine as it was to-day.
God bless and guard you ever and ever ! dearest
Victoria, prays your most devotedly attached Aunt,

ADELAIDE.

1 Prince Edward of Saxe- Weimar.

502 LETTER FROM LORD MELBOURNE [CHAP, xi

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, 1st June 1842.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. He was much shocked at learning, which
he did not do until six o'clock yesterday evening, the
event which took place on Monday. After what
took place on Sunday, it must have been a trial to
your Majesty's nerves, and still more to those of the
Prince, to go out on Monday ; but it appears to Lord
Melbourne that your Majesty judged quite correctly
in doing so. Lord Melbourne hardly knows what to
say of this repeated attempt. It is a depravity and
a malice as unintelligible as it is atrocious. Lord
Melbourne is at least as grateful as any one of your
Majesty's subjects, and the gratitude is universal and
fervent for your Majesty's safety.

Lord Melbourne had ridden over in the morning
to visit Lord and Lady Uxbridge in their rural
retirement, and upon his return to Brocket Hall,
about six o'clock, found the morning newspaper with
the accounts of what had happened. If they had
sent him down a messenger on Monday night, which
it would have been better to have done, he would have
been yesterday in his place in the House of Lords.

Lord Melbourne found Uxbridge enveloped in
parcels and boxes, which he was busy unpacking,
Lady Uxbridge reclining by the stream under the
shade of a plane-tree, and the two young ladies some-
what pensive. The place looked beautiful, but Lord
Melbourne fears that all its beauty will not be a com-
pensation to them for London at this time of the year.

•

Sir James Graham to Queen Victoria.

WHITEHALL, 1st June 1842.

Sir James Graham, with humble duty to your
Majesty, submits a copy of the Answer to the Address ;
and an alteration has been made in the Answer

1842] THE ADDRESS 503

which Sir James Graham hopes may render it con-
formable to the tender and generous feelings which
your Majesty has deigned to express with reference
to the Prince.

The two Houses of Parliament followed the exact
precedent which had been established in Oxford's
case; and although the life of the Prince, so dear
to your Majesty, is highly valued by all your loving
subjects, yet the crime of treason attaches only to
an attack on the sacred person of your Majesty ; and
the expressions used by Parliament with reference
to these atrocious crimes, when directed against the
Sovereign, are necessarily inapplicable to any other
person, and could not be used with propriety. Hence
the omission in the former case of all allusion to the
Prince ; and the silence of Parliament on the present
occasion is to be ascribed to the same cause — not to
any cold indifference, which the general feeling of
attachment to the Prince entirely forbids.

The above is humbly submitted by your Majesty's
dutiful Subject and Servant, J. R. G. GRAHAM.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 6th June 1842.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — I was sure of the kind
interest you would take in the event of the 29th and
30th. I am most thankful for your very kind, long
letter of the 3rd, which I received the day before
yesterday. I have so little time — as we are just
setting off for Ascot — that 1 can hardly write anything
to you. There seems no doubt whatever that Francis
is totally without accomplices, and ji mauvais sujet.
We shall be able probably to tell you more when we
see you. I am grieved that you have deferred your
visit again. We are then to expect your arrival
either on the Tuesday or Wednesday ? Very thankful
we should be soon to hear whom you bring with
you.

504 SUCCESSES IN AFGHANISTAN [CHAP, xi

Dear Uncle and the Cousins are delighted with
Windsor, and the weather is beautiful, only unfortu-
nately too hot to be pleasant. I rode on my little Barb
at a review of Cavalry at Wormwood Scrubbs on
Saturday, dont je suis bien fiere. Now adieu ! dearest
Uncle. In haste, your devoted Niece, VICTORIA R.

Lord Fitzgerald and Vesd to Queen Victoria.

INDIA BOARD, 7th June 1842.

Lord Fitzgerald, with his most humble duty to your
Majesty, humbly acquaints your Majesty that despatches
have been this day received from the Governor-General
and the several Presidencies of India.

They announce a signal victory, achieved by Sir
Robert Sale and his admirable garrison.1

The circumstances attending his glorious success,
and the consequences likely to result from it, are
amongst the most important of this hurtful war.

They are described in Sir Robert Sale's Report, as
published in the Bombay Gazette, a copy of which is
most humbly submitted to your Majesty.

The despatches further bring the gratifying in-
telligence that General Pollock had forced the
Khyber Pass, and, defeating the enemy on every
point, had surmounted the chief obstacles of that
dangerous defile.2

1 Sir R. Sale, who with his column had thrown himself into Jellalabad on
13th November 1841, and had heard Brydon's narrative, made a sortie on
7th April, and secured a great victory over Akbar Khan, whose force out-
numbered Sale's by five to one.

2 General Pollock, whom Auckland had selected for the command, and
who found everything in confusion on the frontier, swept the Khyber Pass
of the enemy, and joined Sale. The insurrection had spread to Candahar,
where General (afterwards Sir William) Nott, was in command with a force
of 10,000 men. He heard of Macnaghten's murder on 31st January, and,
like Sale, refused to follow the order received (under coercion, as he believed)
from Elphinstone to return to India. On the contrary, he ordered all
Afghans to leave Candahar, marched out himself and attacked and dispersed
the enemy, 12,000 strong ; while a flank movement made by the enemy on
the city was repulsed with great loss. General (afterwards Sir Richard)
England started from Quetta with reinforcements, but met with a reverse at
Haikalzai ; meanwhile also Colonel Palmer had had to make terms at
Ghuznee, and had to encounter treachery. Nott, who was badly in want of
money and ammunition for the troops, sent imperative orders to General
England to reinforce him, which he did early in May.

1842] SIR R. SALE AND GENERAL POLLOCK 505

The relief of the brave men under Sir Robert Sale,
to which their own gallantry and their late victory have
so mainly contributed, may now be regarded as certain
from the success of General Pollock's advance.

It is with regret that Lord Fitzgerald has to
add that the citadel of Ghuznee has surrendered on
the faith of a capitulation, perhaps already violated,
and that General England, who had marched with a
convoy of treasure, and other supplies for the Army
at Candahar, had been forced to retrace his steps,
and had arrived at Quetta.

At the same time, however, General Nott had
dispersed considerable assemblages of rebel tribes,
whom he had defeated with loss, while an attack
made during his absence on the city of Candahar
had been effectually repulsed by that portion of his
force which had been left for its defence.

The -Governor - General having proceeded in person
to the North - Western Provinces of Bengal, had
issued at Benares General Orders congratulating the
army on the return of victory to its ranks, and on
the fresh lustre thus added to your Majesty's Arms.

FITZGERALD AND VESCI.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, 10th June 1842.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. He has thought it better not to interrupt
your Majesty with letters during the bustle of the
last week, but he cannot omit to express to your
Majesty how much he was struck with the letter of
the 2nd inst. which he received, and how entirely he
concurs in the justice and propriety of your Majesty's
feelings and observations. Let us hope that we shall
have no more of these horrid attempts, which are
generated by the wild notions of the time, and by
the expectation, extravagant and unfounded, so
industriously inculcated into the public mind, of
advantages to be derived from change and confusion ;

506 DEBATE ON THE INCOME TAX [CHAP. M

Lord Melbourne anxiously hopes that the painful
impressions which such events are calculated to
produce upon your Majesty's mind, and which they
necessarily must produce, will pass away and that
nothing will happen to renew and revive them.

Lord Melbourne is happy to hear from Normanby
that everything passed off well and successfully at
Windsor and at Ascot. The last is always rather a
doubtful and disagreeable ordeal to pass through.

We should have got through the debate upon
the Income Tax this evening in the House of Lords,
if Lansdowne had not unfortunately this morning
had an access of gout in the hand, which prevented
him from attending, and obliged the debate to be
deferred. Lord Melbourne hopes that the resolution
which Lansdowne is to move1 is put in such a shape
as to vindicate our course, and at the same time not
to condemn that which has been adopted overmuch,
not to pledge us for the future. . . .

Lord Melbourne earnestly hopes that your Majesty
is well and not too much affected by the heat of this
weather, which does not suit Lord Melbourne very
well. In conjunction with a large dinner which we
had at the Reform Club in honour of the Duke of
Sussex, it has given Lord Melbourne a good deal of
headache and indisposition. The Duke was in very
good humour, and much pleased with the dinner, but
he was by no means well or strong.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 14th June 1842.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — Though I shall have the
inexpressible happiness of seeing you and dearest
Louise so soon, I write these few lines to thank you
for your very kind letter of the 9th. We arrived
here yesterday morning, having come by the railroad,

1 This Resolution was in favour of altering the corn, sugar, and timber
duties, in preference to imposing an income tax. It was negatived by 112
to 52.

1842] QUEEN'S FIRST RAILWAY JOURNEY 507

from Windsor, in half an hour, free from dust and
crowd and heat, and I am quite charmed with it.1
We spent a delightful time at Windsor, which would
have been still pleasanter had not the heat been such,
ever since Saturday week, that one is quite overcome ;
the grass is quite brown, and the earth full of wide
cracks ; there has not been a drop of rain since the
24th, my birthday ! We rode and walked and danced,
and I think I never was better than in all this fatigue
and exercise. . .

I get every day fonder of dearest, excellent Uncle
Mensdorff and the dear cousins, who are so amiable
and good and unassuming ; really, in society they keep
quite in the background. They are out and out the
nicest cousins we have. I am sure what I can do
for them I shall be too happy to do. Alexander is
the most distinguished and solid, but Alphonse and
Arthur the most unassuming. There is something so
peculiarly good in dear Arthur ! and they are all five
so fond of Pussy, and she so fond of them. . . . Ever
your devoted Niece, VICTORIA R.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, 13th June 1842.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and offers many thanks for the letter, which
he received yesterday evening. Lord Melbourne is
very glad to hear that your Majesty has enjoyed in
the society of your near and dear relations so much
happiness, which, like all other things, must have its
portion of alloy in their departure. Lord Melbourne
was much pleased with the short conversation which
he had with Count Mensdorff at Stafford House, and
it is highly interesting to see at this distance of time
a man who has been engaged in affairs so important
and of so awful and melancholy a character. Your

1 This was the Queen's first journey on the Great Western Railway. The
Prince had often used it, and had been known to say, on descending from the
train, •' Not quite so fast next time, Mr Conductor, if you please." — Acworth,
The Railways of England, p. 17.

508 THE INCOME TAX BILL [CHAP. «

Majesty is surely right in terming your cousins young
men ; if the health and constitution be good, thirty-six
is a young man, twenty-nine and thirty-two very young
men, and twenty-five quite a boy. The weather has been
very hot but very fine. The rain was so much required
that Lord Melbourne cannot lament its coming, but he
also regrets the hot suns which it has banished.

The course which had been taken upon the Income
Tax in the House of Commons,1 contrary to Lord
Melbourne's wish and opinion, rendered it impossible
for Lord Melbourne directly to support the Bill
in the House of Lords without offending and sep-
arating himself from the whole body of those who
supported the last Government.

He therefore acquiesced in the resolution, which
was moved by Lord Lansdowne, and which did not
oppose the measure, but declared that it might have
been avoided if the course which we had proposed
had been taken. In the debate Lord Melbourne
argued as strongly as he could in favour of the
tax, and ended by declaring that if it was imposed,
he could not pledge himself for the future against
maintaining and even extending it. Lord Melbourne
is anxious to make this explanation of his conduct
to your Majesty, and hopes therefore that your
Majesty will forgive his writing thus much upon
this subject. Lord Melbourne very much lamented
that the business did not terminate as amiably as it
began, and that a contest should have been got into
respecting the third reading of the Bill ; but con-
sidering that the measure had passed by accident
through its first stages without any debate, and that
there were Lords who were still desirous of speaking
upon it, it was imprudent of the Ministers not at
once to give another day for that purpose, especially
as they were sure to be compelled to do so by repeated
motions of adjournment.

The feelings which your Majesty expresses upon

1 Lord John Russell had strenuously opposed the Income Tax Bill, but
had been defeated by large majorities.

1842] CONVICTION OF FRANCIS 509

the conviction of this man1 are natural, and such as
must arise in your Majesty's bosom ; but Lord
Melbourne knows very well that your Majesty will
at once see the necessity of not yielding to your own
feelings, and of leaving the issue entirely in the hands
of your advisers.

Without any reference to personal or particular
circumstances, without adverting to your Majesty's
age, sex, qualities mental or personal, without attend-
ing to any sentiments of attachment or affection
which may be felt for your Majesty's person, it must
be remembered that your Majesty's life is, from the
position which you occupy and the office which you
fill, the most important life in these realms ; it is also
too clear that it is the most exposed life in the country,
the life the most obnoxious 2 to danger ; and therefore
it is a duty to throw around it every protection which
the law and the execution of the law can afford.

Lord Melbourne was sure that your Majesty, being
fond of speed, would be delighted with the railway.
Lord Melbourne hopes that your Majesty was not much
affected by the heat, which he feared that you would be.

Has your Majesty read the last volume of Madame
D'Arblay's (Miss Burney) Diary, which contains the
account of her service in the family of George III. ?8
It is a curious [work], gives a curious account of the
interieur, and shows the King and Queen and the
Princesses in a very amiable light.

The Earl of Aberdeen to Queen Victoria.

FOREIGN OFFICE, 2Sth June 1842.

Lord Aberdeen with his humble duty, begs to
enclose for your Majesty's information a list of the
presents brought by the Envoy of the Imam of
Muscat for your Majesty.

1 Francis was tried on 17th June, and convicted. The death sentence was
commuted to one of transportation for life.

2 Used in the classical sense of " exposed to " ; cf. " obnoxia fato."

8 The first five volumes were published this year, Madame D'Arblay having
died in 1840, at the age of eighty-seven. Croker somewhat rancorously
attacked them in the Quarterly, to which Macaulay replied in the Edinburgh.

510 PRESENTS FOR THE QUEEN [CHAP. «

Lord Aberdeen will attend to-morrow with the
Envoy, at the hour your Majesty has been pleased
to command ; and he will suggest that the presents
should be sent previously to the Palace, in order to
be laid before your Majesty.

[List of Articles sent for Her Most Gracious Majesty,
The Mighty Queen, a trifling Gift scarce worth
being mentioned.]

Two Pearl Necklaces,

Two Emeralds,

An Ornament made like a Crown,

Ten Cashmere Shawls,

One Box containing four Bottles Otto of Roses.

Four Horses, before mentioned in a former letter, but
for the transmission of which no opportunity offered in
Bombay, but now sent in my own ship. Through your
kindness have those things taken 1 from Ali bin Nassur,
and make an excuse for me to Her Most Gracious
Majesty, and peace be on you !

Lord Fitzgerald and Vesd to Queen Victoria.

INDIA BOARD, 4<A July 1842.

. . . From the seat of war, the intelligence is most
satisfactory. The conduct of the army, its perseverance
and its courage, have not been surpassed in the military
history of British India.

Recent events have not, however, changed the views
of Lord Ellenborough as to the general policy which he
recommends to be pursued.

He regards as the best result of that success which
has attended the Arms of your Majesty, that it admits
of withdrawing, without dishonour, the British force to
positions of safety, having certain and uninterrupted
communications with the British territory.

From other quarters the reports are equally favour-
able. The successful advance of a division commanded

1 I.e., accept.

1842] ANOTHER ATTACK ON THE QUEEN 511

by Brigadier- General England may be regarded as
ensuring the safety of the force at Candahar.

In the Indian Dominions and in the native Army
the best spirit prevails.

All of which is most humbly submitted to your
Majesty, by your Majesty's most dutiful Subject and
Servant, FITZGERALD AND VESCI.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, 4</» July 1842.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and is anxious to express his earnest hope
that your Majesty is well and not disturbed by the
event * which took place yesterday, and which, although
it appears not to have been dangerous in itself, is
formidable as affording additional evidence of the ease
with which persons of the lower orders can incite
themselves, or be incited by others to the contempla-
tion and commission of such acts. The only observa-
tion that can be made upon these attempts is, that
hitherto they appear to have been made by those who
have not the means of executing their own wicked
designs, and that they are not marked by the same
determination and the same long and ferocious
preparation which characterised in France the conduct
of Fieschi and Alibaud.2 Lord Melbourne is not of
opinion that the extension of mercy to Francis — which
from what Lord Melbourne hears of the opinion of
the judges he apprehends to have been unavoidable —
could have had any effect in encouraging this man to
a similar act ; at the same time it is impossible to say
what may have had an effect upon the mind, and
we can only collect the intentions of men from the
deeds which they perform.

Lord Melbourne thanks your Majesty much for your
letter of the 26th ult. Lord Melbourne again expresses
his fervent wishes for your Majesty's health, safety,
and tranquillity of mind.

1 Bean, a deformed lad, presented a pistol at the Queen in the Mall.

2 The perpetrators of attempts on King Louis Philippe.

512 DEATH OF DUKE OF ORLEANS [CHAP. M

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

CLAREMONT, IMh July 1842.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — These two horrible news
of poor dear Chartres'1 fatal accident have quite
overcome us. It is the most dreadful misfortune
I ever remember, and will be felt everywhere. I
can't say how I feel it ; I liked and admired him,
and know how he was adored by all of you, and
by poor wretched Helene, whom this will kill. Those
poor helpless little children ! it is too melancholy.
After escaping from so many dangers, to be cut off
in this way is too dreadful ! God knows what is for
our best, but this does seem difficult to understand.
I pray and hope that you will all be mercifully
supported under this heavy bereavement. 1 think it
is so dreadful that poor Helene could not be with
him in his last moments ! God be with you all, and
believe me, ever your devoted Niece, VICTORIA R.

I had begun a letter to poor Chartres this morning.

Queen Victoria to Sir Robert Peel.

CLAREMONT, 16th July 1842.

The Queen is anxious to draw Sir Robert Peel's
attention to a circumstance which she has already some
months ago mentioned to him : this is relative to Sir
Edward Disbrowe.2 The Queen knows that Sir Robert
Peel shares her opinion as to Sir Edward Disbrowe's
abilities not being of the first order, but this is not
the only thing ; what she chiefly complains of is his
decided unfairness towards Belgium, which she thinks
has always shown itself, and again most strongly in his
last despatches. The King of the Belgians has never
dropped a word on the subject, but the Queen really
feels it her duty by her Uncle to state this frankly to
Sir Robert Peel, and to say that she thinks it highly

1 On 13th July, the Duke of Orleans (formerly Due de Chartres), eldest
son of Louis Philippe, was thrown from his phaeton near the Porte Maillot,
Paris, and died shortly afterwards. He was the father of the Comte de Paris
and the Due de Chartres.

2 Then British Minister at the Hague.

1842] ACCOUNT OF THE ACCIDENT 513

important that Sir Edward Disbrowe should be removed
to some other Mission. Of course she wishes that this
should be done quietly, but she thinks that with a man
like the present King of the Netherlands, who is con-
tinually intriguing in Belgium and making her Uncle's
position very painful, it is of the utmost importance
that our Minister there should be totally unbiassed,
which Sir Edward Disbrowe most decidedly is not.
Could not Sir I. Cartwright be sent there, and Sir
Edward Disbrowe go to Stockholm ? The Queen
merely suggests this ; but, of course, as long as the
man sent to the Hague is sensible and fair, it is
indifferent to her who goes there. . . .

The Queen of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

LAEKEN, 15th July 1842.

MY BELOVED VICTORIA, — You have surely already
heard of the heavy visitation God has sent us. My
beloved brother was unexpectedly taken away from us
before yesterday evening. Before yesterday morning
he went to Neuilly to take leave of my parents, previous
to his departure for St Omer. The horses ran
away : he had the unfortunate idea to jump out from
his barouche — a thing I cannot understand, as he had
on all occasions an uncommon presence of mind — fell
upon his head, and expired a few hours afterwards,
in presence of my too unfortunate parents, without
having recovered his consciousness. It is the greatest
misfortune that could happen to us. We are quite
stunned by the sudden and horrid blow, and I cannot
believe it yet, although I have before me the letter
of my poor parents. They are full of courage and
resignation to the will of Providence ; but I do not
understand what will become of them, particularly of
my mother, who loved so fondly, and with so much
reason, my brother, and of the too unfortunate Helene.
May God help them and have mercy on them !
Clementine and Victoire are gone to Plombieres to
give to Helene the fatal news, and bring her back : it

VOL. i. —33

514 GRIEF OF THE QUEEN [CHAP. «

will most probably be her death. My parents wished
to see us immediately, and we go to-morrow to Paris.

I am sure my beloved Victoria of the share you
will take in the misfortune, the greatest which could
befall us, and I thank you beforehand for it. God's
will be done ! May He at least always bless you, and
preserve those you love from all evil and danger ! In
affliction as in joy, I am ever, my beloved Victoria,
yours most devotedly, LOUISE.

Queen Victoria to Viscount Melbourne.

CLAREMONT, 17^ July 1842.

The Queen had intended to have written to Lord
Melbourne some time ago to have thanked him for
his kind letter of the 5th, but she was so occupied,
first of all with the arrival of our brother and sister,
with our removal here, and lastly by the dreadful
misfortune at Paris, which has completely over-
powered her, and made her quite ill — that it pre-
vented her from doing so. The Queen is sure that
Lord Melbourne will have warmly shared the universal
horror and regret at the untimely and fearfully sudden
end of so amiable and distinguished a Prince as poor
Chartres (as we all called the Duke of Orleans) was !
The loss to France, and indeed Europe, is very great ;
but to the Royal Family, dearest Louise (who all
doted on him), and above all to poor unfortunate
Helene, who adored him (and he was a most devoted
husband to her), and to his two poor little boys of
four and one years old — he is an irreparable loss.
The Queen has heard from none yet, but has seen a
letter from Guizot, who was a witness of the last
scene, which is quite truly reported in the papers ;
he says it was fearful — the poor Duke lying and
dying on a mattress on the floor, surrounded by
his parents and sisters, kneeling and praying around
their dearly beloved Child ! Alas ! poor Helene had
not even that comfort !

The Queen is very glad that the Bill for the better

1842] LETTER FROM KING OF THE FRENCH 515

security of her person has passed so quickly and in
so gratifying a manner through both Houses.

We are here since yesterday week, enjoying the
fine weather, and great quiet and peace ; but the news
from Paris have damped our spirits.

The Queen is charmed with her new sister,1 who is a
most amiable, sensible, and gentle creature, and without
being really handsome, very pretty and pleasing.

We return to town to-morrow, and the Queen
hopes soon to see Lord Melbourne. We intend going
to Windsor to settle, on Saturday.

The Queen trusts Lord Melbourne is quite well.

The King of the French to Queen Victoria.

NEUILLY, 17 Juillet, 1842.

MADAME MA BIEN CHERE ET BIEN BONNE SCEUR, — •
J'ai bien reconnu le cceur de votre Majeste dans
l'empressement qu'elle a mis a m'exprimer la part
qu'elle prend a mon malheur. Ma malheureuse Reine
en est egalement bien touchee, et si elle ne le temoigne
pas elle-meme des aujourd'hui a votre Majeste, c'est
qu'elle est encore dans Timpossibilite d'ecrire. Nous
osons lui demander tous les deux, d'etre notre
interprete aupres du Prince Albert, et de lui dire
combien nous sommes sensibles a son interet. S'il
pouvait y avoir une consolation au coup affreux qui
a frappe nos vieux jours, ce serait ces temoignages
d 'interet, et les regrets dont on entoure le tombeau
de mon enfant cheri, et la perte immense que tous ont
faite en lui ! C'est a present qu'on sent ce qu'il etait,
et ce qu'il devenait chaque jour de plus en plus.

Je remercie de nouveau votre Majeste, du fond
de mon coeur brise', de tous les sentiments dont elle
veut bien me donner tant de preuves, et je la prie
d'agreer 1'expression de la haute estime et de 1'invio-
lable amitie' avec lesquelles, je suis, Madame, ma tres
chere Sceur, de votre Majeste', le bien afTectionne
Frere, Louis PHILIPPE R.

1 The Duchess Ernest of Saxe-Coburg.

516 LETTER FROM QUEEN OF THE FRENCH [CHAP. M
The Queen of the French to Queen Victoria.

NEUILLY, 19 Juillet, 1842.

MADAME MA TRES CHERE SCEUR, — Je comptais que
votre Majeste et le Prince Albert s'associeraient a
notre immense douleur ; que Dieu vous benisse pour
les tendres expressions de votre lettre. Nous sommes
aneantis par le coup dont Dieu nous a frappes, que sa
Sainte Volonte soit faite ! J'ai perdu 1'objet de ma
plus vive tendresse, celui qui depuis 32 ans avait
ete mon amour, mon bonheur, et ma gloire, plein
de vie, d'avenir, ma tete n'y est plus, mon coeur est
fletri, je tache de me resigner, je pleure et je prie pour
cette Ame qui m'etait si chere et pour que Dieu nous
conserve 1'infortune et precieux Roi dont la douleur est
incommensurable ; nous tachons de nous re"unir tous
pour faire un faisceau autour de lui. Notre ange
de Louise et votre excellent oncle sont arrives avant-
hier ; leur presence nous a fait du bien. Helene
aneantie par la douleur a un courage admirable, sa
sante se soutient. Nemours dont l'affliction est inex-
primable tache de prendre des forces pour nous consoler
tous, et les bonnes Victoire et Clementine apres 1'horrible
et douleureuse scene a laquelle elles avaient assiste, ont
passe trois nuits pour aller chercher leur infortunee
Belle-Sceur. Enfin, Dieu veut que nous vivions pour
nous soutenir les uns les autres, que ce Dieu Tout
Puissant vous benisse, Madame, et vous preserve a
jamais de pareilles douleurs, c'est le voau bien sincere
de celle quis se dit de tout son coeur, Madame, De votre
Majeste la toute devouee Sceur, MARIE AMELIE.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, 22nd July 1842.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty, and
ventures to transmit the copy of Mr Leigh Hunt's
poem, which he mentioned to your Majesty in his last
letter. Lord Melbourne also sends the letter which
Mr Leigh Hunt has taken the liberty of addressing to

1&42] LEIGH HUNT 517

your Majesty, as well as that which he has addressed to
Lord Melbourne. Lord Melbourne will inform Mr
Hunt that he has done this, and it is not at all required
that any further notice should be taken.1

It is a very gay and lively work, and has in it some
wit and fun.

Lord Melbourne had great pleasure yesterday in
seeing your Majesty well and in good spirits.

Mr Leigh Hunt to Viscount Melbourne.

32 EDWARDES SQUARE,
KENSINGTON, 15th July 1842.

MY LORD, — I was once speaking to Mr Fonblanque 2
of my unwillingness to trouble your Lordship, when
Prime Minister, with a request to lay my tragedy of
the Legend of Florence3 before Her Majesty; and he
said that he was sure your good-nature would not have
been displeased with it. This is the reason why I
now venture to ask whether a similar kindness might
be shown the accompanying little poem, supposing no
etiquette to stand in the way of it. I have no Tory
channels of communication with the palace, nor wish
to seek any ; neither can I trespass upon any friend-
ships of her Majesty's, unless they can find my excuse
in some previous knowledge of me. On the other
hand, I have no fear of being supposed by your
Lordship to approach one who is no longer Premier
with less respect than when he was in power. I would
even venture to say, if the mode of testifying it were
not so poor a one, that it is in a double spirit of
respectfulness the application is made. Should it be
of a nature calculated to give your Lordship any
perplexity, I can only blush for having been the
occasion of it, and beg it may be laid to the account
of an ignorance which lives very much out of the
world. The same reason will plead my excuse for

1 The poem was no doubt The Palfrey ; a Love Story of Old Times.

2 Hunt had founded The Examiner in 1808, and Albany Fonblanque
(1793-1872) had succeeded him on it as leader writer.

3 Leigh Hunt's play, A Legend of Florence, had had a great success at Covent
Garden in 1840 ; in 1852 it was performed at Windsor by the Queen's command.

518 LEIGH HUNT [CHAP, xi

not knowing whether a letter to her Majesty ought,
or ought not to accompany the book ; and for begging
your Lordship, after its perusal, to suppress it or
otherwise accordingly, in case you can oblige me in
the other part of my request. Your Lordship will
perceive that the address prefixed to the poem, not
having ventured to ask her Majesty's permission, does
not presume to call itself a dedication; neither does
it leave the public under any erroneous impression
whatsoever as to the nature of its intentions : and on
this account I not only expect, of course, no acknow-
ledgment of its receipt on the part of any one about
Her Majesty's person, but shall be more than content
to understand by your Lordship's own silence that
my book has reached its destination, and therefore not
been considered altogether unworthy of it.

The bookseller tells me that it is no longer " the
mode " for authors to present their volumes bound;
but in regard to books intended to go to Court, he is
not quite so certain ; and I find it so difficult to dis-
associate the idea of dress from any such proceeding,
that I trust my inexperience in this respect also will
procure me whatever pardon it may require.

I have the honour to be, my Lord, your Lordship's
ever grateful and faithful Servant, LEIGH HUNT.

The Queen of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

NEUILLY, 2lst July 1942.

MY BELOVED VICTORIA, — I was unable to thank
you the other day for your kind and feeling letter
of the 14th, although I was greatly touched by it, and
1 trust you will have excused me. I thank you to-day
very sincerely for both your letters, and for the share
and sympathy you and dear Albert take in our great
misfortune. I know it is very heartfelt, and we are
all very grateful for it. Victoire and my poor mother
have already given you news from the unfortunate
Helene. She has sustained and outlived the first
shock and shows wonderful courage. She is even

1842] THE AFFLICTED FAMILY 519

well in health, and much better and stronger in all
ways than I had expected. She takes very much
upon herself on account of the poor children, to
prevent that any melancholy or painful feeling should
be connected for them with the remembrance of their
beloved and unfortunate father. My parents show
great fortitude and resignation, but their hearts are
for ever broke. They are only sustained by their
feeling of duty. My poor mother bears up for my
father, and my father bears up to fulfil his duties of
father and of king. Their health is, thank God ! good,
and my father retains all his strength of mind and
quickness of judgment; but they are both grown old
in looks, and their hairs are turned quite white.

The first days, my poor father could do nothing
but sob, and it was really heartbreaking to see him.
He begins now to have more command upon his grief,
and the presence of your uncle, whom he dearly loves,
seems to do him good. The poor children are well
and merry, and seem unconscious of their dreadful
loss. From time to time only they jump round us
as if looking for protection. The contrast of their
gaiety with their horrid misfortune is very painful.
Paris is looking remarkably well and strong.
Robert1 is much grown, extremely quick and lively,
and begins to speak. The remainder of the family
is, as you may easily imagine, in the deepest affliction.
Nemours especially is quite broken down with grief.
Chartres was more than a brother to him, as he was
more than a second father to us all. He was the head
and the heart and soul of the whole family. We all
looked up to him, and we found him on all occasions.
A better,, or even such a brother was never seen ; our
loss is as great as irreparable ; but God's will be
done ! He had surely His motives in sending on my
unfortunate parents the horrid affliction in their old
days, and in removing from us the being who
seemed the most necessary to the hope and happiness
of all ; we must submit to His decrees, hard as they

1 The young Due de Chartres, born in 1840.

520 SORROW AND SYMPATHY [CHAP, xi

are ; but it is impossible not to regret that my poor
brother has not at least found the death of a soldier,
which he had always wished for, instead of such a
useless, horrid and miserable one ! It seems, for no one
saw him fall, that he did not jump, as we had thought
at first, but that he was thrown from the barouche,
while standing ; and I like it in some measure better
so, as God's will is still more manifest in this way. It
is equally manifest in all the circumstances attending
the catastrophe. My poor brother was not even to have
come to Neuilly. He had taken leave of my parents
the day before, and would not have gone again if my
unfortunate mother had not asked him, and if my
parents, who were to go to Paris, had not delayed
their departure. . . .

I thank you again and again, my beloved Victoria,
for all your interest and sympathy. I was sure you
would think of us and of me : you know how much
I loved my brother. I little expected to outlive
him, as I have done my beloved Mary ; 1 but once more,
God's will be done. I remain now and ever, yours
most devotedly, LOUISE.

I perceive I forgot mentioning Ernest. Pray
thank him for his sympathy also. He knows what
a brother is, and may feel for us ! We expect on
Saturday poor Joinville. My father will have thus
his four remaining sons round him for the opening
of the Session, which takes place on the 26th, and
which he must preside in person. It is a hard duty
for him.

Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria.

WHITEHALL, 23rd July 1842.

Sir Robert Peel with his humble duty to your
Majesty, begs leave to acquaint your Majesty that
last night was occupied in the House of Commons
with another debate on the Corn Laws, again impeding
any progress with the Government business. The
debate was entirely confined to those members who

l See ante, p. 182.

1842] THE CORN LAWS 521

act in concert with the Anti-Corn Law League.1
It continued until twelve, when Mr Cobden, the
Member for Stockport, moved an adjournment of the
House, on the ground that none of your Majesty's
servants had taken a part in the debate. . . .

Several members of the Opposition voted with the
Government, and declared that they would not be
parties to such vexatious proceedings.

A division on the main question — a Committee to
enquire into the state of the country with a view to
the Repeal of the Corn Laws — then took place.

The motion was negatived by a majority of 156
to 64 — 92. The House did not adjourn until three
this morning.

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

NEUILLY, 22nd July 1842.

MY DEAREST VICTORIA, — I was anxious to write to
you on the 18th, but I was so overpowered with all
that surrounded me that I could really not. Yesterday
I received your dear letter of the 19th, and I will
answer it, so as to give you a clear view of the sad
case. On the 12th, Tuesday, Chartres had taken leave,
as he meant to go to St Omer, the 13th ; however, in
the family the Queen and others said he ought to come
once more to see them. The King had ordered his
carriage to go to town on the 13th, to a Council;
Chartres meant to have called shortly after ten.

It is necessary to tell you all this, as it shows
how strangely circumstances turned fatally. Chartres
did not want to return once more to Neuilly, and
the King, if exact, might see him once more in town.
Chartres, however, instead of coming early set off after
eleven ; his Off. d'Ordonnance, M. Bertin de Veaux,
his valet de chambre, a German, Holder, begged him
not to go quite alone in that small phaeton through
Paris, as he was in uniform, but all this did not avail ;

1 The Anti-Corn Law League was rapidly gaining importance, and fiscal
policy occupied a great part of the session of 1842. Peel was already reducing
import duties on articles other than corn. Cobden had been elected at
Stockport, for the first time, in 1841.

522 FURTHER ACCOUNT OF THE ACCIDENT [CHAP. «

he insisted to go in the phaeton and to go alone. He
set out later than he expected, and if the King had
set out exactly as he had named, the parents and
the son would probably have met on the rising avenue
of the Champs Elysees, towards the Barriere de 1'Etoile
and Arc de Triomphe. However, the King delayed
his departure and the son set off. At the place
where from the great avenue one turns off towards
Neuilly, the horses, which were not even young
horses, as I am told that he has had them some years,
moved by that stupid longing to get to Neuilly,
where they knew their stables, got rather above the
postillion, and ran quasi away. Chartres got up and
asked the postillion if he could hold his horses no
longer ; the boy called out " Non, Monseigneur "; he
had looked back when he said this, and saw his master
for the last time standing- in the phaeton. People at
some distance saw him come out of his carriage and
describe a sort of semicircle falling down. Nobody
knows exactly if he jumped out of the carriage, or if
he lost his position and fell out. I am inclined to think
that, trusting to his lightness and agility, he wanted to
jump out, forgetting the impulse which a quick-going
carriage gives, as there were marks on his knees as if he
had first fallen that way. The principal blow was, how-
ever, on the head, the skull being entirely fractured.
He was taken up senseless, that is to say confused, but
not fainting, and carried into a small inn. At first his
appearance, sitting in a chair, was so little altered that
people thought it was nothing of any consequence.

He knew no one, and only spoke a few incoherent
words in German. The accident happened about a
quarter before twelve, and at four he was no more.

I refer for some other details to Albert. Poor
Louise looks like a shadow, and only her great devo-
tion for me supports her. It may serve as a lesson
how fragile all human affairs are. Poor Chartres, it
seems, with the prospect of these camps and altogether
was never in better spirits. But I must end. Ever, my
dearest Victoria, your devoted Uncle, LEOPOLD R.

1842] SIR EDWARD DISBROWE 523

Queen Victoria to the Earl of Aberdeen.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 27th July 1842.

The Queen thanks Lord Aberdeen for the letter
she has this morning received.

The Queen thinks that a reprimand would hardly
do, as it is not so much from any particular despatch
that she has formed this opinion of Sir Edward
Disbrowe, but more from the general tenor of his
conduct and despatches ; therefore she thinks it would
be difficult to censure him, which would probably not
have the desired effect.1 For this reason the Queen
would prefer his being removed without his being
told that it was for his conduct, and without his being
able to find this out, which, the Queen concludes
from Lord Aberdeen's letter, could easily be done.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 2nd August 1842.

DEAREST UNCLE, — I had the pleasure of receiving
your kind letter of the 29th, late on Sunday evening.
You know all we have felt, and do feel, for the dear
and exemplary French family. Really it is too
dreadful, but God's will be done! Perhaps poor
Chartres is saved great sorrow and grief. Him we
must not pity !

God grant all may go off well on these dreadful
days, and may He support the dear afflicted parents,
widow, and brothers and sisters ! My dearest Louise !
I hope and trust that her dear children will occupy
her and divert her attention ; only don't let her
swallow and suppress her grief and keep it to herself ;
that is dreadful, and very hurtful. Let her give way
to her sorrow, and talk of it to her.

Pray, dearest Uncle, will not and ought not Paris
to be Duke of Orleans now ? Helene is sole guardian,
is she not ? . . .

1 Seep. 512. Lord Aberdeen, had suggested sending Sir Edward Disbrowe
a private admonition.

524 FATHERLESS CHILDREN [CHAP. »

Dear Louise will, I trust, excuse my not answer-
ing her kind letter to-day ; pray give her my best
love, and believe me always, your most devoted
Niece, VICTORIA R.

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

LAEKEN, 5th August 1842.

MY DEAREST VICTORIA, — . . . Little Paris,1 who
has gained much of late, will keep the name of
Paris, at least for the present. Helene will be, after
the poor King's demise, sole guardian of her children ;
till then the King as head of the family will be
supreme in all matters relating to the children. . . .
Your devoted Uncle, LEOPOLD R.

The Queen of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

LAEKEN, 5th August 1842.

MY BELOVED VICTORIA, — ... Poor little Paris is
aware of his misfortune in the way he can be.
Helene told him that he saw everybody weep because
he would see no more his beloved father. The poor
child wept then very much, and he has done several
times since, when the same thing was repeated to
him. He wonders why he does not go any more in
his unfortunate father's room, and why there is no
more " de cher Papa," as he says : else he makes no
question or observation and is very quiet and cheerful.
He cannot yet feel what he has lost and his melancholy
fate : but Helene does what she can to keep alive in
him the remembrance of his father. . . . Yours most
affectionately, LOUISE.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, 8th August 1842.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. He thanks your Majesty much for the
letter of the 4th. It can hardly be expected that

1 The late Corate de Paris, who bore this title to the end of his life,
father of the present Due d'Orleans.

1842] LORD MELBOURNE ON MARRIAGES 525

the grief of the French family will, as yet, much
diminish, but Lord Melbourne hopes that they are
somewhat more composed. He has heard this morn-
ing that Lord and Lady Beauvale were at Boulogne
on Saturday; they would probably cross yesterday,
and will be in London to-day. Lord Melbourne
understands that Lord Beauvale had an interview of
three hours with the King of the French. Charles
Howard was married this morning, and Lord Melbourne
is going to meet Lord and Lady Carlisle and the
rest of the family at Baron Parke's1 at dinner.
Lord Melbourne thinks that Lord Prudhoe's marriage2
was to be expected.3 Upon looking at the Peerage,
he is only fifty years old, and fifty is young enough
to marry anybody. The only fault of fifty is that
it advances too rapidly on to sixty, which, on the
other hand, is too old to marry anybody. It is Lord
Melbourne's opinion that if a man does marry either
at fifty or sixty, he had much better take a young
girl than a woman of more age and experience.
Youth is more malleable, more gentle, and has often
more respect and compassion for infirmity than
middle-age.

Lord Hill to Queen Victoria.

HARDWICKE GRANGE,* 9th August 1842.

Lord Hill presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and craves your Majesty's gracious permis-
sion to lay before your Majesty his resignation of
the Command of your Majesty's Army.

Lord Hill deeply regrets the necessity of taking
a step which will deprive him of a charge that has
been so long committed to his hands, and for his
continuance in which he is indebted to your Majesty's
grace and favour ; but he has again suffered much

1 Afterwards Lord Wen sley dale.

2 To Lady Eleanor Grosvenor.

8 Admiral Lord Algernon Percy (1792-1865), President of the Royal
Institution, was created in 1816 Baron Prudhoe : in 1847, on the death of his
brother, he became fourth Duke of Northumberland,

* Lord Hill's country house in Shropshire.

526 RESIGNATION OF LORD HILL [CHAP, xi

from the illness under which he laboured in the early
part of the year, and his health has in consequence
become so indifferent as to render him unequal to
the adequate discharge of the various important
duties of his command, which therefore he feels he
could not retain with due regard to the interests of
your Majesty's Service.

Lord Hill had flattered himself that he should
have been able to have laid his application for retire-
ment before your Majesty himself, and personally to
have expressed to your Majesty his deep and lasting
sense of your Majesty's gracious kindness to him on
all occasions. Having, however, left London by the
advice of his medical attendants, and being too
unwell to undertake a second journey, Lord Hill
avails himself of this mode of assuring your Majesty
of his unabated zeal for the Service, of his dutiful
devotion to your Majesty's person, and of the pain
and sorrow with which he relinquishes an appoint-
ment that afforded him the honour and advantage of
executing your Majesty's commands, and receiving
many gracious proofs of your Majesty's support and
confidence.

Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria.

WHITEHALL, lOih August 1842.

Sir Robert Peel presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and begs leave to acquaint your Majesty that
he received at a late hour last night the accompanying
letter to your Majesty from Lord Hill. From the one
which accompanied it, addressed to Sir Robert Peel, he
has reason to believe that it conveys to your Majesty
the wish of Lord Hill to be relieved, on the ground of
ill health and increasing infirmities, from the command
of your Majesty's forces.

Sir Robert Peel would humbly submit for your
Majesty's consideration whether it might not be a
deserved mark of your Majesty's approbation to confer
upon Lord Hill the rank of Viscount, with remainder

1842] APPOINTMENT OF DUKE OF WELLINGTON 527

to his nephew Sir Rowland Hill,1 who will succeed
Lord Hill in the Barony. Lord Beresford2 and Lord
Combermere 3 have the rank of Viscounts, and perhaps
the long faithful services of Lord Hill as Commander-
in- Chief may appear to your Majesty to entitle him to
equal distinction in the Peerage.

Sir Robert Peel has reason to believe that when
Lord Hill's retirement shall be known there will be many
competitors for the office of Commander-in- Chief.

Sir George Murray,4 Sir Edward Paget,5 Lord
Londonderry,6 Lord Combermere, and perhaps Lord
Beresford, will severally urge their pretensions.

Sir Robert Peel humbly submits to your Majesty
that should the Duke of Wellington be willing to
undertake the duties of this important trust, no claims
could stand in competition with his, and no selection
from the candidates whom he has named would be
satisfactory to the Army or public in general.

Sir Robert Peel would therefore humbly recommend
to your Majesty that the offer of this appointment
should be made to the Duke of Wellington, with the
signification of a wish on the part of your Majesty
(should your Majesty be pleased to approve of the
arrangement) that His Grace should continue a mem-
ber of the Cabinet, and the organ of the Government,
as at present, in the House of Lords.

The Duke of Wellington to Queen Victoria.

LONDON, 12th August 1842.

Field- Marshal the Duke of Wellington presents his
humble duty to your Majesty. He has been informed

1 Lord Hill died 10th December, 1842, and was succeeded in the peerage
by Sir Rowland Hill, who died in 1875.

3 William Carr Beresford (1768-1854), created Viscount Beresford in 1823
for the victory of Albuera, 1811.

8 Sir Stapleton Cotton (1773-1865), created Viscount Combermere for the
capture of Bhurtpore.

4 Sir George Murray (1772-1846), received a K.C.B. for his services in the
Peninsula, M.P. for Perth, and afterwards Commander-in-Chief in Ireland.

6 General Sir Edward Paget, G.C.B. (1775-1849), brother of the first
Marquis of Anglesey.

8 Prior to being Ambassador at Vienna, Lord Londonderry had dis-
tinguished himself in the Peninsula.

528 THE QUEEN TO LORD HILL [CHAP. «

by Sir Robert Peel that your Majesty had been
graciously pleased to approve of the recommendation
submitted by your Majesty's servants that he should
be appointed 'the Commander-in-Chief of your Majesty's
forces.

He is sensible of and grateful for this fresh proof of
your Majesty's confidence in him and gracious favour
towards him.

He hopes that your Majesty will believe that your
Majesty may rely upon his making every effort in his
power to promote your Majesty's views for the honour
and interest of the country in any situation in which
he may be placed.

Which is humbly submitted to your Majesty by
your Majesty's most dutiful and devoted Subject and
Servant, WELLINGTON.

Queen Victoria to Lord Hill.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 12th August 1842.

The Queen has received Lord Hill's letter of the
9th inst., and is much concerned to learn that Lord
Hill's health is so indifferent that he thinks it is his
duty to resign the important office which he has so long
and so honourably held. The Queen can only reluctantly
give her consent to this determination, as she regrets to
lose Lord Hill's services at the head of her Army. She
cannot, however, miss this opportunity of expressing
to Lord Hill her entire approbation of his conduct
throughout the time he served her. The Prince begs
to have his kind regards sent to Lord Hill.

Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria.

CABINET ROOM, DOWNING STREET,
13th August 1842.

Sir Robert Peel presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and is sorry to be under the necessity of
troubling your Majesty so suddenly, but he is sure
your Majesty will excuse him for making any proposal

1842] MANCHESTER RIOTS 529

to your Majesty which the public service may render
requisite.1

The accounts received this morning from
Manchester with regard to the state of the country
in that neighbourhood are very unsatisfactory, and they
are confirmed by the personal testimony of magistrates
who have arrived in London for the purpose of making
representations to your Majesty's servants on the subject.

A Cabinet has just been held, and it is proposed to
send a battalion of Guards by the railway this evening.
The 16th of August (Tuesday next) is the anniversary
of a conflict which took place in Manchester in the year
1819 2 between the Yeomanry Cavalry and the populace,
and it is feared that there may be a great assemblage
of persons riotously disposed on that day.

Under these circumstances it appears desirable to
your Majesty's confidential advisers that a proclama-
tion should be immediately issued, warning all persons
against attendance on tumultuous meetings, and against
all acts calculated to disturb the public peace. It is
necessary that a Council should be held for the issue of
this proclamation, and important that it should arrive
in Manchester on Monday.

These considerations have prevented Sir Robert
Peel from giving previous notice to your Majesty, and
having your Majesty's sanction for the holding of a
Council. On account of the urgency of the case, he
has requested a sufficient number of Privy Councillors
to repair to Windsor this evening, in order that should
your Majesty be graciously pleased to hold a Council,
the proclamation may be forthwith issued. The
members of the Privy Council will be in attendance

1 The disturbances of this month, which originated in a strike for wages in
Lancashire, were inflamed by agitators, and rapidly spread through Cheshire,
Staffordshire, Warwickshire, and Yorkshire, eventually extending to the
populous parts of Scotland and Wales. Several conflicts took place between
the populace and the military, and there was much loss of life and property,
as well as aggravated distress.

2 On 16th August 1819, a great popular demonstration in favour of Parlia-
mentary Reform, presided over by Henry Hunt, the Radical, had taken place
in St Peter's Fields, Manchester. A riot ensued, and the yeomanry charged the
populace, with some loss of life. The affair was afterwards known as the
Peterloo massacre.

VOL. i. —34

530 MILITARY ASSISTANCE [CHAP, xi

about half-past six o'clock, as Sir Robert Peel has
considered that from that time to half-past seven will
probably be the least inconvenient to your Majesty.

He writes this immediately after the breaking up of
the Cabinet.

Sir James Graham to Queen Victoria.

WHITEHAIX, I5th August 1842.

Sir James Graham, with humble duty, begs to lay
before your Majesty the enclosed letter from Major-
General Sir William Warre1 in command of the
Northern District.

From this report it is evident that a strong and
salutary moral impression had been produced by the
arrival of a reinforcement of 1,400 men in the disturbed
district in the short time of six-and-thirty hours after
the first requisition for assistance had been sent from
Manchester ; and the General has now at his disposal
a force quite adequate to cope with the vast assemblage
of people who are expected to meet to-morrow at
Manchester.

Some symptoms of this disposition forcibly to
suspend labour have appeared in the West Riding of
Yorkshire ; but on the whole the accounts, both from
Scotland and the disturbed district, which have been
received this morning, may be considered favourable.
The railroad communications as yet are uninterrupted ;
no collision has taken place between the troops and
the multitude, except at Preston ; 2 and Sir James
Graham is willing to hope that this insurrectionary
movement may be suppressed without recourse to
extreme measures. Every precaution, however, has
been taken, and arrangements are made for augmenting
the force under the command of Sir William Warre,
if it should become necessary.

The character of these riots has assumed more

1 Lieutenant-General Sir William Warre (1784-1853), a distinguished
Peninsular officer.

2 The mob attacked the military, who fired and killed three or four
persons.

1842] SATISFACTORY REPORTS 531

decidedly a political aspect. It is no longer a strike
for higher wages, but the Delegates, who direct the
movement, avow that labour shall not be resumed
until the people's Charter be granted.1

Sir James Graham will hasten to-morrow to inform
your Majesty of the accounts which he may receive.

The above is humbly submitted by your Majesty's
dutiful Subject and Servant, J. R. G. GRAHAM.

Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria.

WHITEHALL, Thursday Morning, IQth August 1842.

Sir Robert Peel presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and begs leave to acquaint your Majesty that
he returned to London last night.

He has this morning gone through all the letters
received from the country, with Sir James Graham,
by whom the details of the information received will
be forwarded to your Majesty.

It appears to Sir Robert Peel that the general tenor
of the reports is satisfactory. From Manchester, from
Wigan, from Preston, the reports are very good.

The movement is not one caused by distress. The
demand for employment has increased, and the price
of provisions — and particularly of potatoes, bread, and
bacon — has rapidly fallen within the last fortnight or
three weeks.

People of property and the Magistrates (notwith-
standing their political dissensions) are now acting in
harmony, and with more energy.

Orders have been sent to apprehend the Delegates
assembled in Manchester, the very moment that the
law will warrant their apprehension, and Sir Robert
Peel should not be surprised to hear of their committal
to Lancaster Castle in the course of to-day.

Every vigilance will be exerted with reference to
Cooper'* (whom your Majesty names) and all other
itinerant agitators.

1 A colossal petition in favour of the Charter had been presented during
the session, by Mr T. Buncombe.

8 A Leicester Chartist, who was afterwards tried for sedition.

532 PARLIAMENT PROROGUED [CHAP. «

As might be naturally expected, the move-
ments and disorderly spirit spreading from the centre
(Manchester) are appearing in remote points ; but
when peace and confidence are thoroughly restored at
Manchester, the example will quickly tell in the
circumjacent districts.

Birmingham is tranquil and well-disposed. The
accounts from Scotland are favourable.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, \lth August 1842.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. He is going down to-day to Brocket Hall with
Lord and Lady Beauvale. Lord and Lady Palmerston
are coming down to-morrow, and Lord and Lady
Cowper will probably come over from Panshanger.

Your Majesty read extremely well in the House
of Lords on Friday last.1 Lord Melbourne can judge
better of this from the body of the House than he
could when he stood close to your Majesty. Nothing
can be more clear and distinct, and at the same time
more natural and free from effort. Perhaps if your
Majesty could read a tone louder it would be as
well. Charles Buller, who was amongst the House of
Commons, told Lord Melbourne that, where he stood,
the voice, although well heard, sounded somewhat
weak. But this should not be attempted unless it can
be done with perfect ease. Nothing injures reading so
much as the attempt to push the organ beyond its
natural powers.

Lord Melbourne hopes that these tumults in the
manufacturing districts are subsiding, but he cannot
conceal from your Majesty that he views them with
great alarm — much greater than he generally thinks it
prudent to express. He fears that they may last in
the form of strike, and turn out much longer than is
looked for, as they did in 1832 and 1833.

There is a great mass of discontented feeling in

1 Parliament was prorogued by the Queen in person on 12th August

1842] CAUSES OF DISCONTENT 533

the country arising from the actual state of society.
It arises from the distress and destitution which will
fall at times upon a great manufacturing population,
and from the wild and extravagant opinions which
are naturally generated in an advanced and speculative
state of society.

This discontent has been aggravated and fermented
by the language of every party in the State. Lord
Melbourne can exempt no party from this blame, nor
hardly any individual except himself. The Tories and
Conservatives (not the Leaders, but the larger portion
of the party) have done what they could to inflame the
public mind upon that most inflammable topic of the
Poor Laws. The Times newspaper has been the most
forward in this. The Whigs and Radicals have done
what they could in the same direction upon the Corn
Laws. Mr Attwood1 and another set have worked
the question of the Currency, and the whole career
of Mr O'Connell in Ireland has been too manifest
to be mistaken. It is no wonder if working in this
manner altogether they have at last succeeded in
driving the country into this, which is certainly very
near, if not actually a rebellion.

Lord Melbourne earnestly hopes that your Majesty
and the Prince, the Prince and Princess are all well.

Sir James Graham to Queen Victoria.

WHITEHALL, 18th August 1842.

Sir James Graham, with humble duty, is happily
enabled to state to your Majesty that the accounts
from the disturbed districts received this morning are
more satisfactory.

In Lancashire a disposition to resume work has been
partially evinced ; and at Preston, where the most
vigorous measures were taken in the first instance,
there has hardly been a cessation of employment.

Sir James Graham encloses a letter from the Chief
Constable of the County of Lancashire detailing a

1 Who represented the Radical views of the Birmingham School.

534 A BETTER OUTLOOK [CHAP. xr

successful resistance to a fresh attempt on the part of
a mob to enter Preston ; and he sends also a report
from the Mayor of Manchester and from Mr Forster,
the Stipendiary Magistrate. Decisive measures will
be adopted for the immediate apprehension of the
Delegates, not only at Manchester, but in every
other quarter where legal evidence can be obtained
which will justify their arrest. The law, which
clearly sanctions resistance to the entry of these
mobs into cities, is now understood by the local
authorities. A bolder and firmer spirit is rising
among all classes possessing property in defence of
their rights against these bands of plunderers, who
are the enemies both of law and of property. The
prisoners taken in the commission of treasonable
felonies are numerous ; warrants are issued against
others whose persons are known : the supremacy of
the law will be promptly vindicated, and Sir James
Graham entertains the confident hope that order
will be soon restored.

In the Potteries a signal example was made by a
handful of your Majesty's troops opposed to a riotous
multitude which had burnt houses and spread devasta-
tion, and Sir James Graham encloses a letter from
Captain Powys giving a description of the occurrence.
The effect of this example has been that yesterday
throughout this district no rioting took place.

Sir James Graham to Queen Victoria.

WHITEHALL, 19th August 1842.

Sir James Graham, with humble duty, begs to
announce to your Majesty that the accounts from
the North, on the whole, may be considered
satisfactory. . . .

Five of the principal Delegates at Manchester
have been apprehended. Warrants are out against
four others. A very important seizure of papers has
been made which discloses a conspiracy, extensive in
its ramifications, going back as far as July 1841. It is

1842] A MOB IN LINCOLN'S INN FIELDS 535

hoped that these papers, which are still at Manchester,
may lead to fresh discoveries. Sir James Graham will
send to Manchester to-night an experienced law
officer, for the purpose of pursuing the investigation
on the spot.

There was a meeting last night in the neighbour-
hood of London, of a violent character. Sir James
Graham had given positive orders to the police not
to allow any mob, as night approached, to enter
London. Notwithstanding these directions a mob
assembled in Lincoln's Inn Fields about eleven
o'clock, and moved through the city to Bethnal
Green. Sir James Graham had the troops on the
alert, but the multitude dispersed without any serious
disturbance.

Sir James Graham to Queen Victoria.

20th August 1842.

. . . An attempt to hold a meeting at dusk in the
suburbs of London was resisted by the police yesterday
evening in pursuance of orders issued by the Govern-
ment in conjunction with the Lord Mayor, and the
peace of the metropolis was preserved.

The above is humbly submitted by your Majesty's
dutiful Subject and Servant, J. R. G. GRAHAM.

Lord Stanley to Queen Victoria.

DOWNING STREET, 26th August 1842.

Lord Stanley, with his humble duty, submits for
your Majesty's perusal copies of three despatches,
received yesterday from the Governor of the Cape
of Good Hope, detailing the unfortunate result of
an attack made by a small party of your Majesty's
troops upon the camp of the insurgent Boers at
Natal ; and also the copy of a despatch which Lord
Stanley has sent in consequence to Sir George
Napier, * which, he trusts, may meet your Majesty's

1 Sir George Napier (1784-1855) governed Cape Colony for seven years
without a Kaffir war, and the Boers were extruded from Natal by him.

536 TROUBLE AT THE CAPE [CHAP. M

approbation. Lord Stanley would have submitted
the draft for your Majesty's approval previous to
sending it, had not an opportunity presented itself
of sending it off by a fast-sailing private ship which
sailed this morning, the intelligence having only
been received yesterday. The instructions sent to
Sir George Napier, on the 10th of April, but not
received when this unfortunate affair took place,
were in substance not to attempt the subjugation
of these people by direct force, but to warn them
that their titles to the land which they occupy
would not be recognised by your Majesty, that they
would have no title to claim protection from the
aggressions of the neighbouring tribes, to interdict
communication between them and the settled parts
of the Colony, and to prevent any intercourse by
sea with foreign or British traders. The unfortunate
event which has now occurred will render it neces-
sary to take steps, as Sir George Napier has already
done, for vindicating the power of your Majesty's
Arms ; but when that shall have been effected, Lord
Stanley would still hope that a considerable number
of these misguided men may be induced to return
to their allegiance, and to the settled parts of your
Majesty's dominions, and he feels confident that
in such an event he will be fulfilling your Majesty's
wishes in directing that they may be treated with
all possible lenity.

All which is humbly submitted by your Majesty's
most dutiful Servant and Subject, STANLEY.

Queen Adelaide to Queen Victoria.

BUSHEY HOUSE, 7th September 1842.

MY DEAREST NIECE, — ... Your Mamma's visit
gave me great pleasure, and it has been a great treat
to me to hear her sing again, and so well, which put
me in mind of former happy days. I regret much
that she leaves me already this afternoon again, but
the strong and powerful magnet which you have left

1842] TOUR IN SCOTLAND 537

at the castle draws her back, and I dare not keep
her away from such treasures.

I beg you, my dearest Victoria, to give my affec-
tionate love to dear Albert, and to believe me ever most
devotedly, your very affectionate Aunt, ADELAIDE.

Queen Victoria to ihe King of the Belgians.

TAYMOUTH,1 8th September 1842.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — I make no excuses for not
having written, as I know that you will understand that
when one is travelling about and seeing so much that is
totally new, it is very difficult to find time to write. . . .
Albert has told you already how successfully every-
thing had gone off hitherto, and how much pleased
we were with Edinburgh, which is an unique town in
its way. We left Dalkeith on Monday, and lunched
at Dupplin, Lord KinnouTs, a pretty place with quite
a new house, and which poor Lord Kinnoul displayed
so well as to fall head over heels down a steep
bank, and was proceeding down another, if Albert
had not caught him ; I did not see it, but Albert and
I have nearly died with laughing at the relation of
it. From Dalkeith we went through Perth (which
is most beautifully situated on the Tay) to Scone
Palace,2 Lord Mansfield's, where we slept; fine but
rather gloomy. Yesterday morning (Tuesday) we
left Scone and lunched at Dunkeld, the beginning
of the Highlands, in a tent ; all the Highlanders in
their fine dress, being encamped there, and with
their old shields and swords, looked very romantic ;
they were chiefly Lord Glenlyon's3 men. He, poor
man ! is suddenly become totally blind, and it was
very melancholy to see him do the honours, not seeing
anything1. The situation of Dunkeld, down in a valley

1 Lord Breadalbane's house. The Queen left London on 29th August for
Scotland, by sea, reaching Edinburgh on 1st September.

2 Scone Abbey was granted to Sir David Murray (afterwards Viscount
Stormont), by James VI. of Scotland, whose cup-bearer he was, and whose
life he saved.

» Afterwards George, sixth Duke of Atholl (1814-1864).

538 VISIT TO LORD BREADALBANE [CHAP, xi

surrounded by wooded hills, is very, very pretty.
From thence we proceeded to this enchanting and
princely place ; the whole drive here was beautiful.
All Lord Breadalbane's l Highlanders, with himself
at their head, and a battalion of the 92nd High-
landers were drawn up in front of the House. In
the evening the grounds were splendidly illuminated,
and bonfires burning on the hills ; and a number of
Highlanders danced reels by torchlight, to the bagpipes,
which was very wild and pretty. . . .

Queen Victoria to Viscount Melbourne.

TAYMOUTH, 10th September 1842.

It has been long the Queen's intention to write to
Lord Melbourne, but we have seen and done so much,
it has been impossible. Everything has gone off so
weh1 at Edinburgh, Perth, and elsewhere. This is a
princely and most beautiful place, and we have been
entertained by Lord Breadalbane in a magnificent way.
The Highland Volunteers, two hundred in number
(without the officers), keeping guard, are encamped in
the park ; the whole place was twice splendidly
illuminated, and the sport he gave the Prince out
shooting was on the largest scale.

The Highlands and the mountains are too beautiful,
and we must come back for longer another time. The
Queen will finish this letter at Drummond Castle,2 as
we leave this in half an hour.

Drummond Castle, lltk. — We arrived here yester-
day evening at seven, having had a most beautiful
journey. We went with Lord Breadalbane up the
Loch Tay (by water) to Ochmore 3 ( I don't know how
it is written), a cottage belonging to Lord Breadalbane,
close to Killin. The morning was very fine, and the
view indescribably beautiful ; the mountains so high,
and so wooded close to Killin. It is impossible to
say how kind and attentive Lord Breadalbane and poor

1 John, second Marquis of Breadalbane, K.T. (1796-1862).
1 The seat of Lord Willouerhby d'Eresby.
8 It should be written Auchmore.

1842] RETURN TO WINDSOR 539

Lady Breadalbane (who is so wretchedly delicate) were
to us. We were so sorry to go away, and might perhaps
have managed to stay two days longer at Taymouth,
were we not fearful of delaying our sea voyage back
too much. However, we mean to visit him for longer
another time ; the Highlands are so beautiful, and so new
to me, that we are most anxious to return there again.

The journey from Killin to Comrie was most
beautiful, and through such wild scenery — Glen Ogle,
which of course Lord Melbourne knows — and then
along Loch Ern. This house is quite a cottage, but
the situation is fine, and the garden very beautiful.
We leave this on Tuesday for Dalkeith * where we sleep
and re-embark the next day for England. We greatly
admire the extreme beauty of Edinburgh ; the situation
as well as the town is most striking ; and the Prince,
who has seen so much, says it is the finest town he ever
saw. Scone Palace (where we slept on Tuesday night)
is fine, but gloomy ; Perth is beautiful.

The Queen hopes Lord Melbourne is very well.
The Prince begs to be remembered to him.

Dalkeith is a fine good house, and the park and
grounds very pretty.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 20th September 1842.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — Pray accept my best thanks
for your kind letter of the 15th, which I received on
Saturday, the day of our arrival here. Dearest Louise
will have told you what I wrote to her. We had a
speedy and prosperous voyage home of forty-eight
hours, on board a fine large and very fast steamer, the
Trident, belonging to the General Steam Navigation
Company. We found our dear little Victoria so grown
and so improved, and speaking so plain, and become so
independent ; I think really few children are as forward
as she is. She is quite a dear little companion. The
Baby is sadly backward, but also grown, and very

1 The seat of the Duke of Buccleuch.

540 ROYAL VISITORS [CHAP. *i

strong. I am so distressed about dearest Louise's still
coughing, but she tells me it is decreasing. Only pray
let her give way to her grief ; much crying, even if it
makes her cough for the moment, can do her no real
harm, but stifling and swallowing grief (which she
cannot repress) gnaws at the very roots of life and
undermines health. Ostend and sea-baths would, I
should think, do her good.

I am very glad that you went to see the King of
Prussia, and saw so many old friends ; Fritz of
Mecklenburg * is, you know, Albert's very dear friend ;
he is just arrived here.

Alexandrine's brother everybody praises ; the whole
family are handsome and well brought up.

The Archduke Frederic 2 cornes here to-morrow for
a week's visit. Everybody praises him, and Ferdinand
liked him very much ; all Archduke Charles's 3 sons
are said to be very well brought up. How I wish
Archduke John 4 had come over here !

Now, dearest Uncle, adieu ! and pray believe me
always, your most affectionate Niece, VICTORIA R.

It would be very kind of you if you would tell
me if there is a chance of Augustus's marrying
Clementine.5 Don't believe I should say a word
against it; but I have heard so much about it that
I should be really and sincerely glad to know a little
of the truth from you.

Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria.

WHITEHALL, 22nd September 1842.

Sir Robert Peel presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and begs leave, with reference to your

1 Frederic Francis (1823-1883), afterwards Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-
Strelitz. See post, p. 547.

2 Son of the Archduke Charles.

8 (1771-1847), third son of the Emperor Leopold II. Distinguished in the
Napoleonic wars.

* (1782-1859), younger son of the Emperor Leopold II. Commander on
the Rhine, 1815. Administrator of the Empire, 1848.

6 Prince Augustus of Saxe-Coburg and Princess Clementine of Orleans
were married in the following April. Prince Ferdinand of Bulgaria is
their son.

1842] A STEAM YACHT FOR THE QUEEN 541

Majesty's note of yesterday, to state to your Majesty
that the first act of Sir Robert Peel on his return
from Scotland was to write to Lord Haddington1
and strongly urge upon the Admiralty the necessity
of providing a steam yacht for your Majesty's accom-
modation.

Sir Robert Peel trusts that your Majesty may
entirely depend upon being enabled to make any
excursions your Majesty may resolve upon in the early
part of next summer, in a steam vessel belonging to
your Majesty, and suitable in every respect for your
Majesty's accommodation.

Sir Robert Peel has had a personal communication
with Sir John Barrow,2 one of the Secretaries to the
Admiralty, this morning, upon the subject, and Sir
Robert Peel has written by this post to Sir George
Cockburn,3 who is out of town.

He finds that the Admiralty is now building a
large vessel to be worked by steam power, applied by
means of a revolving screw instead of paddles. It may
be doubtful whether the same degree of velocity can
be attained by means of the screw, particularly in a
very large vessel. Of this a full trial will be made.

Sir John Barrow assures Sir Robert Peel that he
has been on board a steam-boat moved by the screw,
and that the working of the engine is scarcely
perceptible ; that there is none of the tremulous motion
which accompanies the beats of the paddles, and that
it will be possible to apply an apparatus by means
of which the smoke can be consumed, and the
disagreeable smell in great measure prevented.

Sir Robert Peel will leave nothing undone to ensure
your Majesty's comfort and safety in any future naval
excursions that your Majesty may be pleased to make.

1 First Lord of the Admiralty.

2 Barrow had been made second Secretary in 1804 by Dundas ; he was a
self-made man, and a most indefatigable traveller, writer, and promoter of
Arctic exploration.

3 Admiral of the Fleet, Sir George Cockburn (1772-1853), First Naval
Lord.

542 FUTURE OF QUEEN ISABELLA [CHAP, xi

The Earl of Aberdeen to Queen Victoria.

27th September 1842.

Lord Aberdeen, with his most humble duty, lays
before your Majesty a letter which he has received
from Mr Aston respecting the marriage of the Queen
of Spain, and which, after what has already passed,
may perhaps cause your Majesty some surprise.

Lord Aberdeen is humbly of opinion that the
language hitherto employed by your Majesty's
Government upon this subject ought not to undergo
any change, and that it ought to be treated entirely
as a Spanish question.

Great Britain would naturally regard a marriage
with a son of the King of the French as injurious to
Spain and menacing to Europe, but would probably
not feel it necessary to give such an opinion respecting
any other alliance. While this might be plainly
stated, and the Spanish Government exhorted to act
according to their own independent view of the real
interests of the country and of the Queen, Lord
Aberdeen would humbly propose that the Regent
should be explicitly informed by Mr Aston that he
must not expect to receive any assistance from your
Majesty's Government in promoting a marriage with
a Prince of the Netherlands.

Lord Aberdeen believes that the difficulties in the
way of such an alliance will be found to be very
great, and especially that the religion of the Prince
will present an obstacle which in Spain must be
nearly insurmountable.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

BROCKET HALL, 29th September 1842.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and has to acknowledge your Majesty's
letter of the 25th inst, which he had the honour
and pleasure of receiving here on the 27th. Lord
Melbourne is well aware how much your Majesty's

1842] THE PRINCESS LIECHTENSTEIN 543

time must have been occupied by the number of
visitors at the Castle. We are much rejoiced here
that your Majesty saw the Prince and Princess
Liechtenstein.1 The latter is a great favourite of
Lady Beauvale's, to whom she was always very kind
and who describes her exactly as your Majesty does,
as being very " amiable and unassuming " and though
one of the first, if not the first Lady at Vienna, as
not at all partaking of the insolence and hauteur
which is by some ascribed to the society of that
capital. As a beauty, she is perhaps upon too large
a scale, except for those who admire women of all
shapes and sizes ; but her eyes and brow are very
fine, and there is a very peculiarly soft and radiant
expression about them. Lord Melbourne had heard
of his Sovereignty, but understands that his territory
is extremely limited. His possessions as a subject
of Austria are worth a good deal more than his
German principality.

Lord Melbourne greatly congratulates your Majesty
upon the happy progress and termination of the
expedition to Scotland. He is very glad of three
things — that your Majesty returned by sea, in the
steamer, and that the passage was a good one. . . .

The country is indeed most interesting, full of
real picturesque beauty and of historical and poetical
associations and recollections. There is nothing to
detract from it, except the very high opinion that
the Scotch themselves entertain of it. Edinburgh is
magnificent — situation, buildings and all — but the
boasting of the articles in the newspapers respecting
it almost inclined one to deny its superiority. It is
also, as your Majesty says, 'most striking to contem-
plate in the Clans the remains of feudal times and
institutions. It is quite as well, however, particularly
for Monarchy, that they are but remains, and that no
more of them has been left.

Lord Melbourne thanks your Majesty much for

1 Prince Aloysius Joseph of Liechtenstein (1796-1858) and his wife,
Princess Francoise-de-Paule, Countess Kinsky.

544 AN APPROACHING MARRIAGE [CHAP, n

your kind enquiries after his health. He thinks that
he is getting better and stronger than he has been, and
has a notion of trying a little shooting in October.

Lord Melbourne begs to be respectfully remembered
to the Prince.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

WINDSOR CASTLE, ISth October 1842.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — I only received your kind
letter yesterday, for which my best thanks. I am
delighted to hear that Louise's cough is decidedly
better, and that upon the whole the dear family are
well, thank God ! Certainly where He sees fit to
afflict, He gives strength to bear up !

Louise says Vecto is in great beauty, and the
baby magnificent. I wish you could see Pussy now ;
she is (unberuferi) the picture of health, and has just
cut her first eye-tooth, without the slightest suffering.
We are going to Brighton on the 1st of November
for a month ; it is the best month there and the worst
here. I think I may announce Augusta Cambridge's l
marriage as certain, as I have just received a note
from the Duke, which is as follows : —

" Being very anxious to communicate to you as
soon as possible an event which concerns deeply my
family, I take the liberty of requesting you to let me know
on what day and at what hour I may wait upon you."

I shall see him to-morrow, and report the result
to Louise on Friday.

I have just taken leave of poor Esterhazy 2 who has
presented his letters of recall. He looked wretched,
and Lord Aberdeen told me he is only ill at being
obliged to go ; he is quite miserable to do so,
but the great gentleman at Johannisberg has most
ungraciously refused to listen to his entreaties to
remain, which is very foolish, as they don't know who
to send in his place. 1 am very sorry to lose him,

1 The Princess Augusta of Cambridge, who was married to the Hereditary
Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz in the following June.

2 Prince Paul Esterhazy, who had figured at the Coronation.

1842] HISTORICAL WORKS 545

he is so amiable and agreeable, and I have known him
ever since I can remember anybody ; he is, besides,
equally liked and on equally good terms with both
parties here, which was of the greatest importance.
It was touching to see him so low and ill and unlike
himself.

The accounts of poor dear Alexandrine's eyes
continue very bad; she cannot write at all, or go out,
or do anything.

Say everything proper from us to the whole
family, and pray believe me always, your devoted
Niece, VICTORIA R.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

BROCKET HALL, 20th October 1842.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and begs leave respectfully to acknowledge
your Majesty's of the 15th inst, which he received here
the day before yesterday.

Lord Melbourne is very glad to hear that your
Majesty is reading with the Prince. Hallam's work1
certainly requires much consideration and much expla-
nation, but it is a fair, solid, impartial work, formed
upon much thought and much reading. St Simon's2
is an excellent work ; he has some prejudices, but was
a good honest man, and his book is full of useful infor-
mation. If your Majesty wishes for a book relating
to what passed from one hundred to two hundred
years ago, Lord Melbourne would strongly recommend
the Private Memoirs of the Lord Chancellor Clarendon
(Edward Hyde), not the great work, The History of the
Rebellion, though that is well worth reading, but the
Memoirs, and Bishop Burnet's .History of his own time.
The reigns of Charles II., James II., and the
Revolution are very curious in the latter. During
Queen Anne's reign the Bishop was not so much
consulted, and his work is therefore not so interesting.

1 The Constitutional History, published in 1827.

2 Louis Rouffroy, Due de Saint-Simon, author of the celebrated Mtmoires,
published 1829-1830.

VOL. i. —35

546 DOMESTIC HAPPINESS [CHAP. «

If your Majesty wishes to turn your attention to
more recent events, Professor Smyth's1 lectures upon
Modern History, and particularly upon the French
Revolution, seem to Lord Melbourne sound, fair, and
comprehensive. Lord Mahon's2 is also a good work,
and gives a good account of the reigns of George I.
and George II. He has been thought by some in
his last volume to have given too favourable a
character of the Chevalier, Charles Edward Stuart.

Lord Melbourne is much touched by what your
Majesty says of the Princess Royal, and the delight
and comfort which your Majesty finds in her, as well
as by the whole picture which your Majesty draws
of your domestic happiness. When your Majesty
refers to what passed three years ago, your Majesty
may be assured that it is with no small pleasure that
Lord Melbourne recalls any share which he may have
had in that transaction, and congratulates himself as
well as your Majesty and the Prince upon results
which have been so fortunate both for yourselves
and for the country. Lord Melbourne ventures to
hope that your Majesty will convey these feelings
to the Prince, together with the assurance of his
respectful remembrance.

The Duke of Wellington to Sir Robert Peel.

WALMER CASTLE, 26th October 1842.

MY DEAR PEEL, — Arbuthnot has shown me your
letter to him respecting this house.

Nothing can be more convenient to me than to
place it at Her Majesty's disposition at any time she
pleases. . . .

I am only apprehensive that the accommodation in
the Castle would scarcely be sufficient for Her Majesty,
the Prince, and the Royal children, and such suite
as must attend. . . .

1 William Smyth (1765-1849), Regius Professor of Modern History at
Cambridge.

2 Afterwards fifth Earl Stanhope : the book referred to is his History of
England from the Peace of Utrecht to the Peace of Versailles.

1842] WALMER CASTLE 547

It is the most delightful sea-residence to be found
anywhere, particularly for children. They can be out
all day, on the ramparts and platforms quite dry, and
the beautiful gardens and wood are enclosed and
sheltered from the severe gales of wind. There are
good lodgings at W aimer village and on Walmer
beach at no great distance from the Castle, not above
half a mile. Believe me ever, yours most sincerely,

WELLINGTON.

If the Queen should send anybody here, I beg that
he will write me a line, that 1 may have an apartment
prepared for him.

Queen Adelaide to Queen Victoria.

CANFORD HOUSE, 3lst October 1842.

MY DEAREST NIECE, — A thousand thanks for your
very kind dear letter of yesterday with its enclosures,
which 1 have just received. Your opinion respecting
George of Hanover's1 marriage is quite my own, and
I regret that the King does not seem to be inclined
to settle it and fix a day for the celebration of it. I do
not know his reasons against it, for I have not heard
from him for a long, long time. I am so sorry to find
that the accounts of his health are so indifferent, and
fear he is not careful enough.

I am happy to hear that you thought the Cambridge
visit went off well, and that the affianced2 looked and
seemed happy. I hope it will always be the same,
and that the marriage will not be delayed too long.
I always had imagined that the Duke of Cambridge
was rich and would give a fortune to his daughters,
but I have lately heard that it is not the case. I do
not know what is the usual marriage portion of an
English Princess given by the country. In Germany
those portions are called die Prinzessin Taum.

1 Afterwards, from 1851 to 1878, King George V. of Hanover, He
married Princess Marie of Saxe-Altenburg, 18th February 1843.

2 Princess Augusta of Cambridge. See p. 544.

548 QUEEN ADELAIDE VISITS A CONVENT [CHAP, xt

We received 25,000 Fl. each when we married, and
10,000 Fl. for our trousseaux each.

If the young couple are to live in future with the
Grand Duke they will not want any Plate, but if they
are to have a separate menage, then they will want it.
I shall find it out by and by. I wonder that the Duchess
likes to part with her fine sapphires. I thought the
turquoises had been intended for Augusta.

I wish you could see the Convent to which I went
the other day. The nuns belong to the Order of the
Cistercian Trappists. They are not allowed to speak
amongst themselves — what a relief my visit must have
been to them ! — and they neither eat meat, nor butter,
nor eggs — nothing but milk, vegetables and rice.
They look healthy, and there were several young
rather pretty ones amongst them. One, the best-
looking of them all, Sister Marie Josepha, took me
affectionately by the hand and said, " I hope the air
agrees with you here and that you feel better ? " and
then she added, " Come again — will you, before you
leave this country again ? ': She told me that she
was born in Ireland and had a German grandfather.
She seemed to be the favourite amongst them all,
for when I bought of their works and asked them
to make up my bill, they called Marie Josepha to
summon it up, and she said to me, " Do not stay
for that ; we will send you your things with the
bill." Two hours after my visit to them I received
my things, with a wreath of flowers besides as their
gift to me ; on the paper attached to it was written,
" To the Queen Dowager, from the Reverend M other
and her Community."

This old Reverend Mother, the Abbess, was very
infirm, and could not get up from her chair, but she
spoke very politely and ladylike to me in French.
She has been forty years in her present situation, and
comes from Bretagne. The chaplain of the Convent
is also an old Frenchman, and there are several other
French nuns amongst them — one who had been
condemned to be guillotined in the Revolution, and

th^.

In/ {/C.cf. z/d&rie at (JJ-utd^or Cattle

1842] LORD MELBOURNE'S ILLNESS 549

was set at liberty just at the moment the execution
was to have taken place. I should like to know
whether these good nuns resumed again at once
their silence when I left them, or whether they were
permitted to talk over the events of that day. . . .
Your most affectionately devoted Aunt,

ADELAIDE.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

1st November 1842.

Many thanks

for your most kind and amiable letter of the 28th,
which I received yesterday. The prospect of the
possibility of dearest Louise's spending some time
with us quite enchants us, and I hope and trust that
you will carry your plan into execution. Our plans,
which we only settled last night, are as follows : —
the scarlet fever is on the decrease at Brighton, but
not sufficiently so to justtiy our going there immedi-
ately ; so we therefore intend going to Walmer with
the children, but a very reduced suite (as the house
is considerably smaller than Claremont), on the 10th,
and to stay there till the 22nd inst., when we shall
go to Brighton, and remain there till the 13th of
December. Now if dearest Louise would meet us
there then, and perhaps come back with us here for a
little while then 1 Windsor is beautiful in December.

The news of Lord Melbourne, I am thankful to
say, are excellent, and he improves rapidly under
Dr. Holland's care, but his first seizure was very
alarming.1 I shall not fail to convey your kind
message to this worthy friend of ours.

1 am so pleased at your account of Nemours and
poor Helene. Tatane 2 is not your favourite, is he ?

Lord Douglas's3 marriage with Princess M. of

1 He had a paralytic seizure, and never regained his former health or
spirits.

2 Due de Montpensier.

8 Afterwards eleventh Duke of Hamilton : he was married to Princess
Mary on 23rd February following.

550 THE CROWN JEWELS [CHAP, xi

Baden is settled ; / shall of course treat "her as a
Princess of Baden — I can't do otherwise (it is like
Aunt Sophie,1 and Princess M. of Wiirtemberg who
married Count Neipperg 2) — and him as Lord Douglas,
which won't please him.

I wish Clem's marriage was no longer a secret,
now that it is settled, as it is (forgive my saying it)
really a fashion in our family to have these secrets de
la comedie, when one is almost forced to tell a lie
about what is true. I own I dislike these secrets ;
it was so with poor Marie and with Vecto. Now
adieu! dearest, kindest Uncle, and believe me always,
your most affectionate Niece, VICTORIA R.

Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria.

WHITEHALL, llth November 1842.

Sir Robert Peel presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and begs leave to acquaint your Majesty
that he brought under the consideration of your
Majesty's servants the questions relating to certain of
the Crown Jewels, and the claim upon them preferred
by the King of Hanover.3

In the course of the discussion it appeared to Sir
Robert Peel that there were still some points in respect
to this very embarrassing question which required the
grave consideration of legal authorities, and that it
would not be prudent to take any step, even that of
submitting the case to arbitration, without the highest
legal authority.

The submission to arbitration might avoid the evil
(and a very great one it would be) of public contro-
versy in a Court of Justice, and of public examination

1 Sister of the Duchess of Kent and of^the King of the Belgians, and the
wife of Count Mensdorff.

3 Alfred, Count Neipperg, who died in 1865.

3 The King claimed them on the ground that part belonged to the Crown
of Hanover, and part had been bequeathed to him by Queen Charlotte.
The matter was referred to a Commission consisting of Lords Lyndhurst and
Langdale, and Chief Justice Tindal. The two former were divided in
opinion, and the Chief Justice died before the award was made. If was
not till 1857 that a final decision, substantially in favour of Hanover, was
given.

1842] PROVISION FOR PRINCESS AUGUSTA 551

of members of the Royal Family on a matter partly
of a domestic nature ; but, on the other hand, great
care must be taken that by submitting the case to
the award of arbitrators, even should they be nominated
altogether by your Majesty, we do not relinquish any
fair advantage for the Crown of England which would
have accompanied an appeal to the regularly constituted
tribunals of the country.

Your Majesty's Solicitor-General was employed as
Counsel for the King of Hanover, and it has been
thought therefore advisable to make the reference to
the Attorney-General and to the Queen's Advocate.

Sir Robert Peel has attempted to bring every
questionable point in the case submitted to them
under the consideration of your Majesty's law advisers,
and when their report shall be received he will not
fail to lay it before your Majesty.

Sir Robert Peel had a personal interview a few
days since with His Royal Highness the Duke of
Cambridge, on the subject of a public provision for
the Princess Augusta on the occasion of her marriage.1

Sir Robert Peel thought it advisable to enquire
from the Duke of Cambridge, as the impression of
the public (of which His Royal Highness is quite
aware) is that he has a considerable fortune of his
own, independently of his annual allowance from
Parliament.

The Duke of Cambridge seemed entirely to share
the impressions of Sir Robert Peel that in the present
state of the country, and of the public revenue, great
caution is requisite in respect to the proposal of a
grant of public money as a marriage portion to the
Princess Augusta, and that it would be important
that in any proposal to be made there should be a
general acquiescence on the part of the House of
Commons.

As the marriage is not to take place for some time
it appears to Sir Robert Peel that it might be advis-
able to postpone a decision at least in respect to the

1 See ante, p. 547.

552 SUCCESS IN CHINA [CHAP, xi

particular amount of any provision to be made, till
a period nearer to the meeting of Parliament.

A public intimation, or the public notoriety long
beforehand, of the intention to propose a grant of
public money might, in the present temper of the
times, interpose additional obstacles in the way of it.

Sir Robert Peel proposes to return to Dray ton
Manor for a short time, and to leave London
to-morrow morning.

Lord Stanley to Queen Victoria.

DOWNING STREET, 23rd November 1842.

Lord Stanley, with his humble duty, has the honour
of submitting to your Majesty an original despatch
from Lieutenant-General Sir Hugh Gough, received
this morning, detailing the triumphant successes which
had crowned the exertions of your Majesty's Naval and
Military forces in China,1 and of the completely satis-
factory result in the execution of a Treaty of Peace with
the Emperor of China, upon terms highly honourable
to your Majesty and advantageous to this country.

Lord Stanley learns from Lord Fitzgerald that he
is also forwarding to your Majesty, by this messenger,
the details which the same mail has brought of the
complete and triumphant issue of the campaign in
Afghanistan.

Lord Stanley trusts that he may be permitted to
offer to your Majesty his humble congratulations upon
intelligence so glorious to British Arms, and so im-
portant to British interests. It is difficult to estimate
the moral effect which these victories may produce,
not on Asia merely, but throughout Europe also. At
the same moment your Majesty has brought to a
triumphant issue two gigantic operations, one in the
centre of Asia, the other in the heart of the hitherto

1 Chapoo was taken by Sir Hugh Gough in May : in June the squadron,
under Admiral William Parker, entered the waters of the Yang-tze, captured
Chin-Kiang-fu, and were about to attack Nanking, when the treaty was
concluded, embracing among other things a payment by the Chinese of
21,000,000 dollars, the cession of Hong Kong, and the opening of the ports
of Canton, Amoy, Foochow, Ningpo and Shanghai.

1842] A TREATY SIGNED 553

unapproachable Chinese Empire. In the former,
past disasters have been retrieved ; a signal victory
has been achieved on the very spot memorable for
former failure and massacre ; the honour of the British
Arms has been signally vindicated ; the interests of
humanity have been consulted by the rescue of the
whole of the prisoners ; and, after a series of victories,
the Governor-General of India is free, without discredit,
to enter upon measures of internal improvement, and
having established the supremacy of British power, to
carry on henceforth a more pacific policy.

In China a termination has been put to the effusion
of blood by the signature of a treaty which has placed
your Majesty's dominions on a footing never recog-
nised in favour of any foreign Power — a footing of
perfect equality with the Chinese Empire ; which
has obtained large indemnity for the past, and ample
security for the future, and which has opened to
British enterprise the commerce of China to an extent
which it is almost impossible to anticipate. It may
interest your Majesty to hear that already enquiries
are made in the city for superintendents of ships to
trade to Ningpo direct.

Lord Stanley has taken upon himself to give orders
in your Majesty's name for firing the Park and Tower
guns in honour of these glorious successes. A Gazette
extraordinary will be published to-morrow, the volumi-
nous nature of the despatches rendering it necessary
to take some time lest an important despatch should
be omitted.

All which is humbly submitted by your Majesty's
most dutiful Servant and Subject, STANLEY.

Lord Fitzgerald and Vesci to Queen Victoria.

INDIA BOARD, 23rd November 1842. x

Lord Fitzgerald, with his most humble duty to your
Majesty, begs leave most humbly to inform your Majesty

1 The mail, which informed Ministers of the Chinese success, also brought
the news of the capture of Cabul. General Nott (see ante, p. 504) had by the
end of July completed his preparations, and marched upon Ghuznee, having

554 VICTORIES IN AFGHANISTAN [CHAP. «

that the despatches received from the Governor-General
of India announce the results of a series of most brilliant
exploits by the armies under Major-General Nott and
General Pollock in Afghanistan.

Each of those armies has achieved a glorious
victory over superior numbers of the enemy.

The city of Ghuznee has been captured, and its
formidable fortress utterly razed and destroyed.

The survivors of the British garrison, which had
capitulated in the Spring of the year, and who had been
reduced to slavery, have been redeemed from bondage.

The splendid victory of General Pollock has been
obtained over the army commanded by Akbar Khan
in person, on the very spot where the greatest disaster
had befallen the British Army on their retreat, and
where the last gun had been lost.

On the 16th of September, General Pollock entered
Cabul with his victorious troops and planted the
Colours of your Majesty in the Balla Hissar, on the
spot most conspicuous from the city.

An extract of a letter from General Pollock to
Lord Ellenborough, dated at Cabul the 21st of
September, gives the most gratifying intelligence
that all the British prisoners, with the exception
of Captain Bygrave, have been rescued from Akbar
Khan, and were expected in the British camp on
the 22nd of September.

An extract from a letter from General Pollock
announcing the redemption of the prisoners is also
most humbly submitted to your Majesty, by your
Majesty's most dutiful Subject and Servant,

FITZGERALD AND VESCI.

arranged to meet Pollock at Cabul, and having transferred the Scinde
command to General England. Nott was before Ghuznee on 5th September,
but at daylight on the 6th found it evacuated ; the citadel was destroyed by
him and the Gates of Somnauth removed, as directed by Lord Ellenborough.
Pollock, to whose discretion Ellenborough had entrusted the policy of
advancing on Cabul, secured supplies at Gundamuck, and on his advance met
the enemy in a strong position in the Jugdulluck Pass and dispersed them ;
then at Tezeen, on 12th September, he was attacked by Akbar Khan with
20,000 men. The Pass was forced, and the Afghans retired to the Haft
Kotal, where they were utterly defeated, close to the scene of Elphinstone's
disaster. Nott arrived at Cabul on the day after Pollock.

1842] PORTUGUESE AFFAIRS 555

Queen Victoria to Sir Robert Peel.

WALJIER CASTLE, 25th November 1842.

The Queen wishes Sir Robert to consider, and at
an early period to submit to her, his propositions as
to how to recompense and how to mark her high
approbation of the admirable conduct of all those meri-
torious persons who have by their strenuous endeavours
brought about the recent brilliant successes in China
and Afghanistan.

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

ARDENNE, 2Uh November 1842.

MY DEAREST VICTORIA, — . . . I do not think, or
I may say 1 am pretty certain, because I have often
seen Donna Maria's letters, they hardly ever speak
of politics, except just saying that they are sur-
rounded by such very sad people without honour
or honesty. I am sure they are not French at
Lisbon beyond the kindly feelings which result from
the recollection of Donna Maria's stay at Paris.
My constant advice has been to look exclusively to
. the closest alliance with England, and Ferdinand is
now well aware of it ; but you know that the
Liberal party tried to even harm him by represent-
ing him as a mere creature of England. We live
in odd times when really one very often thinks
people mad ; their uncontroulcd passions do not
develop amiable feelings, but on the contrary every-
thing that is bad and unreasonable. . . .

You are a very affectionate and kind Mamma,
which is very praiseworthy ; may Heaven preserve
your dear little children 1 Victoria is very clever, and
it will give you great pleasure to see the develop-
ment which takes place with children just at that
time of life. What you say of Ernest is unfortu-
nately but too true ; that trick of exaggeration is
one of the worst I almost know, and particularly
in people in high stations, as one finally knows not

556 HONOURS FOR THE ARMY [CHAP, sa

what to believe, and it generally ends with people
disbelieving all such individuals do say. . . . Your
devoted Uncle, LEOPOLD R.

Queen Victoria to Sir Robert Peel.

WALMER CASTLE, 29th November 1842.

Approve of the G.C.B. given to —

Sir H. POTTINGER.

Sir W. PARKER.

GENERAL NOTT.

GENERAL POLLOCK.

Likewise of the proposed pension to Sir R. Sale, and
the Baronetcy to Sir Hugh Gough.

Thinks the latter very fit to succeed Sir Jasper
Nicols l as Commander-in-Chief in India.

Grants with pleasure the permission to her troops
engaged in Afghanistan to accept and wear the
four medals which the Governor- General has had
struck for the Indian Army, and hopes that besides
gratifying the troops it will have the beneficial effect
of still strengthening the good feeling existing between
the two armies. Were it not for this impression the
Queen would have thought it more becoming that
she herself should have rewarded her troops with a
medal than leaving it to the Governor-General.

Lord Ellenborough to Queen Victoria.

SIMLA, 18th October 1842.

Lord Ellenborough, with his most humble duty
to your Majesty, humbly offers to your Majesty his
congratulation on the entire success which has attended
the operations of the Fleet and Army under your
Majesty's directions in the Yantze-Kiang,2 and submits
to your Majesty the general order which, on the
receipt of the intelligence of that success and of the
peace concluded with the Emperor of China upon
the terms dictated by your Majesty, he issued to
the Army of India.

1 Lieut. -General Sir Jasper Nicols (1778-1849) created a K.C.B. for his
services at Bhurtpore.

2 See ante, p. 552, note 1.

1842] THE GATES OF SOMNAUTH 557

Your Majesty will have observed that in the
letter of the 4th of July to Major-General Nott, that
officer was instructed to bring away the gates of the
Temple of Somnauth, from the tomb of Mahmood of
Ghuznee, and the club of Mahmood also.

The club was no longer upon the tomb, and it
seems to be doubtful whether it was taken away by
some person of Lord Keane's Army in 1839, or by
Shah Sooja, or whether it was hidden in order to
prevent its being taken away at that time.

The gates of the Temple of Somnauth have been
brought away by Major- General Nott.

These gates were taken to Ghuznee by Sultan
Mahmood in the year 1024. The tradition of the
Invasion of India by Sultan Mahmood in that year
and of the carrying away of the gates after the
destruction of the Temple, is still current in every
part of India, and known to every one. So earnest
is the desire of the Hindoos and of all who are not
Mussulmans to recover the gates of the Temple that
when ten or twelve years ago Runjeet Singh was
making arrangements with Shah Sooja for assisting
him in the endeavour to recover his throne,1 he wished
to make a stipulation that when Shah Sooja recovered
his power he should restore the gates to India, and
Shah Sooja refused.

Lord Ellenborough transmits for your Majesty's
information, a copy of the Address he intends to
publish on announcing that the gates of the Temple
will be restored.2

The progress of the gates from Ferozepore to
Somnauth will be one great national triumph, and
their restoration to India will endear the Government
to the whole people.3

1 See ante, p. 179.

a "The insult of 800 years," he wrote in this rather theatrical proclama-
tion, " is at last avenged. The gates of the temple of Somnauth, so long the
memorial of your humiliation, are become the proudest record of your
national glory. . . . You will yourselves, with all honour, transmit the
gates of sandal-wood, through your respective territories, to the restored
Temple of Somnauth."

8 See post, pp. 579, 586, and 598.

558 FRANCE AND SPAIN [CHAP. «

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 13th December 1842.

DEAREST UNCLE, — I have to thank you for two most
kind letters of the 5th and 8th. I can report very favour-
ably of the healths of young and old ; we are all very
flourishing, and have since yesterday perfectly May
weather. Clear, dry frost would be wholesome.

Victoire gave me yesterday a much better account
of poor little Robert.1

In Portugal affairs seem quieted down, but Ferdinand
is imprudent enough to say to Mamma that he wrould
be wretched to lose Dietz (very naturally) and would
not be at all sorry to go away! Now, this is folly,
and a most dangerous language to hold, as if he
entertains this, I fear the Portuguese will some beau
matin indulge him in his wishes.

The news from Spain are better, but I must own
frankly to you, that we are all disgusted at the
French intrigues wrhich have without a doubt been at
the bottom of it all, and can I fear be traced very
close to the Tuileries. Why attempt to ruin a
country (which they luckily cannot succeed in) merely
out of personal dislike to a man who certainly has
proved himself capable of keeping the country quiet,
and certainly is by far the most honest Spaniard in
existence, whatever crimes or faults the French may
choose to bring against him. And what will be the
effect of all this ? A total dislike and mistrust of
France, and a still closer alliance with England. I
have spoken thus freely, as a repetition of last year's
scenes is too much to remain silent, and as I have
ever been privileged to tell you, dearest Uncle, my
feelings, and the truth.

Poor Lord Hill's death, though fully expected,
will grieve you, as it has grieved us.

I am much amused at what you say about Charles,
and shall tell it him, when I write to him. Believe me
always, your most affectionate Niece, VICTORIA R.

1 The infant Due de Chartres.

1842] MAJOR MALCOLM 559

Queen Victoria to Sir Robert Peel.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 19^ December 1842.

The Queen is very desirous that something should
be done for Major Malcolm,1 (who was the bearer
of " the news of Victory and Peace ") either by pro-
motion in the Army or by any other distinction. He
is a very intelligent and well-informed officer, and has
been employed in China both in a Civil and Military
capacity, and has made, and is going to make again, a
long journey at a very bad time of the year, though
suffering severely at this moment from ague.

Queen Victoria to Sir Robert Peel.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 26th December 1842.

The Queen thanks Sir Robert for his letter of the
23rd. She thinks that Major Malcolm's going back
to China the bearer of verbal instructions as well as
written ones will greatly facilitate the matter and
prevent misunderstandings which at such a great
distance are mostly fatal. The Queen joins in Sir
Robert's opinion, that before coming to a final arrange-
ment it will be most valuable to have Sir H. Pottinger's
opinion upon your present message, and thinks it
much the best that Sir H. should in the meantime be
entrusted with the extraordinary full powers for con-
cluding any provisional arrangements, as she believes
that very great confidence may be placed in him.
Lord Stanley's suggestions strike the Queen as very
judicious and calculated to facilitate the future
Government of Hong-Kong.

The Queen hopes to hear more from Sir Robert
when she sees him here, which she hopes to do from
Monday the 2nd to Wednesday the 4th.

1 In such cases, it has been usual to confer some distinction.

560 THE SCOTCH CHURCH [CHAP. *i

Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria.

DRAYTON MANOR, 26th December 1842.

Sir Robert Peel presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and with reference to enquiries made by your
Majesty when Sir Robert Peel was last at Windsor, on
the subject of the Scotch Church and the proceedings
of the last General Assembly, begs leave to acquaint
your Majesty that the Moderator of the Assembly has
recently addressed a letter to Sir Robert Peel requiring
an answer to the demands urged by the General
Assembly in a document entitled a Protest and
Declaration of Right.1

The demands of the General Assembly amount to a
reversal by Law of the recent decisions of the Court of
Session and of the House of Lords, and to a repeal
of the Act of Queen Anne, which establishes the Right
of Patronage in respect to Livings in the Church of
Scotland.

That Act by no means gives any such absolute right
of appointment to the Crown or other patrons of
Livings, as exists in England. It enables those legally
entitled to the patronage to present a clergyman to the
Living, but the Church Courts have the power, on
valid objections being made and duly sustained by the
parishioners, to set aside the presentation of the patron,
and to require from him a new nomination.

The Church, however, requires the absolute repeal
of the Act of Anne.

An answer to the demands of the Church will now
become requisite.

1 The famous Auchterarder case had decided that, notwithstanding the
vetoing by the congregation of the nominee of the patron, the Presbytery
must take him on trial if qualified by life, learning and doctrine, — in other
words that the Act of Anne, subjecting the power of the Presbytery to the
control of the law courts, was not superseded by the Veto Act, a declaration
made by the General Assembly. In the Strathbogie case, a minister had
been nominated to Marnock, and 261 out of 300 heads of families had
objected to him. The General Assembly having directed the Presbytery to
reject him, the civil court held that he must be taken on trial. Seven
members of the Presbytery obeyed the civil power, and the General Assembly,
on the motion of Dr Chalmers, deposed them and declared their parishes
vacant

1S42] A SERIOUS CRISIS 561

Sir James Graham has been in communication with
the law advisers of your Majesty in Scotland upon the
legal questions involved in this matter, and will shortly
send for your Majesty's consideration the draft of a
proposed answer to the General Assembly.1

Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria.

DRAYTON MANOR, 30th December 1842.

Sir Robert Peel presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and rejoices to hear that your Majesty approved
of the letter which, with your Majesty's sanction, James
Graham proposes to write to the Moderator of the
General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

Sir Robert Peel fears that there is too much ground
for the apprehensions expressed by your Majesty in
respect to future embarrassment arising out of the
position of the Church Question in Scotland.

Sir Robert Peel saw yesterday a letter addressed by
Dr. Abercrombie,2 the eminent physician in Edinburgh,
to Sir George Sinclair,3 declaring his conviction that the
Secession of Ministers from their Livings would take
place to a very great extent — would comprise very
many of the Ministers most distinguished for learning
and professional character, and would meet with very
general support among their congregations.

Sir Robert Peel has little doubt that a serious crisis
in the History of the Church of Scotland is at hand,
and that the result of it will be greatly to be lamented ;
but still he could not advise your Majesty to seek to
avert it by the acquiescence in demands amounting to
the abrogation of important civil rights and to the

1 Sir James Graham's letter is printed in the Annual Register for 1843. A
petition in answer was drawn by the Assembly and presented to Parliament
by Mr Fox Maule. After the debate on it in the Commons, preparations
were made throughout Scotland for the secession of the non-intrusionists,
as they were called, which event took place on 18th May 1843, when about
500 Ministers, headed by Chalmers, seceded from the Old Kirk, and founded
the Free Church.

2 John Abercrombie (1780-1844) one of the chief consulting physicians
in Scotland, and a great medical writer. He left the Established Church.

8 Sir George Sinclair (1790-1868), M.P. for Caithness-shire, was a sup-
porter of the Anti-Patronage Society, and joined the Free Church.
VOL. i. —36

562 LETTER FROM LORD MELBOURNE [CHAP, a

establishment in Scotland of an ecclesiastical domina-
tion independent of all control. . . .

He is very confident that your Majesty will feel
that in the present state of the controversy with the
Church of Scotland, there is peculiar reason for taking
the greatest care that every minister presented to a
Crown Living should be not only above exception, but
should, if possible, be pre-eminently distinguished for
his fitness for a pastoral charge.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

BROCKET HALL, 30th December 1842.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. He has been much delighted this morning
by receiving your Majesty's letter of the 28th. He
was the more gratified, as he had begun to be a little
annoyed at being such a very long time without hearing
from your Majesty.

Lord Mahon has sent Lord Melbourne his book.1
Lord Melbourne has not yet read it, but he has read
the review of it in the Quarterly, which seems to be
a sort of abstract or abridgment of the book. The
effect of writing it in French has naturally been to
direct all attention and criticism from the merits of
the work to the faults of the French. People who
have read the work speak of it as entertaining, and
the times are curious and interesting. The characters
engaged in them, striking and remarkable. Lord
Melbourne is very glad to hear that Pottinger's con-
duct is so universally approved. He always appeared
to Lord Melbourne to be a man of great ability, resolu-
tion, and discretion, and Lord Melbourne much rejoices
that he has turned out so.

Hallam's opinions Lord Melbourne believes to be in
general sound, and such as have been held and approved
by the most able and constitutional statesmen in this
country.

Lord Melbourne is much rejoiced to hear of the

1 Essai sur la vie du grand Condi, afterwards published in English.

1842] ESTEEM FOR BARON STOCKMAR 563

Princess and the Prince of Wales, and also that your
Majesty is pursuing your studies quietly, cheerfully,
and happily.

Lord Melbourne is very sensible of the interest
which the Baron takes in his health and which he
warmly reciprocates. There is no man whom he
esteems more, nor of whose head and heart he has
a better opinion.

We expect here to-morrow the Duchess of Suther-
land * and Lady Elizabeth Gower,2 who have been kind
enough to propose to pay Lord Melbourne a visit

1 Formerly Mistress of the Robes.

2 Afterwards Duchess of Argyll.

INTRODUCTORY NOTE
TO CHAPTER XII

REPEATED debates took place during the year (1843) on the Com
Laws, the agitation against them steadily growing, Mr Cobden
coming on one occasion into violent conflict with the Premier.
The events of the previous year in Afghanistan were also the subject
of constant discussion in Parliament. A movement of some import-
ance took place in Wales in opposition to the increasing number
of toll-bars, bands of rioters dressed in women's clothes and known
as " Rebecca and her daughters," demolishing the gates and
committing acts of greater or less violence. A verse in Genesis
(xxiv. 60) fancifully applied gave rise to this name and disguise.

In Scotland the system of private patronage in the Established
Kirk had become very unpopular, the Act of Anne in favour of
the nomination by lay patrons, and the control given to the Law
Courts over the revising action of the Presbytery being ultimately
modified by a declaration of the General Assembly known as the
Veto Act. But it was decided in what was called the Strathbogie
case that the veto was illusory, the disruption of the old Kirk
followed, and on 18th May Dr Chalmers and five hundred other
ministers seceded from it in order to form the Free Church.

In Ireland the agitation for Repeal was at its height. O'Connell,
supported by the Nation newspaper, founded a Repeal association
in Dublin, and monster meetings were held on Sundays on some
conspicuous spot of free and historic associations, to claim the
re-establishment of a Parliament on College Green. It was believed
that a quarter of a million people were present on one occasion,
and the Government, alarmed at the absolute power wielded by
O'Connell over these huge bodies of men, resolved to prohibit the
meetings, and somewhat tardily issued a Proclamation against
that announced for Clontarf on 8th October. O'Connell accord-
ingly disbanded the meeting, but his action did not please his
more zealous supporters, and his ascendancy came to an end. The
agitation collapsed and the principal actors were arrested.

A military duel fought in the summer of this year, in which
a colonel in the army was shot by his brother-in-law, made the
code of honour existing on the subject a burning question, the
criminal law of homicide being the same then as now. On Prince
Albert's suggestion the question was taken up by the heads of the
Army and Navy, and the Articles of War were in the following
year amended so as to admit of an apology and a tender of redress.

The better feeling existing between this country and France
enabled the Queen and Prince to visit Louis Philippe at the
Chateau d:Eu.

564

CHAPTER XII
1843

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

WINDSOR CASTLE, kth January 1843.

DEAREST UNCLE, — ... We have been very gay ;
danced into the New Year, and again last night, and
were very merry, though but a very small party ;
young and old danced. Good Lord Melbourne was
here from Saturday till this morning, looking very
well, and I almost fancied happy old times were
returned ; but alas ! the dream is past ! He enquired
much after you.

Now adieu ! Ever your devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

CLAREMONT, 10th January 1843.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — I am happy to write to
you again from this so very dear and comfortable
old place, where you will have heard from Louise
that we arrived with our dear Pussy on Thursday
last. We are all so particularly well, including
Pussy, that we intend, to my great delight, to
prolong our stay till next Monday. This place has
a peculiar charm for us both, and to me it brings
back recollections of the happiest days of my otherwise
dull childhood — where I experienced such kindness

565

566 RECOLLECTIONS OF CLAREMONT [CHAP, xn

from you, dearest Uncle, which has ever since con-
tinued. It is true that my last stay here before I
came to the Throne, from November '36 to February
'37, was a peculiarly painful and disagreeable one,
but somehow or other, I do not think of those times,
but only of all the former so happy ones. Victoria
plays with my old bricks, etc., and I think you would
be pleased to see this and to see her running and
jumping in the flower garden, as old — though I fear
still little — Victoria of former days used to do. She
is very well, and such an amusement to us, that I
can't bear to move without her ; she is so funny and
speaks so well, and in French also, she knows almost
everything ; she wrould therefore get on famously
with Charlotte. . . .

Might I ask you some questions about Joinville's
match,1 which interests me much ? First of all, have
you heard of his arrival at Rio ? Secondly, if the
Donna Francesca pleases, is he empowered at once
to make the demand, or must he write home first ?
How nice it would be if the two marriages could
take place at once, but I suppose, under any circum-
stances, that could not be. . . .

Alexandrine is nearly quite recovered ; she writes
such pretty, affectionate, kind letters, poor dear child,
and is so fond of Ernest. I must say I think he
seems improved, as he likes to live quietly with her,
and speaks of her too with the greatest affection.

Now, my dearest Uncle, let me take my leave,
begging you to believe me always, your devoted
Niece, VICTORIA R.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

BROCKET HAI.L, I2lh January 1843.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and thanks your Majesty much for your
letter of the 9th inst. which he received yesterday.

1 He was married to the Princess Francesca of Brazil on 1st May.

1843] HISTORICAL WRITERS 567

Every letter that he receives from your Majesty brings
back to his mind the recollection of times, which,
though they were clouded with much care and anxiety,
were still to Lord Melbourne a period of much happi-
ness and satisfaction. . . .

Hallam has not written a History of the Church,
but in all his books there is necessarily much about
the Church, and much that is worthy of mention. A
short History of the Church is, Lord Melbourne fears,
not to be found, the subject is so large and so difficult
that it cannot be treated shortly. Dr Short1 has
written and published a clever, brief, and distinct
summary, but it relates principally to the Church of
England, and in order to be fully understood, requires
to be read by one who has already some acquaintance
with the subject.

The book which your Majesty remembers Lord
Melbourne reading is the production of Dr Waddington,2
whom your Majesty, under Lord Melbourne's recom-
mendation, made Dean of Durham, which dignity he
now holds. It is a very good book.

Adolphus's3 History is by no means a bad book,
and will give your Majesty the facts of the beginning
of the reign of George III. well and accurately
enough. The Duke of Sussex once told Lord
Melbourne that he had asked his father whether
Adolphus's account of the beginning of his reign
was correct, and that the King had replied that
substantially it was so, but that there were some
mistakes, and that what had been done by one person
was often attributed to another. Adolphus's History
will receive some illustration from Horace Walpole's
letters of that period. . . .

Lord Melbourne thinks that he is really getting rid
of the gout, and gathering strength. He still has
some doubt whether he shall be able to go up for

1 Bishop, then of Sodor and Man, afterwards of St Asaph. His book, a
Sketch of the History of th« Church of England, was published in 1832.

2 George Waddington (1793-1869), Dean of Durham, published in 1833
the History of the Church from the Earliest Apes to the Reformation.

8 John Adolphus, barrister, wrote a history of England from 1760 to 1783.

568 A MISUNDERSTANDING [CHAP. Xn

the meeting of Parliament. Lord Melbourne begs to
renew to your Majesty the warm and respectful assur-
ance of his gratitude and attachment.

Queen Adelaide to Queen Victoria.

CANFOIID HOUSE, Friday, 13th January 1843.

MY DEAREST NIECE, — ... As you take so kind
an interest in our dear Thesy,1 I send you a letter
which I have received from her mother-in-law, with
an excellent account of her and her infant. Her
happiness is a great blessing, and I thank God that
she is so well this time. Can you imagine her with
two boys? It seems so odd, for it is but a short
time since she was here with us. How time flies
rapidly. I own I was not a little surprised to find
that you are probably the godmother; or is the little
boy only to be named after you ? I remember well
what you said to me when I was asked to be the
godmother of the first boy, " that I could not accept
it" as I must not take the responsibilities attached
to a sponsor with a Roman Catholic child. On that
ground alone, and having learned your opinion which
sanctioned my own, I refused it then at the risk of
offending the dear parents. Now, after all that was
said on the subject, if you have accepted the offer of
becoming sponsor to this little Victor, YOU, as the
Head of the English Church, give to understand that
/ was wrong in my notions of the duties which our
Church imposes upon sponsors, having refused what
you accepted. I tell you fairly and openly that it has
vexed me, but of course I say this only to yourself,
dearest Victoria, and not to any one else, for it does
not become me to find fault with what you please to
do. But I could not entirely pass it over in silence,
and regret that my former refusal must now become
doubly annoying to my relations. I beg your pardon
for thus frankly stating my feelings to you on a subject

1 Princess Therese, daughter of the Prince of Hohenlohe-Schillinffsfiirst,
and wife of Prince Frederick Charles of Hohenlohe-Waldenburg.

1843] GOVERNOR-GENERALSHIP OF CANADA 569

which I shall now dispatch from my mind, and I trust
you will not take it ill, and excuse me for having
mentioned it to you alone. . . . Your most attached
and devoted Aunt, ADELAIDE.

Queen Victoria to Queen Adelaide.

CLAREMONT, 15th January 1843.

I am at a loss to comprehend, my dear Aunt, what
you mean by saying that you refused being godmother
to Thesy's first child, as / had sanctioned your doing
so. I never remember even talking to you on the
subject, but only heard from Mamma that you had
refused doing so — which I was surprised at. I there-
fore felt no hesitation in accepting the offer of Thesy,
particularly as I am already godmother to one of the
children of Prince Esterhazy's daughter. I am grieved,
dearest Aunt, that this occurrence should annoy you,
but I can assure you that I do not remember ever
having spoken to you on the subject at all.

Lord Stanley to Queen Victoria.

DOWNING STREET, 19th January 1843.

Lord Stanley with his humble duty submits to
your Majesty that in pursuance of the permission
which your Majesty was pleased to give him
personally, he has this day offered to Sir Charles
Metcalfe 1 the Governor- Generalship of Canada ; and
Lord Stanley has much satisfaction in adding that the
offer has been readily and thankfully accepted. This
appointment, Lord Stanley is convinced, is, under
the circumstances, the best which could have been
made, and he believes not only that it will be
generally approved, but that Sir Charles Metcalfe's
long experience and tried discretion will afford the
best prospect of conducting the affairs of Canada

1 Metcalfe had had a long Indian career, and for a year had been Provisional
Governor-General, when he removed the restrictions on the liberty of the
Press. He was created a peer in 1845, but never took his seat He resigned
his post at the end of that year, and died soon after.

570 MR DRUMMOND SHOT [CHAP, xn

safely and successfully through the present crisis.
As Sir Charles Metcalfe will naturally be anxious
previous to his embarkation (which, however, will
probably not take place for at least six weeks) to
have the honour of being presented to your Majesty
on his appointment, Lord Stanley hopes he may be
honoured by your Majesty's commands as to the
time when it may be your Majesty's pleasure to
admit him to an audience. Perhaps Sir Charles's
attendance after the Council at which your Majesty's
Speech on the opening of the Session has to be settled,
may give your Majesty as little trouble as any time that
could be named.

The above is humbly submitted by your Majesty's
most dutiful servant and subject, STANLEY.

Sir Robert Peel to the Prince Albert.

WHITEHALL, 20th January 1843.

Sir, — I have the painful duty of acquainting your
Royal Highness that Mr Drummond, my Private
Secretary, was shot at this day about quarter past
three o'clock, in the neighbourhood of Charing Cross.1

Two pistols were discharged, the first close to Mr
Drummond's back, the second after the assassin had
been seized by a policeman.

The ball entered in the back and has been extracted,
after passing round the ribs. I have just left Mr
Drummond's house. No vital part appears to have
been injured, and there is no unfavourable symptom
whatever.

The assassin gives his name MacNaghten, and
appears to be a Glasgow man.

Two five pound notes were, I understand, found
upon his person, and a receipt for £750 given to
Daniel MacNaghten, confirming, therefore, the man's
account of his name.

1 Edward Drummond had been Private Secretary to Canning, Ripon, and
Wellington, as well as to Peel, and was very popular; he was in his fifty-first
year. He had just left his uncle's Bank at Charing Cross, when he was shot.

1843] MISTAKEN FOR SIR ROBERT PEEL 571

We have not hitherto been able to discover that
this man had any alleged grievance or complaint
against the Treasury or any public office.

He has been loitering about the public offices for
the last fortnight, and being questioned, I understand,
some days since, by the Office Keeper of the Council
office, said he was a policeman. This, of course, for
the purpose of evading further enquiry.

The policeman who apprehended the man, says
that he heard the man exclaim after firing the shots :
" He or she (the policeman is uncertain which) shall
not disturb my peace of mind any more."

These are all the particulars I have heard or
learned. I am afraid I have given them to your
Royal Highness in a hurried manner. I have
thought it better to convey this information to Her
Majesty, through the kind intervention of your
Royal Highness, than by a direct communication to
the Queen.

I have the honour to be, Sir, with sincere respect,
your Royal Highness's most faithful and humble
Servant, ROBERT PEEL.

Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria.

WHITEHALL, 21st January 1843.

Sir Robert Peel begs leave to mention to your
Majesty a fact which has not hitherto transpired — and
of which he was not aware until he had an interview
this morning with Sir James Graham.

On the Inspector Tierney going into the cell of
MacNaghten this morning, he said to MacNaghten :
" 1 suppose you are aware who is the person whom
you have shot?

He (MacNaghten) said: "Yes — Sir Robert Peel."

From this it would appear that he had mistaken
Mr Drummond for Sir Robert Peel.

The Magistrate thought it better not to have
this evidence at present placed on record.

572 DEATH OF MR DRUMMOND [CHAP,

Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria.

WHITEHALL, 25th January 1843.

Sir Robert Peel presents his humble duty to
your Majesty, and has the very painful duty to
report to your Majesty the fatal consequences of
the attack on Mr Drummond.

He breathed his last this morning about half-past
ten o'clock.

A very unfavourable change took place last night,
and no hopes were entertained after seven o'clock in
the evening.

This sad event has had such an effect on Lady
Peel, and all the circumstances attending it are so
distressing to Sir Robert Peel, that relying upon your
Majesty's great kindness, he ventures to express a
hope that your Majesty will have the goodness to
permit Sir Robert and Lady Peel to remain for the
present in London, or should your Majesty desire
to see Sir Robert Peel before Wednesday next, to
allow him to wait upon your Majesty in the morning
of any day which your Majesty may be pleased to
name.

He need scarcely assure your Majesty that nothing
but such a sad event as that which has occurred
would induce him to prefer this request to your
Majesty.

Sir Robert Peel encloses such further information
as has reached him respecting MacNaghten.

He does not hesitate to send to your Majesty
every word of information of the least importance
which he receives. . . .

The evidence of his mental delusion is strong, but
it must be borne in mind that he was exactly the
instrument which others would employ.

Sir Robert Peel has no reason for surmising this
to be the case, but the possibility of it ought not
and shall not be overlooked.

1843] DEMEANOUR OF MACNAGHTEN 573

Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria.

WHITEHALL, 25th January 1843.

Sir Robert Peel presents his humble duty to
your Majesty, and makes no apology for frequently
writing to your Majesty on the painful subject in
respect to which your Majesty has manifested so
deep an interest.

Sir Robert Peel humbly thinks that your Majesty's
observations with respect to the clear distinctions
in the cases of insanity are most just. It will be
most unfortunate indeed, if the Law does not attach
its severest penalty to a crime so premeditated and
so deliberately and savagely perpetrated, as that of
MacNaghten.

The Jury are, however, the sole judges on this
point, that is to say, it rests with them exclusively,
either to find an absolute verdict of guilty of murder,
or to acquit on the ground of insanity.

MacNaghten will be charged with the offence of
murder, and every effort will be made to bring him
to condign punishment.

His Counsel will probably endeavour to establish
his insanity.

Nothing can be more collected and intelligent in
many respects than his conduct in prison. He was
conversing with the gaoler, and seemed not dis-
inclined to unburden his mind, when he suddenly
stopped and enquired from the gaoler whether such
conversations as that which he was holding went
beyond the prison walls.

On being informed that no security could be given
that they would remain secret, he said he should hold
his tongue, but that all would come out by and by.

Sir Robert Peel takes the liberty of enclosing
for your Majesty's perusal, a note which he has
just received from Miss Emily Eden, sister of Lord
Auckland, and of Mrs Charles Drummond.

If it should be in your Majesty's power to assign
apartments at some future period to Miss Drummond,

574 LETTER FROM LORD MELBOURNE [CHAP, xu

who lived with her brother Edward, and was mainly
dependent upon him, it would be a very great comfort
to a lady of the most unexceptionable conduct, and
most deeply attached to her poor brother.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

BROCKET HALL, 25th January 1843.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. He has been much gratified this morning
by receiving your Majesty's letter of the 23rd ; he has
determined upon following your Majesty's advice, and
upon not hazarding the throwing himself back by
coming up to London and attempting to attend the
House of Lords at the commencement of the Session.
The assassination of Mr Drummond, for Lord Melbourne
fears it must be called so, is indeed a dreadful thing.
Lord Melbourne is not surprised, for people are very
apt to turn all their wrath and indignation upon the
man from whom they actually receive an answer,
which they do not like, without in the least consider-
ing whether he is really responsible for it. Lord
Melbourne used often to be himself assailed with threats
of personal violence. Sometimes he took notice of
them by swearing the peace against those who used
them, and having them bound over in sureties.
Sometimes he disregarded them, but he does not
think it either prudent or justifiable entirely to neglect
such intimations. Lord Melbourne does not wonder
that this event brings to your Majesty's recollection
what has taken place in your own case.

Hallam is, in Lord Melbourne's opinion, right about
Ireland. Her advocates are very loud in their outcry,
but she has not really much to complain of.

Lord Melbourne was very glad to hear of the
marriage of Prince Augustus of Coburg with the
Princess Clementine, as he apprehends that the con-
nection must be very agreeable to your Majesty.

Lord Melbourne begs to be respectfully and affec-
tionally remembered to His Royal Highness.

1843] PREPARATIONS FOR THE TRIAL 575

Sir James Graham to Queen Victoria.

WHITEHALL, 28<A January 1843.

Sir James Graham, with humble duty, begs to inform
your Majesty, that the prisoner Daniel MacNaghten
was fully committed for trial this afternoon. He was
not defended before the Magistrates ; but in his manner
he was quite cool, intelligent, and collected ; he asked
no questions, but he expressed a wish to have copies
of the Depositions.

His trial will probably commence on Friday or
Saturday next, and there is reason to believe that, at
the request of his relatives in Glasgow, Counsel will be
retained, and that the plea of insanity will be raised in
his defence.1

Every preparation is in progress to meet this vague
and dangerous excuse. It will turn out that the
pistols were bought at Paisley by MacNaghten on
the 6th of August last ; and information has reached
Sir James Graham, which, he thinks, will prove that
MacNaghten is a Chartist, that he has attended political
meetings at Glasgow, and that he has taken a violent
part in politics. He yesterday saw a Presbyterian
clergyman, who prayed with him ; who pointed out
the atrocity of his crime, the innocence of his
victim, the pangs of sorrowing relatives, and who
exhorted him to contrition and repentance. Some
impression was made at the moment ; but his general
demeanour is marked by cold reserve and hardness
of heart.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

BROCKET HALL, 2nd February 1843.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and thanks much for the letter of the 30th

1 He was defended by four counsel, including Mr Cockburn, afterwards
Lord Chief Justice.

576 THE ROYAL FAMILY AND POLITICS [CHAP. xu

lilt, which he received here yesterday morning. He
believes it is more prudent not to go to London, but
he greatly regrets that his not doing so will deprive
him for so long a time of the honour and pleasure of
seeing your Majesty.

The Duke of Sussex acquainted Lord Melbourne
and took his opinion before he issued his cards for
the dinner. Lord Melbourne does not think that
he can have any idea of playing the part to which
Lord Erroll alluded. It is better that a dinner should
be given somewhere. He having nothing of the
kind would look too much like giving up the whole
business and disbanding the party. Lord Melbourne
entirely agrees with your Majesty as to the political
conduct which ought to be pursued by the members
of the Royal Family, but he remembers no time
in which they have been induced to act with so much
prudence and propriety. Your Majesty will see in
Adolphus the very prominent share which the Duke
of Cumberland,1 the General of Culloden, took in the
Party contentions of those days. He was a strong
partisan and in a great measure the founder of
the Whig party. Lord Melbourne has often heard
George IV. converse upon that subject, and he used
to contend that it was quite impossible for a Prince
of Wales in this country to avoid taking an active
part in politics and political contentions. The fact
is that George III. did not discourage this in his own
family sufficiently, and the King of Hanover always
said that his father had encouraged him in the active
part which he took, and which certainly was sufficiently
objectionable.

The assassination of Drummond is indeed a horrible
event. Lord Melbourne does not see as yet any clear,
distinct and certain evidence of what were the real
motives and object of the man. But we shall hear
upon his trial what it is that he urges. Your Majesty

1 This Duke died, unmarried, in 1765, and his nephew, the fourth son of
Frederick, Prince of Wales, was created Duke of Cumberland in 1766. He
in his turn died without issue, in 1790, and in 1799 the fifth son of George III.
(afterwards King of Hanover), received the same title.

1843] DANGER OF ACQUITTAL 577

will, of course, recollect that the Jury acquitted
Oxford, and then there was nothing to do but to
acquiesce in the verdict. If the Jury should take
a similar view of this man's crime it will be
impossible for the Government to do anything to
remedy the evil which Lord Melbourne thinks will
be caused by such a decision. Lord Melbourne knew
Mr Drummond pretty well. He used formerly to be
much in Hertfordshire both at Hatfield and at
Gorhambury, and Lord Melbourne has often met
him at both places and thought him with all the rest
of the world a very quiet, gentlemanly and agree-
able man. Lord Melbourne very well remembers
the murder of Mr Perceval and Bellingham's trial.
Lord Melbourne was then in the House of Commons,
but was not present at the time the crime was per-
petrated. There were differences of opinion as to the
manner in which Sir James Mansfield conducted the
trial. Many thought that he ought to have given
more time which was asked for on the part of the
prisoner in order to search for evidence at Liverpool.
But the law which he laid down in his charge is cer-
tainly sound, correct and reasonable. Lord Melbourne
is very glad to think that your Majesty has not to go
to the House of Lords to-day.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

BROCKET HALL, 3rd February 1843.

. . . Lord Melbourne thinks that the Speech was
very well and judiciously drawn, the only paragraph
which he does not like is that about the American
treaty.1 It betrays too great an anxiety for peace, and
too much fear of war.2

1 See ante, pp. 462, 465. The treaty had been negotiated by Lord Ashburton.

a " By the treaty which Her Majesty has concluded with the United
States of America, and by the adjustment of those differences which, from
their long continuance had endangered the preservation of peace. Her
Majesty trusts that the amicable relations of the two countries have been
confirmed. "

VOL. i.— 37

573 KING LEOPOLD AND SIR ROBERT PEEL [CHAP, xn
The Queen of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

LAEKEN, 6th February 1843.

MY BELOVED VICTORIA, — I am quite of your
opinion about balls. Nothing can change what cannot
change, and I consider all these things, which have
always been a bore to me, as a matter of duty and not
otherwise. The duties of station are to be fulfilled like
the others, and my first and most pleasant duty is to do
all that your Uncle may command or wish. Your Uncle
was much shocked by your answer about Miss Meyer,
whom he considered of uncommon beauty. He is quite
in love with her picture, and is very anxious to discover
who she is. The other pictures of the book of beauty he
abandons to you, and they are certainly worthy of a
book of ugliness. . . . Yours most devotedly, LOUISE.

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

LAEKEN, 10th February 1843.

MY DEAREST VICTORIA, — ... I am very much
gratified by your having shown my hasty scrawl to
Sir Robert Peel, and that the sincere expression of a
conscientious opinion should have given him pleasure.

It was natural at first that you should not have liked
to take him as your premier ; many circumstances united
against him. But I must say for you and your family,
as well as for England, it was a great blessing that so
firm and honourable a man as Peel should have become
the head of your administration. The State machine
breaks often down in consequence of mistakes made forty
and fifty years ago ; so it was in France where even
Louis XIV. had already laid the first foundation for
what happened nearly a hundred years afterwards.

I believe, besides, Sir Robert sincerely and warmly
attached to you, and as you say with great truth quite
above mere party feeling. Poor Lady Peel must be
much affected by what has happened. . . . Your truly
devoted Uncle, LEOPOLD R.

1 Eugenie Meyer, stepdaughter of Colonel Gurwood, C.B., married the first
Viscount Esher, Master of the Rolls. The Queen had written that she did not
admire that style of beauty.

1843] THE AMERICAN TREATY 579

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

BROCKET HALL, 12th February 1843.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. He received here on Friday last, the 10th,
your Majesty's letter of the 8th, which gave him great
pleasure, and for which he gratefully thanks your
Majesty. Lord Melbourne is getting better, and hopes
soon to be nearly as well as he was before this last
attack, but he still finds his left hand and arm and his
left leg very much affected, and he does not recover
his appetite, and worse still, he is very sleepless at
night, an evil which he is very little used to, and of
which he is very impatient. . . .

Lord Melbourne adheres to all he said about Lord
Ashburton and the Treaty, but he thinks more fire than
otherwise would have taken place was drawn upon
Lord Ashburton by the confident declaration of
Stanley that his appointment was generally approved.
The contrary is certainly the case. There is much of
popular objection to him from his American connection
and his supposed strong American interests. Lady
Ashburton, with whom he received a large fortune, is
a born American. But he is supposed to possess
much funded property in that country, and to have
almost as strong an interest in its welfare as in that of
Great Britain. With all this behind, it is a bad thing
to say that his appointment was liable to no suspicion
or objection. It seems to Lord Melbourne that
what with Ellenborough with the Gates of Ghuznee
upon his shoulders,1 and Ashburton with the American
Treaty round his neck, the Ministry have nearly
as heavy a load upon them as they can stand up
under, and Lord Melbourne would not be surprised
if they were to lighten themselves of one or the
other.

1 The Somnauth Proclamation created a good deal of ridicule.

580 POSITION OF THE PRINCE OF WALES [CHAP, xii
Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

BROCKET HALL, 13th February 1843.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and has just recollected that in the letter
which he wrote yesterday, he omitted to advert to a
part of your Majesty's last to which your Majesty may
expect some answer. He means the part relating to
the character and situation of a Prince of Wales in
this country. George IV. was so conscious of having
mixed himself most unrestrainedly in politics, and of
having taken a very general part in opposition to his
father's Government and wishes, that he was naturally
anxious to exonerate himself from blame, and to blame
it upon the necessity of his position rather than upon
his own restless and intermeddling disposition. But
Lord Melbourne agrees with your Majesty that his
excuse was neither valid nor justifiable, and Lord
Melbourne earnestly hopes that your Majesty and the
Prince may be successful in training and instructing
the young Prince of Wales, and to make him under-
stand correctly his real position and its duties, and to
enable him to withstand the temptations and seductions
with which he will find himself beset, when he approaches
the age of twenty-one. It is true that Sir John made
the observation, which Lord Melbourne mentioned to
your Majesty, and which you now remember correctly.
He made it to Sir James Graham, when he went to talk
to him about the offence which William IV. had taken
at the Duchess of Kent's marine excursion ; and at the
receiving of royal salutes. Your Majesty was not
very long in the situation of an acknowledged, ad-
mitted arid certain heir apparent, but still long enough
to be aware of the use which those around you were
inclined to make of that situation and of the petitions
and applications which it naturally produced from others,
and therefore to have an idea of the difficulties of it.

Lord Melbourne heartily wishes your Majesty every
success in the interesting and important task in which
you are engaged of forming the character and disposition
of the young Prince.

1843] GOOD WISHES FROM QUEEN ADELAIDE 581
Queen Adelaide to Queen Victoria.

CANFORD HOUSE, 14th February 1843.

MY DEAREST NIECE, — Your delightful letter of
Tuesday gave me such pleasure and satisfaction that I
must thank you with all my heart for it. Your happiness,
and your gratitude for that happiness, is most gratifying
to my feelings, having loved you from your infancy
almost as much as if you had been my own child. It
is therefore happiness to me to hear from yourself those
expressions to which you gave vent. I thank God that
you have such an excellent husband, so well calculated
to make you happy and to assist you in your arduous
duties by his advice, as well as his help in sharing your
troubles. I pray that your domestic happiness may
last uninterruptedly, and that you may enjoy it through
a long, long period of many, many years. You cannot
say too much of yourself and dear Albert when you
write to me, for it is a most interesting subject to my
heart, I assure you.

What a shame to have put on darling little Victoria
a powdered wig! Poor dear child must have looked
very strange with it ! Did her brother appear in einer
Allonge-Perucke?" . . .

I shall hope to follow you to town early next month,
and look forward with great pleasure to seeing you
so soon again. Forgive me my horrible scrawl, and
with my best love to dearest Albert, believe me ever,
my dearest Victoria, your most affectionate and faith-
fully devoted Aunt, ADELAIDE.

Pray tell your dear mother, with my affectionate
love, that I will answer her letter to-morrow.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

WINDSOR CASTLE, \±th February 1843.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — Many thanks for your kind
letter of the 10th, which I received on Sunday. I am
only a little wee bit distressed at your writing on the
10 th and not taking any notice of the dearest, happiest

582 PROPOSED EXCHANGE OF VISITS [CHAP. *n

day in my life, to which I owe the present great
domestic happiness I now enjoy, and which is much
greater than I deserve, though certainly my Kensington
life for the last six or seven years had been one of great
misery and oppression, and I may expect some little
retribution, and, indeed, after my accession, there was
a great deal of worry. Indeed I am grateful for
possessing (really without vanity or flattery or blind-
ness) the most perfect being as a husband in existence,
or who ever did exist ; and I doubt whether anybody
ever did love or respect another as I do my dear
Angel ! And indeed Providence has ever mercifully
protected us, through manifold dangers and trials, and
I feel confident will continue to do so, and then let
outward storms and trials and sorrows be sent us, and
we can bear all. . . .

I could not help smiling at the exactitude about
Monday the 19th of June; it is a great happiness to
us to think with such certainty (D.F'.} of your kind
visit, which would suit perfectly. A p?~opos of this,
I am anxious to tell you that we are full of hope of
paying you in August a little visit, which last year
was in so melancholy a way interrupted ; but we think
that for many reasons it would be better for us to
pay you our first visit only at Ostend, and not at
Brussels or Laeken ; you could lodge us anywhere, and
we need then bring but very few people with us — it
might also facilitate the meeting with Albert's good old
grandmother, who fears to cross the sea, and whose great
wish is to behold Albert again — and would not be so
difficult (pour la \ere fois) in many ways. I could,
nevertheless, see Bruges and Ghent from thence by help
of the railroad, and return the same day to Ostend.

What you say about Peel is very just. Good Lord
Melbourne is much better.

I hope soon to hear more about Joinville and Donna
Franciska. Now, ever your devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

We are all very well (unberufcn) and move, to our
horror, to town on Friday.

1843] MR COBDEN'S SPEECH 583

Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria.

WHITEHALL, Saturday Morning, ISth February (1843).

Sir Robert Peel presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and begs leave to acquaint your Majesty that
the debate was brought to a close this morning about
half-past three o'clock. The motion of Lord Howick *
was rejected by a large majority, the number being,

For the Motion 191

Against it 305

Majority 114

The chief speakers were Mr R. Cobden and Lord
John Russell in favour of the motion, Mr Attwood,
Lord Francis Egerton and Sir Robert Peel against it.

In the course of the evening there was much
excitement and animated discussion, in consequence
of the speech of Mr Cobden, who is the chief patron
of the Anti-Corn Law League.

Mr Cobden with great vehemence of manner
observed more than once that Sir Robert Peel ought
to be held individually responsible for the distress of
the country.2

Coupling these expressions with the language fre-
quently held at the meetings of the Anti-Corn Law
League, and by the press in connection with it, Sir
Robert Peel in replying to Mr. Cobden charged him
with holding language calculated to excite to personal
violence.

1 To go into Committee on the depression of the manufacturing industry.
The debate turned mainly on the Corn Laws.

2 To this attack Peel replied with excessive warmth, amid the frantic
cheering of his party, who almost refused to hear Cobden 's explanation in
reply. Peel, alarmed at the fate of Drummond, thought (or affected to think)
that Cobden was singling him out as a fit object for assassination. For
years Cobden resented this language of Peel most deeply. " Peel's atrocious
conduct towards me ought not to be lost sight of," he wrote in February
1846. A rapprochement was effected by Miss Martineau — see her letter to
Peel (Parker, vol. iii. p. 330) — and reference to the matters by Disraeli in the
House of Commons led to satisfactory explanations on both sides.

584 THE NEW CHAPEL [CHAP, xii

Queen Victoria to the Earl of Lincoln.1

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, ISth February 1843.

The Queen, immediately on her arrival yesterday,
went to look at the new Chapel, with which she is
much pleased, but was extremely disappointed to find it
still in such a backward state. As it is of the utmost
importance to the Queen to be able to use it very soon,
she wishes Lord Lincoln would be so good as to hurry
on the work as much as possible ; perhaps Lord Lincoln
could increase the number of workmen, as there seemed
to her to be very few there yesterday.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

BROCKET HALL, 21st February 1843.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. He received safely your Majesty's letter of
the 18th inst. Lord Melbourne entreats your Majesty
that you never will think for a moment that you can
tire him by questions, or that it can be to him anything
but a great pleasure to answer them. He will be only
too happy if any information that he possesses or can
procure can be of the least use or pleasure to your
Majesty. Lord Melbourne conceives that your Majesty
must be surprised at his complaining of sleeplessness.
He is much obliged by the suggestion of the camphor.
He mentioned it to the gentleman who attends him,
and he said that it was a very good thing, and certainly
has a soothing and quieting effect, and that in fact there
was some in the draught which Lord Melbourne now
takes at night. But Lord Melbourne has taken to
going down to dinner with those who are in the house,
and sitting up afterwards until near twelve o'clock, and
since he has done this he has slept better. We expect
the Duke and Duchess of Bedford for two nights on
Wednesday next. Lord and Lady Uxbridge and
Ella and Constance often come over in the morning
and eat their luncheon here, which Lord Melbourne

1 Chief Commissioner of Woods and Forests.

1843] FANNY BURNEY'S DIARY 585

takes very kindly of them. George Byng1 came the
other morning in a waistcoat of Peel's velveteen. Lord
Strafford bought the whole piece off the manufacturer,
and let .George Byng have enough for a waistcoat. It
is a dull blue stuff, and the device and inscription not
very clear nor easy to make out.2

Adolphus is as Aberdeen says too rigidly Tory, but
there are plenty of narratives of the same period such
as Belsham 3 and others, of whom it may be said with
equal truth that they are too Whig. . . .

Lord Melbourne read the Edinburgh on Madame
d'Arblay, which is certainly Macaulay's, but thought
it unnecessarily severe upon Queen Charlotte, and that
it did not do her justice, and also that it rather
countenanced too much Miss Burney's dislike to
her situation. It appears to Lord Melbourne that
Miss Burney was well enough contented to live in the
Palace and receive her salary, but that she was
surprised and disgusted as soon as she found that she
was expected to give up some part of her time, to
conform to some rules, and to perform some duty.
Lord Melbourne is sorry to say that he missed the
article on Children's Books, a subject of much
importance, and in which he is much interested.

Lord Melbourne has received the engraving of the
Princess and is much pleased by it, and returns many
thanks. It is very pretty, very spirited, and as far
as Lord Melbourne's recollection serves him, very like.
Lord Melbourne remains ever your Majesty's faithful,
devoted and attached servant.

Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria.

WHITEHALL, Sunday Morning (bth March 1843).

Sir Robert Peel presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and begs leave to acquaint your Majesty
that the prisoner MacNaghten was acquitted last

1 Brother-in-law of Lord Uxbridge, and afterwards Earl of Strafford.

2 The allusion is to a hoax played on the Premier by a presentation made to
him of a piece of the then novel fabric, velveteen, stamped with a free-trade
design. Peel afterwards wrote that he was unaware that the specimen bore
" any allusion to any matters which are the subject of public controversy."

3 William Belsham (1752-1827) wrote in twelve volumes, A History of
Or eat Britain to the Conclusion of the Peace of Amiens in 1802.

586 MACNAGHTEN ACQUITTED [CHAP, xn

night, after a trial which lasted two days, upon the
ground of insanity.

The fuller account of the evidence which Sir Robert
Peel has seen is on the accompanying newspaper.

The only other information which has reached Sir
Robert Peel is contained in a note (enclosed) from Mr.
Maule, the solicitor to the Treasury, who conducted
the prosecution. The three judges1 appear to have
concurred in opinion, that the evidence of insanity
was so strong as to require a verdict of acquittal —
and the Chief Justice advised the Jury to find
that verdict without summing up the evidence or
delivering any detailed charge upon the facts of the
case and the law bearing upon them.

It is a lamentable reflection that a man may be at
the same time so insane as to be reckless of his own
life and the life of others, and to be pronounced free
from moral responsibility, and yet capable of preparing
for the commission of murder with the utmost caution
and deliberation, and of taking every step which shall
enable him to commit it with certainty.

Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria.

WHITEHALL, 1<MA March 1843.

Sir Robert Peel with his humble duty to your
Majesty begs leave to acquaint your Majesty that
the House of Commons was occupied last night with
the attack upon Lord EUenborough for the Somnauth
Proclamation.2

The motion was made by Mr Vernon Smith.3
The resolution proposed condemned the Proclama-
tion as unwise, indecorous and reprehensible. .Mr
Vernon Smith was followed by Mr Emerson Tennent,4
one of the Secretaries to the Board of Controul.

1 Chief Justice Tindal, and Justices Williams and Coleridge.

3 See ante, p. 557.

8 Robert Vernon Smith (1808-1873), afterwards President of the Board of
Control, created Lord Lyveden in 1859.

* James Emerson (1804-1869) afterwards Sir James Emerson Tennent,
M. P. for Belfast, author of Letters from the JEgean, etc.

1843] THE QUESTION OF CRIMINAL INSANITY 587

Mr Macaulay next spoke, and condemned the
conduct of Lord Ellenborough in a speech of great
bitterness and great ability.

The motion was negatived by a majority of 242
to 157.

The minority included Lord Ashley, Sir Robert
Inglis, and six other gentlemen, who generally support
your Majesty's servants.

The debate was a very animated one, with a
strong infusion of Party zeal.

Queen Victoria to Sir Robert Peel.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 12th March 1843.

The Queen returns the paper of the Lord
Chancellor's to Sir Robert Peel with her best thanks.

The law may be perfect, but how is that when-
ever a case for its application arises, it proves to be
of no avail ? We have seen the trials of Oxford and
MacNaghten conducted by the ablest lawyers of the
day — Lord Denman, Chief Justice Tindal, and Sir
Wm. Follett,1 — and they allow and advise the Jury to
pronounce the verdict of Not Guilty on account of
Insanity, — whilst everybody is morally convinced that
both malefactors were perfectly conscious and aware
of what they did ! It appears from this, that the force
of the law is entirely put into the judge's hands, and
that it depends merely upon his charge whether the
law is to be applied or not. Could not the Legislature
lay down that rule which the Lord Chancellor does in
his paper, and which Chief Justice Mansfield did in
the case of Bellingham ; and why could not the judges
be bound to interpret the law in this and no other sense
in their charges to the Juries ? 2

1 Solicitor-General : his health gave way in middle life, and he died in
1845.

2 In consequence of the manner in which the trial terminated, and the
feeling excited in the country, the House of Lords put certain questions on
the subject of criminal insanity to the judges, whose answers have been since
considered as establishing the law.

588 THE PRINCESS MARY OF BADEN [CHAP, xn

The Earl of Aberdeen to Queen Victoria.

FOREIGN OFFICE, 13th March 1843.

Lord Aberdeen presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. In obedience to your Majesty's commands
he has endeavoured to consider the letter of the
Grand Duke of Baden with reference to the position
of the Princess Mary 1 in this country. Lord Aberdeen
does not find in the proceedings of the Conference of
Great Powers at Vienna, at Aix la Chapelle, or at Paris,
anything which can materially affect the question. The
great difficulty with respect to the Princess appears to
arise from the fact that in this country the rank and
precedence of every person are regulated and fixed by
law. Should your Majesty be disposed to deviate from
the strict observance of this, although Lord Aberdeen
cannot doubt that it would receive a very general
acquiescence, it is still possible that the Princess
might be exposed to occasional disappointment and
mortification. . . .

There is a consideration, to which Lord Aberdeen
would humbly advert, which may not altogether be
unworthy of your Majesty's notice. Your Majesty does
not wish to encourage alliances of this description ;
and although there may be no danger of their frequent
occurrence, it cannot be denied that an additional
inducement would exist if Princesses always retained
their own rank in this country.

On the whole, Lord Aberdeen would humbly
submit to your Majesty that the Princess might be
received by your Majesty, in the first instance with
such distinction as was due to her birth — either by
a Royal carriage being sent to bring her to your
Majesty's presence, or in any manner which your
Majesty might command — with the understanding
that she should permanently adopt the title and
station of her husband. Your Majesty's favour and

1 The Princess Mary of Baden had recently married the Marquis of
Douglas, eldest son of the Duke of Hamilton. See p. 549.

1843] THE PRINCE AND THE LEVEES 589

protection, afforded to her in this character, will
probably realise all the expectations of the Grand
Duke ; and, without acknowledging any positive claim
or right, your Majesty would secure the gratitude of
the Princess.

Queen Victoria to Sir Robert Peel.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, nth March 1843.

The Queen has spoken again to the Prince about
the Levees, who has kindly consented to do what
can be of use and convenience to the Queen. There
is one circumstance which must be considered and
settled, and which the Queen omitted to mention to
Sir Robert Peel when she saw him. The chief,
indeed the only, object of having these Levees is to
save the Queen the extreme fatigue of the Presentations
which would come in such a mass together when the
Queen held them herself; the Prince naturally holds the
Levees for the Queen, and represents her ; could not
therefore everybody who were presented to him be
made to understand that this would be tantamount to
a presentation to the Queen herself? There might
perhaps be an objection on the part of people presented
to kneel and kiss the Prince's hand. But this could
be obviated by merely having the people named to
the Prince. The inconvenience would be so great if
nobody at all could be presented till late in the
season, that something must be devised to get over
this difficulty.

Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria.

DOWNING STREET, ISth March 1843.

Sir Robert Peel presents his humble duty to
your Majesty, and begs leave to submit to your
Majesty that should your Majesty determine that
the Prince should hold Levees on behalf of your
Majesty, the best course will be to announce the

590 SIR ROBERT PEEUS SUGGESTIONS [CHAP, xn

intention from the Lord Chamberlain's Office in
terms to the following purport :

" His Royal Highness Prince Albert will, by
Her Majesty's command, hold a Levee on behalf
of Her Majesty on

" It is Her Majesty's pleasure that presentations
to the Prince at this Leve'e shall be considered
equivalent to presentations to the Queen.

"Addresses to Her Majesty may be presented to
Her Majesty through the Secretary of State, or
may be reserved until Her Majesty can hold a
Levee in person."

Sir Robert Peel humbly submits to your Majesty
that it would not be advisable to prohibit by notice
in the Gazette subsequent presentations to your
Majesty. It will probably answer every purpose
to state that they shall be considered equivalent,
and when your Majesty shall hold a Levee it may
be then notified at the time that second presenta-
tions are not necessary.

When the Prince shall hold the Leve'e, it may
be made known at the time, without any formal
public notification, that kneeling and the kissing
of hands will not be required.

Sir Robert Peel hopes that the effect of holding
these Levees may be materially to relieve your
Majesty, but it is of course difficult to speak with
certainty. He was under the impression that in the
reign of Queen Anne, Prince George had occasionally
held Levees on the part of the Queen during the
Queen's indisposition, but on searching the Gazette
of the time he cannot find any record of this.

Queen Victoria to Sir Robert Peel.

CLAREMOVT, 19th March 1843.

The Queen has received Sir Robert's letter, and
quite approves of his suggestions concerning the
Levies. The Prince is quite ready to do whatever

1843] POLICE ARRANGEMENTS 591

may be thought right, and the Queen wishes Sir
Robert to act upon the plan he has laid before her
in his letter of yesterday. Perhaps it would be right
before making anything public to consider the question
of Drawing-Rooms likewise, which are of such import-
ance to the tradespeople of London. It would be
painful for the Queen to think that she should be
the cause of disappointment and loss to this class of
her subjects, particularly at this moment of commercial
stagnation. The Queen conceives that it would be the
right thing that the same principle laid down for the
Levees should be followed with regard to Drawing-
Rooms, the Prince holding them for her. The Queen
is anxious to have soon Sir Robert's opinion upon this
subject. The Queen in looking at the almanac finds
that only the two next weeks are available for these
purposes before Easter.

Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria.

WHITEHALL, 27th March 1843.

Sir Robert Peel presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and hastens to reply to your Majesty's note
of this date.

Sir Robert Peel assures your Majesty that he
does not think that there is the slightest ground for
apprehension on the occasion of the Levee, but Sir
Robert Peel will, without the slightest allusion to
your Majesty's communication to him, make personal
enquiries into the police arrangements and see that
every precaution possible shall be taken.

He begs, however, humbly to assure your Majesty
that there never has reached him any indication of a
hostile feeling towards the Prince. It could only
proceed from some person of deranged intellect,
and he thinks it would be almost impossible for
such a person to act upon it on the occasion of a
Levee.

It may tend to remove or diminish your Majesty's

592 LOOKING FOR THE COMET [CHAP. *n

anxiety to know that Sir Robert Peel has walked
home every night from the House of Commons, and,
notwithstanding frequent menaces and intimations of
danger, he has not met with any obstruction.

He earnestly hopes that your Majesty will dismiss
from your mind any apprehension, and sincerely believes
that your Majesty may do so with entire confidence.
But nothing shall be neglected.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 2Sth March 1843.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — I had the pleasure of
receiving your kind letter of the 24th, on Sunday.
How lucky you are to have seen the comet ! 1 It is
distinctly to be seen here, and has been seen by many
people, but we have till now looked out in vain for
it. We shall, however, persevere.

We left dear Claremont with great regret, and since
our return have been regaled with regular March winds,
which, however, have not kept me from my daily walks.
To-day it is finer again.

It is most kind and good of dearest Albert to hold
these Levees for me, which will be a great relief for
hereafter for me. Besides ccla le met dans sa position;
he and / must be one, so that I can only be represented
by him. I think this, therefore, a good thing for that
reason also; and God knows, he, dear angel, deserves
to be the highest in everything.

Our Consecration went off extremely well, and the
Chapel is delightful, and so convenient. I am sure you
will like it.

You will be glad to hear that dear old Eos (who
is still at Claremont) is going on most favourably ;
they attribute this sudden attack to her overeating

1 Its appearance gave rise to much discussion among astronomers. On
the 17th Sir John Herschel saw its nucleus from Collingwood in Kent, and
on the following night a dim nebula only ; so it was probably receding with
great velocity.

1843] FLOWERS FROM MELBOURNE 593

(she steals where ver she can get anything), living in
too warm rooms, and getting too little exercise since
she was in London. Certainly her wind was not in
the slightest degree affected by her accident, for, in the
autumn she coursed better than all the other young
dogs, and ran and fetched pheasants, etc., from any
distance, and ran about the very evening she was
taken so ill, as if nothing wras the matter. Evidently
part of her lungs must be very sound still ; and they
say no one's lungs are quite sound. She must be well
starved poor thing, and not allowed to sleep in beds,
as she generally does.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

BROCKET HALL, 2nd April, 1843.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. He received yesterday morning your
Majesty's letter of the 30th ult, for which he
sincerely thanks your Majesty. Lord Melbourne is
delighted to find that your Majesty was pleased
with the bouquet. The daphnes are neither so
numerous nor so fine as they were, but there are
still enough left to make another bouquet, which
Lord Melbourne will take care is sent up by his cart
to-morrow, and left at Buckingham Palace. Lord
Melbourne is very much touched and obliged by
your Majesty's very kind advice, which he will
try his utmost to follow, as he himself believes that
his health entirely depends upon his keeping up his
stomach in good order and free from derangement.
He owns that he is very incredulous about the
unwholesomeness of dry champagne, and he does
not think that the united opinion of the whole
College of Physicians and of Surgeons would per-
suade him upon these points, — he cannot think that
a " Hohenlohe " glass of dry champagne, i.e., half a
Schoppen,1 can be prejudicial. Lord and Lady Erroll2
and Lord Auckland and Miss Eden are coming

1 A Schoppen is about a pint, it is the same word etymologically as " scoop."

2 William George, seventeenth Earl of Erroll, married a sister of the first
Earl of Munster.

VOL. i. — 38

594 THE ROYAL CHILDREN [CHAP. »i

in the course of the week, and they would be much
surprised not to get a glass of champagne with their
dinner. Lord Melbourne is very glad to learn that
the Prince's Levee did well, and feels that His Royal
Highness undertaking this duty must be a great relief
and assistance to your Majesty. Lord Melbourne hopes
to see the Baron here when he comes. The spring still
delays and hangs back, but it rains to-day, which Lord
Melbourne hopes will bring it on.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, kth April 1843.

DEAREST UNCLE, — Many thanks for your very
kind letter of the 31st, which I received on Sunday,
just as our excellent friend Stockmar made his
appearance. He made us very happy by his ex-
cellent accounts of you all, including dearest Louise,
and the children he says are so grown ; Leo being
nearly as tall as Louise ! En revanche he will, I hope,
tell you how prosperous he found us all ; and how
surprised and pleased he was with the children ; he
also is struck with Albert junior's likeness to his
dearest papa, which everybody is struck with. Indeed,
dearest Uncle, I will venture to say that not only
no Royal Menage is to be found equal to ours, but
no other menage is to be compared to ours, or is any
one to be compared, take him altogether, to my
dearest Angel ! . . .

Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria.

WHITEHALL, 6th April 1843.

Sir Robert Peel presents his humble duty to
your Majesty, and has this moment received your
Majesty's note.

Sir Robert Peel will immediately make enquiry
in the first instance in respect to the correctness of
the report of the dinner. The omission of the health

IMS] THE TOAST OF THE PRINCE 595

of the Prince is certainly very strange — it would be
very unusual at any public dinner — but seems quite
unaccountable at a dinner given in connection with
the interests of one of the Royal Theatres.

The toasts are generally prepared not by the
chairman of the meeting, but by a committee, but
still the omission of the name of the Prince ought
to have occurred at once to the Duke of Cambridge,
and there cannot be a doubt that he might have
rectified, and ought to have rectified, the omission.

Sir Robert Peel is sure your Majesty will approve
of his ascertaining in the first instance the real facts
of the case — whether the report be a correct one,
and if a correct one, who are the parties by whom
the arrangements in respect to the toasts were made.

This being done, Sir Robert Peel will then apply
himself to the execution of your Majesty's wishes,
in the manner pointed out by your Majesty.

He begs humbly to assure your Majesty that he
enters most fully into your Majesty's very natural feel-
ings, and that he shall always have the greatest pleasure
in giving effect to your Majesty's wishes in matters of
this nature, and in proving himself worthy of the con-
fidence your Majesty is kindly pleased to repose in him.

Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria.

WHITEHALL, 6th April 1843.

Sir Robert Peel with his humble duty to your
Majesty hastens to make a communication to your
Majesty, on the subject of your Majesty's letter of
this morning, which, he hopes, will remove from
your Majesty's mind, any unfavourable impression
with regard to the toasts at the theatrical dinner,
or to the conduct of the Duke of Cambridge in
reference to them.

Sir Robert Peel, since he addressed your Majesty,
has made enquiry from Colonel Wood, the member
for Brecon, who was present at the meeting.

In order to have the real statement of the case,
Sir Robert Peel did not mention the object of the

596 NO DISRESPECT INTENDED [CHAP, xn

enquiry. The following were the questions and the
answers : —

Q. What were the toasts at the theatrical
dinner last night ?

COLONEL WOOD. The first was The Queen and the
Prince. The Duke said he thought he could not give
the health of the Queen in a manner more satisfactory
than by coupling with the name of Her Majesty that of
her illustrious Consort.

Colonel Wood said that his impression was that
the Duke meant to do that wrhich would be most
respectful to the Prince, and that he had in his mind
when he united the name of the Prince with that
of your Majesty, the circumstances of the Prince
having recently held the Levee on behalf of your
Majesty.

It might perhaps have been better had His Royal
Highness adhered to the usual custom, and proposed
the health of the Prince distinctly and separately,
but he humbly submits to your Majesty that the
intention of His Royal Highness must have been to
show respect to the Prince.

The reports of public dinners are frequently
incorrect, the reporters being sometimes placed at
a great distance from the chairman.

Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria.

WHITEHALL, Uth April 1843.

Sir Robert Peel presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and will not fail to forward by the first
opportunity the letter to Lord Ellenborough which
accompanied your Majesty's note.

In consequence of his conversation yesterday
morning with Baron Stockmar, Sir Robert Peel begs
to mention to your Majesty that he saw to-day a
private letter from Berlin, which mentioned that the
King of Hanover had apparently abandoned the
intention of visiting England this year, but that on
the receipt of some letters from England, which he

1843] KING OF HANOVER'S PROPOSED VISIT 597

suspected to be written for the purpose of discourag-
ing his visit, the King suddenly changed his intention
and wrote a letter to your Majesty stating that he had
thoughts of such a visit.

It was not stated from whence the letters advising
the King to remain on the Continent had proceeded.

This letter also stated that the King of Hanover
proposed to waive his rank of Sovereign as far as he
possibly could on his arrival in England, and to take
his seat in the House of Lords without taking any
part in the proceedings.

It added that the King could not in any event
be in England before the latter end of May or begin-
ning of June, and rather hinted that as his proposed
visit was more out of a spirit of contradiction and
impatience of obstacles being thrown in the way of it,
than from any strong wish on his part to come here,
he might probably change his intention and defer his
visit, particularly if he should find that there was no
particular impediment in the way of it.

Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria.

WHITEHALL, 13th April 1843.

Sir Robert Peel presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and begs leave to acquaint your Majesty
that the Duke of Cambridge having called on Sir
Robert Peel this morning, he took an opportunity
of asking His Royal Highness whether he thought
the King of Hanover had made up his mind to visit
England this year.

The Duke's reply was, as nearly as possible, as
follows : —

"Oh yes, the King will certainly come, but I can
tell you privately he means to have nothing to do
with the House of Lords. He will not make his
appearance there. The King has taken his servants
for six weeks — that is, engaged their attendance upon
him for that time. I know the porter is engaged
and the stable servants. The King has written to

598 GATES OF SOMNAUTH RESTORED [CHAP, xii

Her Majesty. His real object in coming is to arrange
his private papers, which were left in confusion, and to
consult Sir Henry Halford."

This was all that was material that His Royal
Highness said.

Lord Ellenborough to Queen Victoria.

CAMP, DELHI, 19th February 1843.

. . . The gates of the Temple of Somnauth, which
have been escorted to Delhi by five hundred cavalry
of the protected Sikh States, will be escorted from
Delhi to Muttra and thence to Agra by the same
force of cavalry, furnished by the Rajahs of Bhurtpore
and Alwar.2

While there has been universally evinced a feeling
of gratitude to the British Government for the con-
sideration shown to the people of Hindustan in the
restoration of these trophies, there has not occurred
a single instance of apparent mortification amongst
the Mussulmans. All consider the restoration of the
gates to be a national, not a religious, triumph. At
no place has more satisfaction been expressed than at
Paniput, a town almost exclusively Mussulman, where
there exist the remains of the first mosque built by
Sultan Mahmood after he had destroyed the city and
temples of the Hindoos. . . .

Extract from the Will of his late Royal Highness the
Duke of Sussex, dated the 11 th August 18403 (sent
at the Queens request by Sir Robert Peel to the
Duke of Wellington for his advice}.

" I desire that on my death my body may be
opened, and should the examination present anything

• The eminent physician.

1 See ante, p. 557.

» The Duke of Sussex died on 21st April of erysipelas. His first marriage
in 1793 to Lady Augusta Murray, daughter of the fourth Earl of Dunmore,
was declared void under the Royal Marriage Act. Lady Augusta died in
1830 ; her daughter married Sir Thomas Wilde, afterwards Lord Truro. The
Duke contracted a second marriage with Lady Cecilia, daughter of the Earl
of Arran and widow of Sir George Buggin : she was created Duchess of
Inverness in 1840.

1843] DEATH OF THE DUKE OF SUSSEX 599

useful or interesting to science, 1 empower my
executors to make it public. And I desire to be
buried in the public cemetery at Kensal Green, in the
Parish of Harrow, in the County of Middlesex, and
not at Windsor."

The Duke of Wellington to Sir Robert Peel.

STRATH FIELDS A YE, 21st April 1843.

MY DEAR PEEL, — I have just now received your
letter of this day, and 1 return the enclosure in the
box. It appears to me that the whole case must be
considered as hanging together ; that is, the desire
to be buried at Kensal Green, that of Freemasons
to pay Masonic Honours,1 that the body of the
Duchess of Inverness should be interred near to his
when she dies.

Parties still alive have an interest in the attainment
of the two last objects, which are quite incompatible
with the interment of a Prince of the Blood, a Knight
of the Garter, in St George's Chapel at Windsor.

The Queen's Royal Command might overrule the
Duke's desire to be buried at Kensal Green.2 Nobody
would complain of or contend against it.

But there will be no end of the complaints of
interference by authority on the part of Freemasons ;
and of those who will take part with the Duchess of
Inverness : and it is a curious fact that there are
persons in Society who are interested in making out
that she was really married to the Duke. Against
this we must observe that it will be urged that the
omission to insist that the interment should take
place in the Collegiate Chapel of St George's, Windsor,
and thus to set aside the will, lowers the Royal Family
in the opinion of the public ; and is a concession to
Radicalism. But it is my opinion that the reasons
will justify that which will be done in conformity
with the will.

f J The Duke of Sussex being Grand Master of England, and Master of the
Lodge of Antiquity.

2 The body lay in state at Kensington, and was eventually buried, as the
Duke had desired, in the Kensal Green Cemetery.

600 DUKE OF WELLINGTON'S OPINION [CHAP, xn

I confess that I don't like to decide upon cases in
such haste ; and I cannot consider it necessary that
a decision should be made on the course to be taken
in respect to the Duke's funeral, on the morrow of
the day on which he died.

It would be desirable to know the opinion of the
Lord Chancellor, the Archbishop, and others.

I can't think of anything likely to occur, which
might alter me : and I '11 abide by that which I have
above given.

It will be absolutely necessary to take effective
measures for the preservation of the peace at this
funeral at Kensal Green : and even that the magistrates
should superintend the procession of the Freemasons.
Believe me, ever yours most sincerely,

WELLINGTON.

Queen Adelaide to Queen Victoria.

Mnd April 1843.

MY DEAREST NIECE, — I am just come back and
feel very anxious to know how you are, and beg at
the same time to offer to you my most affectionate
condolence, on the melancholy event which has taken
again another member of our family from us. Pray
do not trouble yourself "wi^a. answering this note, but let
me hear how you feel, and whether you will like to see
me to-morrow or at any time most convenient to you.

I feel deeply our new loss which recalls all the
previous sad losses which we have had so forcibly,
and I pray that it may not affect you too much,
dearest Victoria, and that you will not suffer from
the shock it must have been to you. I was not in the
least aware of the danger and near approach of the
fatal end, and only yesterday began to feel alarmed by
the accounts which I have received.

I have been with the poor Duchess of Inverness on
my way to town, and found her as composed as possible
under the sad circumstances, and full of gratitude to
you and all the family for ah1 the kindness which she

1843] BIRTH OF THE PRINCESS ALICE 601

had received. I pity her very much. It must be her
comfort to have made the last years of the Duke's
life happy, and to have been his comfort to the last
moment.

I wish you good-night, dearest Niece, and beg you
to give my best love to dear Albert, and to believe
me most devotedly your most affectionate Aunt,

ADELAIDE.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 16th May 1843.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — Your kind and dear letter
of the 12th has given me great pleasure. I am
happy to give you still better accounts of myself.1 I
have been out every day since Saturday, and have
resumed all my usual habits almost (of course resting
often on the sofa, and not having appeared in Society
yet), and feel so strong and well ; much better
(independent of the nerves) than I have been either
time. We are most thankful for it. The King of
Hanover has never said when he will come, even
now, but always threatens that he will. . . .

Our little baby, who I really am proud of, for she
is so very forward for her age, is to be called Alice,
an old English name, and the other names are to be
Maud (another old English name and the same as
Matilda) and Mary as she was born on Aunt
Gloucester's birthday. The Sponsors are to be : The
King of Hanover — Ernestus the Pious ; poor Princess
Sophia Matilda,2 and Feodore, and the christening to
be on the 2nd of June. It will be delightful to see
you and dearest Louise on the 19th of June, God
willing.

Are there any news of Joinville's proceedings at
Rio?3 Ever your devoted Niece, VICTORIA R.

1 Princess Alice was born on 25th April.

2 Princess Sophia Matilda of Gloucester.

3 He married Princess Francesca, sister of the Emperor of the Brazils and
of Queen Donna Maria.

602 CHRISTENING OF THE PRINCESS ALICE [CHAP. «i
The Earl of Ripon to Queen Victoria.

INDIA BOARD, 3th June 1843.

Lord Ripon, with his humble duty to your Majesty,
begs to inform your Majesty that despatches have
been this day received at the India House from the
Governor- General of India and from the Governor
of Bombay, announcing the successful issue of a
battle, on the 24th of March, between Sir Charles
Napier and Meer Shere Mahomed.1 The forces of
the latter were completely routed, with the loss of
all the guns and several standards. RIPON.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

CLAREMONT, 6th June 1843.

DEAREST UNCLE, - - 1 received your kind letter on
Sunday, and thank you much for it. I am sorry that
you could not take the children to Ardenne, as
nothing is so good for children as very frequent
change of air, and think you do not let the children
do so often enough. Ours do so continually, and are
so movable that it gives us no trouble whatever.

Our christening went off very brilliantly, and I
wish you could have witnessed it ; nothing could be
more anstandig, and little Alice behaved extremely
well. The dejeuner was served in the Gallery, as at
dear Pussy's christening, and there being a profusion
of flowers on the table, etc., had a beautiful effect.

The King of Hanover arrived just in time to be
too late. He is grown very old and excessively thin,
and bends a good deal. He is very gracious, for him.
Pussy and Bertie (as we call the boy) were not at
all afraid of him, fortunately; they appeared after
the dejeuner on Friday, and I wish you could have
seen them ; they behaved so beautifully before that
great number of people, and I must say looked very

i Sir Charles Napier, who was in command in Scinde, defeated the army
of the Ameers of Upper and Lower Scinde at Meeanee on 17th February, and
on the 20th took Hyderabad. On the 24th March he attacked the enemy,
who were posted in a strong position on the banks of a tributary of the Indus,
and obtained a decisive victory.

1843] KING OF HANOVER AN ENGLISH PEER 603

dear, all in white, and very distingues; they were
much admired.

We came here on Saturday. The news from
Ireland continue to be very alarming. Hoping to
hear soon, for certain, when you come, believe me
ever, your devoted Niece, VICTORIA R.

I hope you will kindly answer my letter of last
Tuesday.

Sir Thomas Fremantle l to Sir Robert Peel.2

HOUSE OF COMMONS, 9th June (1843).

MY DEAR SIR ROBERT, — The King of Hanover took
his seat at twenty minutes past four. He is now on
the Woolsack with the Lord Chancellor, the Duke of
Wellington, and Lord Strangford ; no other Peers are
in the House, the time of meeting being five o'clock.

It was not necessary that any other Peers should
introduce His Majesty. He merely produced his writ
of summons and went to the table to be sworn. I
remain, yours sincerely, THOMAS FREMANTLE.

Sir Robert Peel to the Prince Albert.

WHITEHALL, Sunday, lllh June 1843.

Sir, — In consequence of the conversation which
I had with your Royal Highness on Thursday last on
the subject of Ireland, I beg to mention to your
Royal Highness that the Cabinet met again to-day
at Lord Aberdeen's house.

We had a very long discussion.

The prevailing opinion was that if legislation were
proposed,3 that legislation should be as effectual as
possible ; that there would be no advantage in seeking
for new powers unless these powers were commensurate
with the full extent of the mischief to be apprehended.

1 One of the Secretaries of the Treasury : afterwards Lord Cottesloe.

2 Forwarded to the Queen by Sir Robert Peel.

8 In consequence of the Repeal agitation, the Ministers had already intro-
duced an Irish Arms Bill, which was carried.

604 IRISH AGITATION [CHAP. XH

Foreseeing, however, all the difficulties of procuring
such powers, and the increased excitement which
must follow the demand for them, we were unwilling
to come to an immediate decision in favour of recom-
mending new legislation, and resolved therefore to
watch the course of events for some time longer,
continuing precautionary measures against disturbances
of the public peace.

I have not received any material information from
Ireland by the post of this day, nor has Sir James
Graham.

I have the honour to be, Sir, with sincere respect,
your Royal Highness's most faithful and humble
Servant, ROBERT PEEL.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, 22nd June 1843.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. He was infinitely obliged to your Majesty
for coming into the room the other evening when he
was with the Prince, and very much delighted to
have an opportunity of seeing your Majesty, especially
in such good health and spirits.

Lord Melbourne is very glad that your Majesty has
seen As you Like It. It is indeed a most gay, lively,
and beautiful play. To see or to read it is quite like
passing an hour or two in a forest or fairyland. It is
so lively, and at the same time so romantic. All
depends upon Rosalind, which was an excellent
part of Mrs Jordan. Jaques is also a very particular
character and difficult to play.

Lord Melbourne feels himself better, but still weak.
He does not like to say much about politics, but he
cannot refrain from observing that they seem to him
to have permitted these lawless riotings in South Wales 1
to go on with success and impunity a great deal

1 The agitation against the turnpike system which had broken out in
South Wales. See Introductory Note, p. 564.

1843] THE REBECCA RIOTS 605

too long. When such things begin nobody can say
how far they will go or how much they will spread.
There are many who expect and predict a general
rising against property, and this is invariably the way
in which such things begin.

Queen Victoria to Sir James Graham.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 23rcZ June, 1843.

The Queen returns these communications to Sir
James Graham, which are of a very unpleasant nature.
The Queen trusts that measures of the greatest severity
will be taken, as well to suppress the revolutionary
spirit as to bring the culprits1 to immediate trial and
punishment. The Queen thinks this of the greatest
importance with respect to the effect it may have in
Ireland, likewise as proving that the Government is
willing to show great forbearance, and to trust to the
good sense of the people, but that if outrages are
committed and it is called upon to act, it is not to
be trifled with, but will visit wrong-doers with the
utmost severity.

Queen Victoria to Lord Stanley.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 24<A June 1843.

The Queen follows Lord Stanley's recommenda-
tion to confer the G.C.B. on Sir Charles Napier with
great pleasure, from her high opinion of his late achieve-
ments, and she thinks it might be advisable that some
of the officers who most contributed to the victories of
Meeanee and Hyderabad2 should receive lower grades
of the Bath. The Queen is much impressed with the
propriety of a medal being given to the troops who
fought under Sir Charles Napier, as the armies under
Nott, Pollock, and Sale received such distinctions for
actions hardly equal to those in Scinde.

1 I.e., the Rebecca rioters.
* See ante, p. 602.

606 DUCHESS OF NORFOLK'S RESIGNATION [CHAP, xii
Sir James Graham to Queen Victoria.

WHITEHALL, 21th June 1843.

Sir James Graham with humble duty begs to lay
before your Majesty the report received from Car-
marthen this morning. The Earl of Cawdor went to
Carmarthen this morning.1

Every effort will be made to trace this lawless
outbreak to its source, and to bring the principal
offenders to justice.

Sir James Graham encloses two Police Reports,
which have been received this morning from Dublin.
They would seem to indicate some foreign interference,
and some hope of foreign assistance mingled with this
domestic strife. Several Frenchmen have lately made
their appearance in different parts of Ireland.

The above is humbly submitted by your Majesty's
dutiful Subject and Servant, J. R. G. GRAHAM.

Queen Victoria to the Duchess of Norfolk.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 2±th June 1843.

M Y DEAR DUCHESS, — The same right which you feel,
and which you had to overcome before you took the final
step of tendering your resignation,2 has kept me from
sooner acknowledging the receipt of your letter. Under
the circumstances which you allude to, it is incumbent
upon me to accept of your resignation, but as you
throw out yourself a hint that it would be agreeable
to you sometimes to perform the duties (which you
have hitherto fulfilled) it would give me the greatest
gratification if you would let me continue your name
on the list of my Ladies of the Bedchamber, and
sometimes at your convenience have the pleasure of
your society.

I agree with you that for the present your step
should not be known, till I shall have had time to
find a successor, and I am pleased to think that you
will take your waitings, which are at present settled.

1 Lord Cawdor was Lord-Lieutenant of Carmarthenshire.
3 Of her position as Bedchamber woman.

1843] DUELLING IN THE ARMY 607

With the Prince's kind regards to yourself, and
mine to the Duke. Believe me always, yours very
affectionately, VICTORIA R.

Queen Victoria to the Duke of Wellington.

(July 1843.)

The Queen having attentively perused the proposed
General Order for the more efficient repression of the
practice of duelling in the army, approves of the same,
but recommends that the Duke of Wellington should
submit to the Cabinet the propriety of considering of
a general measure applicable to all branches of the
Naval and Military Service.1

The Prince Albert to Lord Aberdeen.

20th July 1843.

MY DEAR LORD ABERDEEN, — The Queen and
myself have been taken much by surprise by Lord
Howard de Walden's despatch marked "most con-
fidential." The opinions of the Portuguese Court must
have entirely changed. Although we have not heard
anything on the subject, we are fully convinced of
the correctness of Lord Howard's statements and of
his conjectures. We are both pleased to see the view
which he takes, and the good opinion he has of our
little cousin. The Queen thinks it is right that you
should inform Lord Howard that the possibility of
a marriage between Prince Leopold2 and the Queen
of Spain has been for some time a favourite thought
of hers and mine, and that you thought that this
combination had some advantages which hardly any
other could offer. But that the matter had been and was
treated here as one purely and solely Spanish, in which

1 An influential anti-duelling association had been formed this year, and
subsequently public attention was drawn to the question by a duel on 1st July,
at Caraden Town, in which Colonel Fawcett was shot by his brother-in-law,
Lieutenant Munro, who had reluctantly gone out, after enduring much
provocation. Mainly owing to Prince Albert's efforts, the Articles of War
were so amended as to put a stop to the practice.

a Son of Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg, and brother of the King of
Portugal. See ante, p. 475, and post, p. 609.

608 THE OUT-PENSIONERS OF CHELSEA [CHAP, xn

we carefully abstained from interfering with, and that
we leave it to work itself or not by its own merit.

That you wished him to take the same view, but
not to lose sight of it, and to report to you whatever
he might hear bearing upon the subject. Believe
me, etc. ALBERT.

Queen Victoria to the Duchess of Norfolk.

Dear Duchess, — I write to inform you that I have
named your successor,1 who is to be Lady Douro.2
The great regret I experience at your leaving me
is certainly diminished by the arrangement which
we have agreed upon together, and which will still
afford me the pleasure of having you occasionally
about me. 1 trust that the Duke's health will admit
of your taking your waiting in September, but think
it right to tell you that we shall probably at that
time be making some aquatic excursions in our new
yacht, and consequently be from home the greater
part of your waiting.

With the Prince's best regards to yourself, and
mine to the Duke, believe me always, yours very
affectionately, VICTORIA R.

Queen Victoria to Sir Robert Peel.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 3rd August 1843.

The Queen returns the enclosed papers, and gives
her sanction to the bringing in of the Bill for Enroll-
ing and Arming the Out- Pensioners of Chelsea Hospi-
tal with great pleasure, as she thinks it a very good
measure at the present crisis, calculated to relieve the
troops which are rather overworked, and to secure a
valuable force to the service of the Government. The
Queen hopes that in bringing in the Bill Sir Robert
Peel will make as little of it as possible, in order
not to make it appear a larger measure than it is.

The Regulations strike the Queen as very judicious,
and she has little doubt that they will raise the military

1 As Bedchamber woman.

* Elizabeth, daughter of the eighth Marquis of Tweeddale, afterwards
Duchess of Wellington. She died in 1904..

1843] THE CROWN JEWELS 609

spirit in the Pensioners, and will make the measure
popular with them, which cannot fail to attach them
more to the Crown.

Queen Victoria to Sir Robert Peel.

WINDSOR CASTLE, I3th August 1843.

The Queen is desirous that whatever is right should
be done, but is strongly of opinion that the King of
Hanover's threat (for as such it must be regarded) not
to leave this country, till the affair1 is decided upon
should in no way influence the transaction, as it is quite
immaterial whether the King stays longer here or not.

Queen Victoria to the Earl of Aberdeen.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 13th August 1843.

The Queen sees with great regret, in Sir Robert
Gordon's despatch of 4th August, that Prince Metter-
nich has resumed his favourite scheme of a marriage
between the Queen of Spain and a son of Don Carlos,
and that King Louis Philippe has almost come to a
secret understanding with him upon that point.2 The

1 Of the Crown jewels ; ante, p. 550.

2 Since the Quadruple Alliance (of England, France, Spain, and Portugal)
in 1834 to expel Don Carlos and Dora Miguel from the Peninsula, the question
of the marriage of Queen Isabella (then aged four) had been a subject of
incessant consideration by England and France. The Queen-Mother had
suggested to Louis Philippe the marriages of the Queen to the Due d'Aumale
and of the Infanta (her sister) to the Due de Montpensier : such a proposal,
however gratifying to the French King's ambition, would naturally not
have been favourably viewed in England ; but Guizot promoted warmly the
alternative project of a marriage of the Queen to her cousin Don Francisco de
Asis, Duke of Cadiz, son of Don Francisco de Paula, the Infanta being still to
marry Montpensier. It was believed that, if this marriage of the Queen took
place, there would be no issue of it, and Louis Philippe's ambition would be
ultimately gratified. To Palmerston's protest against this scheme (before
the Melbourne Ministry fell) Guizot replied, " La Reine aura des en/ants et
ne mourra pas." The other possible candidates for the Queen's hand from
the French point of view were Count Montemolin, the son of Don Carlos,
the Count de Trapani, son of Francis I., King of the Two Sicilies, and thus
brother of Queen Christina, and the Duke of Seville, a brother of the Duke of
Cadiz. Other candidates also favoured by the Queen-Mother were (while he
was unmarried) Prince Albert's brother, and his Cousin Leopold, brother of
the King of Portugal, but the French King was bent upon a marriage of the
Queen with some descendant of Philip V., and equally determined to prevent
the Infanta's marriage either with Leopold or any other Prince not a
descendant of Philip V. The view of Prince Albert and of Lord Aberdeen
was that it was a matter for the young Queen herself and the Spanish people.
See ante, p. 607.

VOL. i — 39

610 THE SPANISH MARRIAGE [CHAP, xn

Queen is as much as ever convinced that instead of
tending to pacify Spain this combination cannot fail to
call new principles of discord into action, to excite the
hopes of a lost and vanquished party for revenge and
reacquisition of power, and to carry the civil war into
the very interior of the family. The Queen is anxious
(should Lord Aberdeen coincide in this view of the
subject, as she believes he does) that it should be
clearly understood by Sir Robert Gordon, and Prince
Metternich.

The Earl of Aberdeen to Queen Victoria.

FOREIGN OFFICE, 15th August 1843.

Lord Aberdeen, with his most humble duty, begs to
assure your Majesty that he will not fail to give his best
attention to your Majesty's communication respecting
the marriage of the Queen of Spain.

In a recent despatch to Sir Robert Gordon, Lord
Aberdeen has repeated the opinion entertained by your
Majesty's Government, that the marriage of the Queen
with the son of Don Carlos, instead of leading to the
conciliation and unison of parties, would be more likely
to produce collision and strife, and to increase the
existing animosity between the different political factions
by which Spain is distracted.

This marriage, however, has always been a favourite
project with Austria and the Northern Courts ; and it
has also been apparently supported by the French
Government. It cannot be denied that at first sight
there are many considerations by which it may seem
to be recommended ; but the weight of these can only
be duly estimated by the authorities and people of
Spain.

The same may be said respecting the marriage of
the Queen with any other Spanish Prince, a descendant
of Philip V. which, in the opinion of many, would be
most agreeable to the feelings and prejudices of the
nation. To this project also it appears that the French
Government have recently assented.

1843] OBSTRUCTION OF BUSINESS 611

Lord Aberdeen humbly thinks that the interests of
this country and of all Europe are deeply concerned in
the exclusion of a French Prince from the possibility
of receiving the hand of the Queen ; and that it would
not be a wise policy to oppose any marriage by which
this should be effected, consistently with the free choice
of the Queen, and the sanction of the Spanish Govern-
ment and people. The avowed predilections of Queen
Christina, and her increased means of influence recently
acquired, render this a matter of considerable anxiety
and importance at the present moment.

Queen Victoria to Sir Robert Peel.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 16th August 1843.

The Queen cannot refrain from writing a line to
express her indignation at the very unjustifiable manner
in which the minority of thirteen members obstructs
the progress of business.1 She hopes that every attempt
will be made to put an end to what is really indecent
conduct. Indeed, how is business to go on at all if
such vexatious opposition prevails ? At all events, the
Queen hopes that Sir Robert will make no kind of
concession to these gentlemen, which [could] encourage
them to go on in the same way.

The Queen forgot to say this morning that she
thinks it would be better that the Investiture of the
Thistle should be put off for the present.

Queen Victoria to Sir James Graham.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 22nd August 1843.

The Queen returns these papers to Sir J. Graham,
and thinks that this important Memorial2 should not

1 By opposition to the Bill removing doubts as to the admission of Ministers
in Scotland.

2 The memorial was that of Sir Augustus d'Este (1794-1848), the son of
the union of the Duke of Sussex and Lady Augusta Murray. On 4th April
1793 they were married at Rome by an English clergyman, the ceremony
being repeated in the same year at St George's, Hanover Square. The Court
of Arches annulled the marriage in 1794, but Sir Augustus now preferred
a claim to the peerage. Ultimately the Lords, after consulting the judges,
disallowed it

612 MELBOURNE ON MATRIMONIAL AFFAIRS [CHAP, xn

be decided on without the opinion of the House of
Lords ; the Queen trusts that everything will be done
to secure inviolate the maintenance of the Marriage
Act.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

SOUTH STREET, 23rd August 1843.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and thanks your Majesty much for the last
note which he had the honour of receiving. Lord
Melbourne is much pleased that your Majesty is glad
of Wilhelmina Stanhope's * marriage, and was very glad
to hear that your Majesty had congratulated her and
Lady Stanhope upon it, which was very kind, and gave
much satisfaction. Lord Dalmeny is an excellent
young man, and altogether it is an event much to be
rejoiced at, especially as it has been so long delayed,
and fears began to be entertained that it would never
happen. The Duke and Duchess of Sutherland seem
also much pleased with Evelyn's2 marriage. She is a
beautiful girl, and a very nice person in every respect,
and everybody must wish her happy. Lord Melbourne
has been at Panshanger for two or three days with
Uxbridge and Lady Uxbridge, Ella, and Constance.
Uxbridge is having continual cricket matches as
he used to have, which is a very good thing,
making the country gay and pleasing the people.
Matrimonial affairs, Lord Melbourne is afraid, remain
in statu quo.

Lord Melbourne was very glad to hear from Anson
yesterday, and to learn that he thinks himself getting
better. Lord Liverpool had given Lord Melbourne a
very poor account of him. Lord Melbourne hopes
that your Majesty may have a pleasant tour, but he
cannot refrain from earnestly recommending your
Majesty to take care about landing and embarking,
and not to do it in dangerous places and on awkward

1 To Lord Dalmeny. En seeondes noces, she married the fourth Duke of
Cleveland.

• Lady Evelyn Leveson Gower, married, on 4th October, to Charles, Lord
Blantyre.

1843] VISIT TO CHATEAU D'EU 613

coasts. Lord Melbourne is going the day after to-
morrow with Lord and Lady Beauvale to Brocket
Hall, and from thence on the 29th to Melbourne to
stay about three weeks or a month.

Lord Melbourne congratulates your Majesty upon
the near approaching termination of the Session of
Parliament, which is always a relief to all parties.
Some great measures have been passed. Lord Melbourne
wishes your Majesty health and happiness, and begs to
be respectfully remembered to the Prince.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

CHATEAU D'Eu, 4£A September 1843.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — I write to you from this
dear place where we are in the midst of this admirable
and truly amiable family, and where we feel quite at
home, and as if we were one of them. Our reception
by the dear King and Queen has been most kind, and
by the people really gratifying.1 Everything is very
different to England, particularly the population.
Louise has told you all about our doings, and therefore
tell you nothing but that I am highly interested and
amused. Little Chica (Mdme. Hadjy)2is a charming,
sprightly, lively creature, with immense brown eyes.
We leave this the day after to-morrow for Brighton,
where the children are, who are extremely well I hear.
Many thanks, dearest Uncle, for your kind letter of
the 29th, by which I see that poor Prince Lowenstein 3
came to see you ; he is Mama's old friend. As I am in
a great hurry, and as I hope, God willing, to see
you very soon, I must conclude in haste, and leave all
my remarks for another day. Ever your devoted
Niece, VICTORIA R.

Pray forgive this confused and horrid scrawl.

1 The Queen was enthusiastically received at Treport. On the 2nd there
was a great entertainment in the banqueting room of the Chateau, and on the
4th a fete champetre on the Mont d'Orleans in the forest. On the 5th there
was a review, and on the 7th the Queen returned to England.

2 The Princess of Joinville. See ante, p. 601. Hadjy is the Prince of
Joinville.

8 Prince William of Lowenstein (1783-1847).

614 MELBOURNE ON THE VISIT TO FRANCE [CHAP. n
Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

MELBOURNE, Gth September 1843.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and thanks your Majesty much for your letter
of the 27th ult, which he received here some days ago.
We have been quite dismayed and overwhelmed with
the melancholy intelligence of death after death which
has followed us. I was much concerned for poor
Charles Howard's loss, but we were quite struck down
by the melancholy event of poor Mrs W. Cowper.1
She promised to suit us all well, my sister particularly,
and to be a great source of happiness and comfort.

Your Majesty is quite right in supposing that Lord
Melbourne would at once attribute your Majesty's visit
to the Chateau d'Eu to its right cause — your Majesty's
friendship and affection for the French Royal Family,
and not to any political object. The principal motive
now is to take care that it does not get mixed either
in reality or in appearance with politics, and Lord
Melbourne cannot conceal from your Majesty that he
should lament it much if the result of the visit
should turn out to be a treaty upon any European
matter, unfavourable to England and favourable to
France. Do not let them make any treaty or
agreement there. It can be done elsewhere just as
well and without any of the suspicion which is sure
to attach to any transaction which takes place there.

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

LAEKEN, 8th September 1843.
MY DEAREST AND MOST BELOVED VICTORIA, I haVC.

been highly gratified that you found a moment to
write me such a dear letter. I am sure that the
personal contact with the family at Eu would interest
you, and at the same time remove some impressions
on the subject of the King, which are really untrue.
Particularly the attempt of representing him like the

1 Mr and Mrs William Cowper had only been married on 24th June.

1843] END OF THE TOUR 615

most astute of men, calculating constantly everything
to deceive people.

His vivacity alone would render such a system
extremely difficult, and if he appears occasionally to
speak too much and to seem to hold a different
language to different people, it is a good deal owing
to his vivacity and his anxiety to carry conviction to
people's mind.

The impression of your visit will besides do
wonders in removing the silly irritation which had
been got up since 1840, and which might have in the
end occasioned serious mischief, and that without being
in the least called for, the passions of nations become
very inconvenient sometimes for their Governors. . . .
Your devoted Uncle, LEOPOLD R.

My best love to dearest Albert, he seems to have
had the greatest success, and I am very glad of it,
as it had some time ago been the fashion to invent
all sorts of nonsense.

I left Stockmar extremely hypochondriacal, but I
trust not so unwell as he fancied. His son accompanies
him to Coburg.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

OK BOARD THE Victoria and Albert, IN THE RivEH,1
21st September 1843.

MY DEARLY BELOVED UNCLE, I Seize the first

opportunity of informing you of our excellent passage ;
we shall be in half-an-hour or three-quarters at Wool-
wich ; it is now half-past ten A.M. The day and night
were beautiful, and it is again very fine to-day. We
anchored in Margate Roads at eleven last night, and
set off again about five.

Let me thank you and my beloved Louise in
both our names again for your great kindness to us,
which, believe me, we feel deeply. We were so happy
with you, and the stay was so delightful, but so

1 On the 12th the Queen and Prince Albert sailed from Brighton on a
visit to King Leopold. They visited Ostend, Bruges, Ghent, Brussels, and
Antwerp.

GIG INCREASED TROUBLES IN WALES [CHAP, xn

painfully short! It was such a joy for me to be
once again under the roof of one who has ever been
a father to me 1 I was very sad after you left us;
it seems so strange that all should be over — but the
delightful souvenir will ever remain. To leave my
dearest Louise too was so painful — and also poor
Aunt Julia,1 so immediately after making her acquaint-
ance ; pray tell her that, for me. I shall write to
Louise to-morrow. You must forgive my hand being
so trembling, but we are lighter than usual, which causes
the tremulous motion to be so much more felt.

That God may bless and protect you all always is
our fervent prayer. Believe me always, your devoted
and grateful Niece and Child, VICTORIA R.

Queen Victoria to Sir James Graham.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 22nd September 1843.

The Queen has received Sir James Graham's letter
of the 22nd.2 She has long seen with deep concern the
lamentable state of turbulence in South Wales, and
has repeatedly urged the necessity of its being put
an end to, by vigorous efforts on the part of the
Government. The Queen, therefore, willingly gives
her sanction to the issuing of a special Commission
for the trial of the offenders and to the issuing of a
proclamation. Monday, the 2nd, being the earliest
day at which, Sir James says, the necessary Council
could be held, will suit the Queen very well ; she begs,
therefore, that Sir James will cause the Council to meet
here on that day at three o'clock.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 26th September 1843.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — I cannot sufficiently thank
you for your two most hind and affectionate letters
of the 22nd and 23rd, which gave me the greatest

1 Sister of the Duchess of Kent, married to the Grand Duke Constantine.

2 The insurrection of the Rebeccaites was assuming a more dangerous
form, and at Hendy Gate they committed a cold-blooded act of murder.

1843] FRENCH MARRIAGES SUGGESTED 617

pleasure. How often we think of our dear and
delightful visit it is impossible for me to say ; indeed,
I fear these two never-to-be-forgotten voyages and
visits have made me think Windsor and its daily
occurrences very dull. But this is very ungrateful for
what I have had, which is so much more than I ever
dared to hope for. The weather is become colder, and
yesterday and the day before were horrid, foggy, raw
days ; to-day it is finer again. . . .

Feodore and Ernest came to us yesterday, and I
find them both very well ; Feodore is, I think, grown
more serious than she was. . . .

You remember that when we were together we
talked of who Aumale could marry ; he will only
marry a Catholic, and no Spaniard, no Neapolitan, no
Austrian, and also no Brazilian, as Louise tells me.
Why should not Princess Alexandrine of Bavaria
do ? It would be a good connection, and you say
(though not as pretty as Princess Hildegarde) that she is
not ill-looking. Qu'en penscz-vous ? Then for Tatane1
— a Princess of Saxony would be extremely passlich.

How long does Aunt Julia stay with you ?

Albert, I suppose, writes to you, and I, dearest
Uncle, remain ever and ever, your most truly devoted
and warmly attached Niece, VICTORIA R.

We find Pussy amazingly advanced in intellect, but
alas ! also in naughtiness. I hold up Charlotte as an
example of every virtue, which has its effect ; for when-
ever she is going to be naughty she says : " Dear Ma,
what does cousin Charlotte do ? '

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 3rd October 1843.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — Many, many thanks for your
kind letter of the 28th, received on Sunday, which
was written from the Camp of Beverloo, which Albert
recollects with great pleasure and interest, having
amused himself so much there.

1 Antoine, Due de Montpensier.

618 ROYAL VISITORS [CHAP, xii

I can give you excellent accounts of ourselves.
The boy returned from Brighton yesterday, looking
really the picture of health, and much cmbelli; Pussy
is in great force, but not to be compared to Charlotte
in beauty ; and Fatima (alias Alice) is as enormous
and flourishing as ever. Dearest Louise seems much
pleased with Aunt Julia, which I am glad of, and
I rejoice that poor Aunt has had the happiness of
making my beloved Louise's acquaintance, for it
will be a happy recollection for her in her solitude.

We expect the Grand Duke Michael here this
afternoon ; he is to stay till Friday. The Michael
AVoronzows,1 with a son and daughter, are also
coming, and we shall be a large party, and are going
to dine in the Waterloo Gallery, which makes a very
handsome dining-room, and sit after dinner in that
beautiful grand Reception Room. How I envy your
going to that dear French family ! I hope that you will
like my favourite Chica. I trust, however, that you will
not stay too long away for your good people's sake.

Not being quite sure of your going, I shall direct
this to Brussels still.

We went this morning to Kew, visited the old
Palace — which is not at all a bad house — the
Botanical Gardens, and then my Aunt's.2

The Revolution at Athens3 looks like le com-
mencement de la Jin ; it was very unanimous.

Now, dearest Uncle, adieu ! Ever, your most
affectionate Niece, VICTORIA R.

Queen Victoria to the Earl of Aberdeen.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 9th October 1843.

The Queen has received Lord Aberdeen's two
letters. She has been reflecting upon his proposition

1 Prince Michael Woronzow (1782-1856) was a plenipotentiary at the
Congress of Aix-la-Chapelle (1818), and was in command at the siege of
Varna in 1828.

2 The Duchess of Cambridge.

8 A bloodless revolution had taken place on 14th September in consequence
of King Otho exercising his patronage in favour of Bavarians rather than
Greeks. He now acceded to the popular demands.

1843] ENGLAND AND SPAIN 619

that Mr Lytton Bulwer l should be appointed Minister
at Madrid, and quite approves it. The Queen
trusts that he will try and keep on the best terms
with the French Minister there, and that without
in any way weakening our interests, the represent-
atives of these two powerful countries will act
together. The Queen feels certain that if it is known
by our respective Ministers that both Governments wish
to act together, and not against one another, that much
irritation will be avoided ; and that our agents, particu-
larly in distant countries, will understand that they are
not fulfilling the wishes of their Sovereign by repre-
senting every little incident in the most unfavourable
light. . . .

The Queen hopes that Lord Aberdeen will take some
early opportunity of employing Mr Aston. Who will
replace Mr Bulwer at Paris ? his successor ought to be
an efficient man, as Lord Cowley2 is rather infirm.
The Queen regrets to see that the Due de Bordeaux3
is coming here ; he really must not be received by the
Queen, as she fears his reception at Berlin has done no
good ; and altogether, from what she sees in the papers,
she fears there is no good purpose in his coming here.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 13</t October 1843.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — It is not my day, but my
object in writing is to speak to you about the
dear Nemours' visit, which we are so anxious to see
accomplished. Louise writes to me about the Duke
of Bordeaux coming to England making some
difficulty, and I wish therefore to state what we
know of the affair. We understand (for of course we
have had no direct communication) that the Due de

1 Afterwards Lord Bailing.

2 Lord Cowley, brother of the Duke of Wellington, and one of four
brothers all either raised in or promoted to the peerage, was now seventy
years of age. In after years his son was also Ambassador at Paris.

3 Afterwards known as Comte de Chambord, and claiming the French
throne as Henri V. : he was grandson of Charles X., and at this time about
twenty-three years of age.

620 DUG DE BORDEAUX EXPECTED [CHAP, xn

Bordeaux has embarked at Hamburg for Hull, and
intends travelling in Scotland before he visits England,
and that incognito and under the name of Comte tel
et tel; his being in Scotland when Nemours is in
England, and particularly on a visit to us here, could
make no difficulty, and even if he were travelling
about incognito in England, it could not signify, I
think. Moreover, I feel certain that if he knew
that / had invited the Nemours and that they were
coming over shortly, he would go away, as the
Legitimistes would not be pleased at Nemours being
feted by me — while their Henry V. was not even
noticed or received. I could easily, and indeed have
almost done so, make it known generally that /
expect the Nemours, and I would say immediately,
and he would be sure to get out of the way. I
cannot tell you how very anxious we are to see the
Nemours ; I have been thinking of nothing else, and
to lose this great pleasure would be too mortifying.
Moreover, as I really and truly do not think it need
be, it would be best if the Nemours could come
before the 10th of November ; which is the latest term
when they could come? Now pray, dearest Uncle,
do settle this for me ; you have no notion how we
wish it. I will be sure to let you know what I hear,
and if there is anything you could suggest about
this, I need not say but that we shall attend to it
with pleasure. The Grand Duke Michael will be
gone by the end of this month. Ainsi je mets cctte
chere visite dans vos mains. Ever your devoted
Niece, VICTORIA R.

Pray, dearest Uncle, let me have an answer by the
next post, about this, as I am all in a fidget about it.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

WINDSOR CASTLE, nth October 1843.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — Your kind letter of the
13th I received yesterday, and return you my warmest
thanks for it.

1843] ARREST OF O'CONNELL 621

By your letter, and by one I received from Victoire
yesterday morning, I see every reason to hope that
we shall see the dear Nemours, for there will be no
difficulty to prevent that poor stupid Due de Bordeaux
from being in London at the time. He is to be
informed indirectly that the Nemours are coming at
the beginning of next month on a visit to us, in
consequence of a pressing invitation of ours ; this
alone will keep him off, as the contrast would be
disagreeable to the Legitimists. Independent of this,
his disembarkation at Hull, and proceeding at once to
Scotland seems to indicate his wish to be in private.

The great event of the day is O'Connell's arrest ; l
they have found bail, but the trial will shortly
commence. The case against him is very strong the
lawyers say.

Everything is perfectly quiet at Dublin. You
will have seen how O'Connell has abused the King ;
it is all because our visit to Eu has put an end to
any hopes of assistance from France, which he
pretended there would be, and he now declares for
the Due de Bordeaux ! . . .

You must encourage the dear King and Queen
to send over some of the dear family often to us ; ils
seront repus a bras ouverts. . . .

We intend to take advantage of Feodore and
Ernest's going to the Queen Dowager's to pay a visit
to Cambridge where we have neve** been ; we mean
to set off to-morrow week, to sleep at Trinity Lodge
that night, and the two following nights at Lord
Hardwicke's,2 which is close to Cambridge. These
journeys are very popular, and please and interest
Albert very much. . . . Believe me always, my dearest
Uncle, your very affectionate Niece, VICTORIA.

1 After the official prohibition on 7th October of the intended Clontarf
meeting, O Connell and others were arrested in Dublin for conspiracy. After
giving bail, O'Connell issued an address to the Irish people. The trial was
postponed till the following year.

2 Wirapole, near Royston, nine miles from Cambridge.

G22 THE DUC DE BORDEAUX [CHAP. HI

Sir Robert Peel to the Prince Albert.

DRAYTON MANOR, 20th October 1843.

Sir, — The enclosed letter * from Sir James Graham
to me (which as your Royal Highness will perceive
is entirely of a private character] contains details of a
conversation with Baron Nieumann which will, 1 think,
be interesting to Her Majesty and to your Royal
Highness ; and knowing your Royal Highness will
consider the communication a confidential one, I
prefer sending the letter in extcnso to the making
of any extracts from it.

I am afraid there is more in the Due de Bordeaux's
visit than the mere gratification of a desire on his
part to see again places with which he was familiar
in his youth.

If, however, he should be so ill-advised as to make
any political demonstration, or to ally himself with
any particular party in this country, he would, in my
opinion, derive little from it, and there would be the
opportunity of giving to the King of the French a new
proof of our fidelity to our engagements, and of the
steadiness of our friendship towards him and his dynasty.

The great body of the French people would
comprehend the object of any such demonstrations
on the part of the Due de Bordeaux, and would,
it is to be hoped, see in them an additional motive
for union in support of the King, and confidence in
the honour and integrity of this country.

I will not fail to inform the Grand Duke of Her
Majesty's intended visit to Cambridge, and to suggest
to him that it will not be convenient to the Queen
to receive him at Windsor before Saturday at the
earliest, and probably Monday.

On the day after I spoke to your Royal Highness
I gave instructions for enquiries to be made respecting
the two properties in the Isle of Wight.2 It is necessary

1 Referring to the visit of the Due de Bordeaux.

2 The Queen and the Prince were at this time making enquiries about a
suitable residence in the Isle of Wight The purchase of Osborne resulted.

1843] NOT RECEIVED AT COURT 623

to make such enquiries through some very confidential
channel, as a suspicion of the object of them would
probably greatly enhance the price.

The party on whom I could entirely rely was out of
town but will return to-morrow, and will immediately
find out what he can respecting the properties.

The result shall be made known to the Queen and
your Royal Highness without delay.

Will your Royal Highness have the goodness to
mention this to Her Majesty ? . . .

I have the honour to be, Sir, with sincere respect,
your Royal Highness's most faithful and humble
Servant, ROBERT PEEL.

The Prince Albert to Sir Robert Peel.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 2\st October 1843.

MY DEAR SIR ROBERT, — I return you Sir James
Graham's letter. There is a pretty general impression
of the Due de Bordeaux's visit being a got-up thing
for various political intrigues. I confess I do not
understand the link with Ireland, or at least the
importance of his being well received by the Roman
Catholics, but am strongly impressed that his presence
whether in Scotland, England or Ireland is for no
good, and therefore think it our duty that we should
render it difficult for him to protract it. The Queen
and myself think that the uncertainty of his being
received at Court or not is doing harm, and would
much wish, therefore that it was decidedly stated that
the Queen will not receive him. His coming here
without ever asking (indeed knowing that it was dis-
liked) as well as the part which Austria and Prussia
seem to have taken in the matter, do not strengthen
his claim for such a favour. No good can come from
the reception, and the King of the French must prefer
its not taking place. Let us, therefore, settle that
point and show that we are neither afraid of him nor
prepared to be made dupes of.

624 DUC DE NEMOURS EXPECTED [CHAP, xn

The Queen is desirous that no official person should
treat the Duke with a distinction which is likely to
attract unnecessary attention. Believe me, always
yours truly, ALBERT.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 2±th October 1843.

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--! had the happiness of
receiving your most kind letter of the 20th yesterday,
for which I thank you very much. The good news of
the dear Nemours coming is a great happiness to us,
and I fervently hope and trust that the Due de
Bordeaux will be kept off, which I fully expect he will.
Suppose, however, he could not be, and the Nemours
could not come then, would the King not kindly
allow them to come later? Even if the Chambers
were to be sitting — such a little Ausflug of ten
days only, could really not be a great inconvenience ?
Surely if you were to mention this to the dear King,
with my affectionate respects, he would grant it. It is
besides only in case Bordeaux should come to London,
which I really think he will not, if he once knows
that the Nemours are coming. And I must add that
I think Nemours not coming at all this year, after
it had been announced, would have a bad effect,
particularly as people here think that some great
Powers have instigated Bordeaux's coming here, — and
even think that the Roman Catholics and Repealers
in Ireland mean to make use of him. Consequently
Nemours not coming at all, should he be prevented
from coming at the beginning of November, would
not be a good thing politically, independent of the
extreme disappointment it would cause us. . . .

The accounts both you and Louise give me of
good Hadjy and Chica give me great pleasure, as I
take a lively interest in both, and am very fond of
them. We found amongst some very curious old
miniatures several of Catherine of Braganza when

1843] DUC DE BORDEAUX 625

young (Charles II. 's wife), which are so like Chica;1 it
is curious how sometimes you can trace likenesses many
generations back. . . .

Pray offer our respects to all. How long do you
stay ? Ever your devoted Niece, VICTORIA R.

The Earl of Aberdeen to Queen Victoria.

DRUMLANRIG, 27th October 1843.

Lord Aberdeen, with his humble duty, begs to lay
before your Majesty another letter received last night
from Lord Morton,2 which gives an account of the visit
of the Due de Bordeaux, and of his further communi-
cation with the Due de Levis on the projects and views
of His Royal Highness.

Lord Aberdeen has ventured to submit this letter to
your Majesty, although not intended for your Majesty's
perusal, as it gives a pleasing and satisfactory descrip-
tion of the conduct and sentiments of this unfortunate
Prince.

In order to explain to your Majesty how Lord
Morton, who lives in a very retired manner, should
have received a visit from the Due de Bordeaux, Lord
Aberdeen begs to mention that when the family
of Charles X. resided at Edinburgh, after the
Revolution of July 1830, they received information
more than once, from the present Royal Family of
France, that certain desperate characters had left Paris
for Edinburgh, with the intention of assassinating the
Due de Bordeaux, in order to prevent all possibility of
a Restoration. In consequence of this information, it
was thought to be dangerous for the Prince to walk or
to expose himself in the neighbourhood of Holyrood
House. He was frequently driven in a carriage to
Lord Morton's,3 where he remained for a few hours,
taking exercise in the park, and playing with Lord
Morton's children. It is the recollection of this which

1 The Princess de Joinville was a sister of Queen Maria II. of Portugal,
and Queen Catherine of Braganza was daughter of King John IV.

2 George Sholto, nineteenth Earl of Morton (1789-1858).
8 Dalmahoy, Midlothian.

VOL. i. — 40

626 RETURN FROM CAMBRIDGE [CHAP. XH

has led the Prince to make his acknowledgments on the
present occasion.

Lord Aberdeen also begs humbly to mention to
your Majesty that on his arrival here he found the
Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch in expectation of a
visit from the Due de Bordeaux, on his way from
Glasgow to Carlisle. Lord Aberdeen informed the
Duke and Duchess of the objections which might exist
to this visit ; but he believes that communications on
the subject had already gone too far to render it
possible to break off it with any degree of propriety.
The great attentions paid by the Duke and his pre-
decessors to the French Royal Family, both during the
former and last emigration, sufficiently account for this
desire on the part of the Prince.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 31st October 1843.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — I had the pleasure of receiv-
ing your dear and kind letter of the 27th yesterday,
by which I learn that you are all well and going on
the 4th. Forgive me, dearest Uncle, if I say that
I am glad that your are at length going back to
Belgium, as (though I fully understand from personal
experience how delightful it must be to be in the
midst of that dear and perfect family) I think these
long absences distress your faithful Belgians a little.

We returned on Saturday, highly pleased and
interested with our tour,1 though a little done up. I
seldom remember more enthusiasm than was shown at
Cambridge, and in particular by the Undergraduates.
They received my dear angel, too, with the greatest
enthusiasm. This is useful, as these young people
ivill all, in time, have a certain part to play ; they are the

1 The Royal party went by road from Paddington to Cambridge, and
stayed at the Lodge at Trinity ; on the following day Prince Albert was
made LL.D. The party then went to Wimpole, and visited Bourne (Lord
Delawarr's). At the ball which was given at Wimpole, there was a sofa, covered
with a piece of drapery given "by Louis XIV. to the poet Prior and by him to
Lord Oxford, the owner of Wimpole, before its purchase by Lord Chancellor
Hardwicke. See Lord Melbourne's letter of 7th November, post, p. 630.

1843] MANY VISITORS 627

rising generation, and an event of this kind makes a
lasting impression on their minds.

You will have heard from Louise that there is no
longer any impediment to the dear Nemours coming,
which you may easily conceive gives me greatest
satisfaction. Since then, I have heard that Bordeaux
does not intend visiting London till he sees by the
papers that the Nemours are gone. I saw a letter from
a gentleman, with whom he had been staying, and who
says that he is very pleasing and unaffected, and very
easily amused, and quite pleased " with missing a few
pheasants, and dancing quadrilles in the evening to a
pianoforte." Poor fellow ! his fate certainly is a melan-
choly one. He should renounce, buy some property in
Germany, and marry, and settle there.

I am glad to hear of Montpensier's arrival, and that
my favourite Chica is in your good graces ; she is a
dear natural child. I am so impatient to see my dear
Victoire and good Nemours, who was always a great
ally of mine — again 1

The Grand Duke came here last night, and goes
away after luncheon, and leaves England on Thursday.
He is charmed with all he has seen, and I must say is
very amiable and civil. He has got a most charming
large dog, called Dragon, like a Newfoundland, only
brown and white, with the most expressive eyes
imaginable, and si bien dresse. Prince Alexander of
the Netherlands is also coming down to take leave
this week. We never had so many visitors.

I am beyond everything interested with that
beautiful novel by Rellstab,1 1812, which I know you
admire so much. The description of the Russian
Campaign is incomparable, and so beautifully written.
You quite see everything before you. Have you
read his other, Paris und Algier ? By the by,
have you read Custine's2 book on Russia? They say

1 Louis Rellstab (1799-1860), a prolific German writer of novels, whose
thinly-veiled attacks on public men earned him at one time a sentence of
imprisonment.

2 The Marquis Astolphe de Custine (1790-1857), author of La Russie en
1839, at this time recently published.

628 DUC D'AUMALE'S ENGAGEMENT [CHAP, xn

it is very severe on Russia, and full of hatred to the
English.

We found the children very well, and Bertie quite
recovered, but poor fat Alice (who, I must say, is
becoming very pretty) has had the earache.

Mamma with Feo and Ernest are with the Queen
Dowager at Witley Court since Thursday last, and
only return next Thursday (the day after to-morrow).
Clem seems very happy, and writes that she is happiest
when she is tete-a-tete with poor Gusti, which /
should not fancy. Ever, dearest Uncle, your devoted
Niece, VICTORIA R.

I open my letter, dearest Uncle, to say that I
have just seen in a confidential despatch from Lord
Cowley that Aumale is authorised to ask for the
hand of the daughter of the Prince de Salerno1 (a
singular coincidence after what I wrote to you in
utter ignorance of this report), and that he was also
to find out what the opinions of the Neapolitan Royal
Family were respecting an alliance with the Queen of
Spain. But tell me, dearest Uncle, if these reports
are true ? You may rely on my discretion, and I
shall not breathe a word of what you may answer me,
if you wish the secret to be kept.

Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria.

DRAYTON MANOR, 31st October 1843.

Sir Robert Peel presents his humble duty to
your Majesty, and begs leave to return to your
Majesty the accompanying communication from Lord
Ellenborough, and a letter which your Majesty proposes
to send to Lord Ellenborough.

In compliance with your Majesty's desire that
Sir Robert Peel should inform your Majesty whether
he sees anything objectionable in that letter, Sir
Robert Peel humbly represents to your Majesty that
he does not think it would be advisable for your

1 The Due d'Aumale married in November 1844, Caroline, daughter of
the Prince and Print-ess of Salerno. The Prince of Salerno succeeded his
father, Ferdinand, as Grand Duke of Tuscany, and afterwards became King
Leopold II. of the Two Sicilies.

1843] INDIAN AFFAIRS 629

Majesty personally to express to the Governor- General
of India your Majesty's opinion with regard either to
the policy of retaining Scinde,1 as being of the greatest
importance to the security of the Indian Empire, or
as to the completeness of the defence of Sir Charles
Napier from the accusations brought against him.

He humbly and most respectfully takes the liberty
of submitting to your Majesty, that these being
matters of important public concern, the regular and
constitutional channel for conveying the opinion of
your Majesty with respect to them would be through
your Majesty's servants.

In the particular case, indeed, of India, instructions
do not proceed from your Majesty's servants, directly
signifying your Majesty's pleasure, but are conveyed
in despatches to the Governor- General signed by the
three members of the Secret Committee of the Court
of Directors.

The Secret Court of Directors — that is the whole
Court acting in secret — have come to a Resolution (in
Sir Robert Peel's opinion very unwisely and precipitately)
expressing the gravest doubt, on their part, as to the
policy and justice of the recent transactions in Scinde.2

The Court is aware that your Majesty's servants
disapprove of this proceeding on their part, and that
they have declined to transmit officially to Lord
Ellenborough, through the Secret Committee, the
condemnatory Resolution of the Court. One of the
grounds on which they deprecated the Resolution was
the passing of it in the absence of full and complete
information from India, in respect to the policy and
to the events which led to the occupation of Scinde.

Under these circumstances, as well on the general
Constitutional ground, as with reference to the present
state of the public correspondence in regard to Scinde,
and the particular relation of the Governor- General
to the East India Company, and the Court of Directors,

1 Earlier in the year Lord Ellenborough had appointed Sir Charles Napier
Governor of Scinde', and had by Proclamation applied the Slave Trade and
Slavery Abolition Acts to Scinde.

2 See Parker's Sir Robert Peel, vol. iii., chap. 1.

G30 LOYALTY AT CAMBRIDGE [CHAP, xii

Sir Robert Peel humbly advises your Majesty to
forbear from expressing an opinion, in a private
communication to the Governor-General, with regard
to events in Scinde or to the policy hereafter to be
pursued in respect to that country. Sir Robert Peel
begs to add that in a private letter by the last mail
to Lord Ripon, Lord Ellenborough observes that he
is going on very harmoniously with the Members of
Council at Calcutta.

Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.

MELBOURNE, 1th November 1843.

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your
Majesty, and thanks your Majesty much for the letter
of the 4th inst, which he has received this morning
with great satisfaction. Lord Melbourne hears with
great pleasure of the gratification which your Majesty
and the Prince received in your visit to Cambridge.
Lord Melbourne collects from all the accounts that
the proceedings in the Senate House were not only
full of loyalty, enthusiasm, and gratitude, but also
perfectly decorous, respectful, academic, and free from
all those political cries which have recently prevailed
so much in the theatre at Oxford on similar occasions.1
Lord Melbourne hopes he is within [the mark] ; if he is
it forms a remarkable and advantageous contrast. Lord
Melbourne does not know anywhere a better account of
Cambridge, its foundations, and the historical recollec-
tions of its founders, than is given in Mr Gray's ode on
the installation of the Duke of Grafton, which it would
not be amiss to read with the large explanatory notes
that are given in the editions of Mason and Mathias.2
Lord Melbourne is very partial to Lord Hardwicke,
who always is and has been very civil and good-natured
to Lord Melbourne, and these are qualities to which
Lord Melbourne is not at all indifferent. Wimpole is
a curious place. Lord Melbourne is not exactly aware

1 See ante, pp. 367, 368.

2 Gray, the poet, who had been appointed by the Duke Professor of
Modern History, composed an ode (set to music by Randall) for the latter's
installation as Chancellor, on 1st July 1769.

1843] PROPOSED VISIT TO DRAYTON MANOR 631

how the Yorkes got hold of it.1 There is much history
and more poetry connected with it. Prior2 mentions
it repeatedly, and always calls the first Lady Harley,
the daughter of the Duke of Newcastle, Belphebe.3
If Hardwicke should have a daughter, he should
christen her Belphebe. The Lady Belphebe Yorke
would not sound ill.

Sir Robert Peel to the Prince Albert.

WHITEHALL, 9th November 1843.

SIR, — I was greatly gratified by learning on my
return to London last night from Witley Court that it
is not improbable that Her Majesty and your Royal
Highness may confer the high honour of a visit to
Drayton Manor towards the conclusion of the present
month.

I venture to think, from what I saw of Witley
Court, that the arrangement proposed by your Royal
Highness will be more convenient to Her Majesty
than the staying at Witley Court.

I can assure your Royal Highness that nothing shall
be left undone by Lady Peel and me to contribute
to the comfort of Her Majesty and your Royal
Highness during your occupation of Drayton Manor,
and to mark our sense of the kind condescension of
Her Majesty and your Royal Highness in making it
your abode.

I have the honour to be, Sir, with sincere respect,
your Royal Highness's most faithful and humble
Servant, ROBERT PEEL.

1 The cultured but indolent Edward, Lord Harley, afterwards Earl of
Oxford (son of the great minister) sold Wimpole to Lord Chancellor Hard-
wicke in 1740 to pay off a debt of £100,000. He had married Lady Henrietta
Cavendish Holies, daughter and heiress of John, Duke of Newcastle, who
brought him £500,000, most of which he dissipated. Their only child,
Margaret, the " noble lovely little Peggy " of Prior, married William Bentinck,
second Duke of Portland. Lady Oxford sold to the nation the " Harleian
Collection " of manuscripts, now in the British Museum.

2 Who died there in 1721.

8 Alluding to the rarely printed poem " Colin's Mistakes," where " Bright
Ca'ndish Holies Harley " is seen in the glades of Wimpole by the dreamy
youth, and mistaken for Gloriana, Belphebe, etc.

632 TRAVELLING ARRANGEMENTS [CHAP, xn

Sir Robert Peel to the Prince Albert.

WHITEHALL, Sunday, \Wi November 1843.

SIR, — I send to your Royal Highness a little book
which is published every month, giving very useful
information as to distances, or at least times, on all
the railways. Possibly your Royal Highness has this
book regularly sent to you.

I think, before Her Majesty promises a visit to
Witley Court, there are one or two points worthy of
consideration which are in favour of proposing to the
Queen Dowrager to meet the Queen at Dray ton Manor
first. The Queen would have to go and to return in
the same day. The Queen Dowrager might remain
either one night or two nights at Drayton. Secondly,
the Birmingham and Derby line is not on the same
level with the line which goes to Droitwich (eleven
miles from Witley Court), and there is a little delay
in posting a carriage, or in passing from the lower line
of railway to the upper.

Thirdly, there is the passage for Her Majesty,
though not through Birmingham as in an ordinary
travelling carriage, yet in the immediate outskirts of
the town, and this twice in the same day.

The Corporation (which is a completely Radical
one) might solicit permission to present an Address to
Her Majesty at the station.

There would, I am sure, be nothing but demonstra-
tions of the greatest loyalty and attachment to Her
Majesty, but there would probably be a great concourse
of people, and some delay, if the Address were received.

Perhaps your Royal Highness will think of these
suggestions, which I am induced to offer by the desire
to foresee everything which may have a bearing upon
the personal comfort of the Queen.

I have the honour to be, Sir, with sincere respect,
your Royal Highness's most faithful and humble
Servant, ROBERT PEEL.

1843] THE DUCHESSE DE NEMOURS 633

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

WINDSOR CASTLE, Uth November 1843.

MY DEAREST, KINDEST UNCLE, — A long and most
interesting- letter reached me on Sunday, dated 9th and
10th, and I beg to return my warmest thanks for it. The
confidence you show me I feel deeply and gratefully,
and you may rely on my discretion. Before I touch
upon any of the subjects in your letter, I will give
you news of our visitors. The dear Nemours arrived
safely after a good passage on Saturday, well but very
tired. They are now quite recovered, and we are too
happy to have them here. Nemours looks well, and
is very kind and amiable, but I think there is a
seriousness since poor Chartres' death which used not
to be formerly, though he always was reserved, and
that, I think, he is not now. Dearest Victoire is
amazingly improved and dcveloppee — really quite
wonderfully so. We are all so struck by it, by her
good sense and by her conversation ; and with that
she has kept that innocence and gentleness which she
always had — and is so lovely, dear sweet child. I must
always look at her, and she, dear child, seems so pleased
to see me again. I find her grown, but grown very
thin, and she has not those bright colours she used
to have. All that you say of Bordeaux is just what
Nemours says, and what Guizot writes, and what /
and also Sir Robert Peel always felt and thought.
Aberdeen, with the greatest wish to do all that is
kind and right, really thought that B. was only come to
amuse himself, and had no idea till now that the feeling
in France in all the different parties was so strong.
You will have heard by this time that we have decided
not to receive B. in any way whatever. It is a pleasure
to hear how mildly and sensibly Nemours speaks upon
all these subjects, and indeed every subject. . . .

I think you did uncommonly right in what you
answered the poor King about the arrete in favour
of the Prussians, and I am very glad you have done
so. It will have a good effect here.

634, BIRMINGHAM [CHAP, xii

Louise will tell you how we celebrated good Bertie's
birthday. The children are in great favour with the
Nemours.

Pray, dearest Uncle, do not forget to send me the
list of Rellstab's works. We think of making another
little tour after the dear Nemours' departure, to Drayton
(Sir Robert Peel's), Chatsworth, and Belvoir.

We are very sorry to lose dear Feo and Ernest.
They are so good and excellent, and she is so brav.

Ever, your devoted Niece, VICTORIA R.

[Memorandum enclosed from Sir Robert Peel to
Prince Albert, about the political condition of Bir-
mingham, which the Prince was intending to visit.]

The Mayor is a hosier — of extreme political
opinions — in fact a Chartist.

The contest for the office of Mayor was between
him and a man of Radical opinions, but Chartism
prevailed.

The Mayor has taken a violent part, before his
Mayoralty, against Church Rates, and in reference to
the state of Ireland.

The Conservative party took no part whatever in
the Municipal Elections, and would not vote.

They would, if invited or permitted by the Mayor
and Town Council, cordially co-operate with men of
opposite opinions in any mark of respect to the Prince.

No probability of any tumult or of any demon-
stration but one of respect personally towards the
Prince, if his visit be clearly and manifestly unconnected
with politics.

An immense concourse of people must be expected,
not only from Birmingham, but Wolverhampton,
Walsall, and all the neighbouring towns, and previous
police arrangements must be very carefully made.

There may be a proposal of a collation and of an
Address, to be received in the Town Hall.

1843] ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE VISIT 635

Should not the Lord Lieutenant (Lord Warwick)
have notice ?

Is the Mayor to accompany the Prince in the same

carriage ? l

The Mayor has no carriage.

No communication should be made to any party in
Birmingham, except to the municipal authorities, not-
withstanding their political bias and extreme opinions.

The late Mayor, Mr. James, though a Radical,
would have summoned the leading men of different
parties.

Doubts as to whether the present Mayor would, or
whether he would not, place the whole arrangement in
the hands of the party with which he is connected.

This risk must be incurred, as communications to
other parties would not be advisable.

The Earl of Aberdeen to Queen Victoria.

FOREIGN OFFICE, 1st December 1843.

Lord Aberdeen presents his humble duty to your
Majesty. He has not yet received any communication
from the Due de Levis, notwithstanding he had been
led to expect it, from a notice repeatedly conveyed to
him to that effect. It seems probable that in conse-
quence of what the Due de Levis may have heard,
as well as from the course pursued by the friends of
the Due de Bordeaux, Lord Aberdeen may not now
see him at all. Should this be the case, Lord Aberdeen
is rather inclined to regret it ; as although he would
formerly have seen him with some reluctance, he would
now be glad to have an opportunity of expressing his
sentiments very plainly respecting the proceedings of
the Prince and his adherents in this country.

Lord Aberdeen understands from Sir Robert Peel
that your Majesty would like to be informed of any
particulars connected with the Levee lately held by the
Due de Bordeaux. Lord Aberdeen would willingly
communicate these particulars, but in reality there is

1 This was the course adopted.

636 CANADIAN SEAT OF GOVERNMENT [CHAP, xn

very little to be added to the official accounts con-
tained in the Morning Post, which it is obvious are
inserted by authority. He saw M. de Ste. Aulaire
this morning, who was a good deal excited by what
has taken place, and has written very fully to Paris;
but he knew nothing more than he had seen in the
newspapers.

It may perhaps be worth mentioning to your
Majesty that at the presentation of the Address to
M. Chateaubriand1 on Friday, the cries of "Vive le Roi!"
and " Vive Henri V. ! " were so loud as to be distinctly
audible in the Square. Lord Aberdeen understands
that this enthusiasm has been the cause of serious dif-
ferences amongst many of those who had come to
pay their respects to the Due de Bordeaux, a large
portion of whom are by no means disposed to recognise
him as King during the life of the Due d'Angouleme.2

Lord Aberdeen cannot learn that any other mem-
ber of the Diplomatic Body has been presented to the
Due de Bordeaux, and does not believe that any such
presentation has taken place. Indeed there appears
to be a general disinclination that such should be the
case ; although some of them feel considerable difficulty
in consequence of the relationship existing between
their Sovereigns and the Prince.

Queen Victoria to Lord Stanley.

CHATSWORTH, 3rd December 1843.

The Queen approves of Lord Stanley's proposed
Draft to Sir Charles Metcalfe.3 This question can in
no way be settled without giving offence to one part
of the countiy ; the Queen, however, hopes that the
fixing upon Montreal as the seat of Government will
hereafter be considered as fair by impartial minds. Sir
Charles continues to show great discretion and firmness
in his most arduous and unsatisfactory situation, and
deserves much praise and encouragement.

* Francois, Vicomte de Chateaubriand (1768-1848), a great supporter of the
Bourbons and made a peer in 1815. He was Ambassador in London in 1822.

J Eldest son of Charles X.

* Governor-General of Canada.

1843] CHATSWORTH 637

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

BELVOIR CASTLE, kth December 1843.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — Being much hurried, I can
only write you a few lines to thank you for your
kind letter of the 29th, received this morning. You
will have heard from Louise the account of our stay
at Drayton (which is a very nice house), and of Albert's
brilliant reception at Birmingham. We arrived
at Chatsworth on Friday, and left it at nine this
morning, quite charmed and delighted with everything
there. Splendour and comfort are so admirably
combined, and the Duke does everything so well.
I found many improvements since I was there eleven
years ago. The conservatory is out and out the
finest thing imaginable of its kind. It is one mass
of glass, 64 feet high, 300 long, and 134 wide.1 The
grounds, with all the woods and cascades and fountains,
are so beautiful too. The first evening there was a
ball, and the next the cascades and fountains were
illuminated, which had a beautiful effect. There was
a large party there, including many of the Duke's
family, the Bedfords, Buccleuchs, the Duke of
Wellington, the Normanbys, Lord Melbourne (who
is much better), and the Beauvales. We arrived here
at half-past two, we perform our journey so
delightfully on the railroad, so quickly and easily.
It puts me in mind of our dear stay in Belgium,
when we stop at the various stations.

Albert is going out hunting to-morrow, which I
wish was over, but I am assured that the country
is much better than the Windsor country.

The Due de Bordeaux's proceedings in London
are most highly improper.

The Queen Dowager is also here.

1 It was built by Mr Joseph Paxton, then Superintendent of the Gardens,
whose intelligence had attracted the Duke of Devonshire's attention. In 1850
he was the successful competitor for the Great Exhibition building, and was
knighted on its completion. He superintended its re-erection at Sydenham,
and afterwards became M.P. for Coventry.

638 PRINCE ALBERT WITH THE HOUNDS [CHAP, xn

We leave this place on Thursday for home, which,
I own, I shall be glad of at last. Ever your devoted
Niece, VICTORIA R.

The Princess Hohenlohe to Queen Victoria.

LANGENBURG, 10th December 1843.

MY DEAREST VICTORIA, — . . . You ask in your
letter about the manner in which my children say
their prayers ? They say it when in their beds, but not
kneeling ; how absurd to find that necessary, as if it
could have anything to do with making our prayers
more acceptable to the Almighty or more holy. How
really clever people can have those notions I don't
understand. I am sorry it is the case there, where
there is so much good and, I am certain, real piety.
Dear Pussy learning her letters I should like to see
and hear ; I am sure she will learn them very quick.
Has Bertie not learned some more words and sentences
during your absence ? . . . Your attached and devoted
sister, FEODORA.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 12th December 1843.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — I thank you much for your
kind letter of the 7th, which I received as usual on
Sunday. Louise will be able to tell you how well
the remainder of our journey went off, and how well
Albert's hunting answered.1 One can hardly credit
the absurdity of people here, but Albert's riding so
boldly and hardy has made such a sensation that it
has been written all over the country, and they make
much more of it than if he had done some great act !

It rather disgusts one, but still it had done, and
does, good, for it has put an end to all impertinent
sneering for the future about Albert's riding. This
journey has done great good, and my beloved Angel
in particular has had the greatest success ; for instance,
at Birmingham the good his visit has done has been

1 The Prince hunted with the Belvoir hounds on the 5th.

1843] THE DUG DE BORDEAUX 639

immense, for Albert spoke to all these manufacturers
in their own language, which they did not expect,
and these poor people have only been accustomed to
hear demagogues and Chartists.

We cannot understand how you can think the
country about Chatsworth not pretty, for it is (with
the exception of the moors) beautiful, wooded hills,
and valleys and rapid streams. The countiy round
Belvoir I do not admire, but the view from the
castle is very fine and extensive, and Albert says
puts him so in mind of the Kalenberg. . . .

Pray, have you heard anything about Aumale's
plans ? Dear little Gaston seems much better.

The Due de Bordeaux has been informed of my
and the Government's extreme displeasure at their
conduct ; they say there shall be no more such
displays. He was to leave London yesterday, only
to return again for a day, and then to leave England
altogether.

With Albert's love, ever, dearest Uncle, your most
devoted Niece, VICTORIA R.

The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.

LAKKKN, 15th December 1843.

MY DEAREST VICTORIA, — I am most happy to
see that your journey passed so well, and trust you
are not sorry to be again in your very dear and com-
fortable home, and with your dear children. People
are very strange, and their great delight is to find
fault with their fellow creatures ; what harm could
it have done them if Albert had not hunted at all ?
and still I have no doubt that his having hunted well
and boldly has given more satisfaction than if he had
done Heaven knows what praiseworthy deed ; ainsi est
et sera le monde.

I am glad also that the Birmingham course suc-
ceeded so well ; the theme had been for some years,
particularly amongst manufacturers, that Royalty was
useless and ignorant, and that the greatest blessing

640 AMERICAN VIEW OF MONARCHY [CHAP, xn

would be, to manufacture beyond measure, and to
have an American form of Government, with an elective
head of State.

Fortunately, there has always hitherto been in
England a very aristocratic feeling, freely accepted
by the people who like it, and show that they like
it. ... I was much amused, some time ago, by a very
rich and influential American from New York assur-
ing me that they stood in great need of a Government
which was able to grant protection to property, and
that the feeling of many was for Monarchy instead of
the misrule of mobs, as they had it, and that he wished
very much some branch of the Coburg family might
be disposable for such a place. Quen dites vous, is
not this flattering? . . .

There is nothing veiy remarkable going on, besides
I mean to write again on some subjects. Give my
best love to Albert, and Pussy who may remember
me perhaps, and I remain ever, my beloved Victoria,
your devoted Uncle, LEOPOLD R.

Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 19th December 1843.

MY DEAREST UNCLE, — Your kind and dear letter
of the 15th, written in your true wit and humour,
reached me on Sunday and gave me great pleasure.
We have had also most wonderfully mild weather,
but / think very disagreeable and unseasonable ; it
always makes me so bilious. The young folks are
very flourishing and prosperous. Pussette knowing
all her letters, and even beginning to read a little.
When I mentioned your birthday to her, she said, " I
cried when I saw Uncle Leopold," which was the case
I am sorry to say the first time she saw you this
year. . . .

I don't believe that the white flag on the house at
Belgrave Square1 is true. Lord Melbourne and the
Beauvales were here for three nights ; and it was a

1 The house occupied by the Due de Bordeaux.

1843] PRINCE METTERNICH AND SPAIN 641

pleasure to see Lord Melbourne so much himself again ;
the first evening he was a good deal excited and talked
and laughed as of old ; the two other evenings he was
in the quite silent mood, which he often used to be
in formerly, and really quite himself, and there was
hardly any strangeness at all. Lady Beauvale is really
a very very, charming person, and so attentive and
kind to both her husband and Lord Melbourne. Our
little chapel here (which is extremely pretty) is to be
consecrated this morning, and Lady Douro comes
into Waiting for the first time. To-morrow Mama
gives us a dinner. Poor Lord Lynedoch l is, I fear,
dying, and Lord Grey is so bad he cannot last long.2
Ever your devoted Niece, VICTORIA R.

Queen Victoria to the Earl of Aberdeen.

WINDSOR CASTLE, 28£/i December 1843.

The Queen has been much amused to see by Sir
Robert Gordon's despatch of the 15th, the extreme
fright of Prince Metternich at the proposed marriage
of Queen Isabel with Count Trapani,3 but she regrets
that Sir Robert tried to make excuses for the conduct
we have pursued which the Queen thinks requires no
apology.

1 Thomas, Lord Lynedoch, had died the previous day, aged ninety-five. He
highly distinguished himself in the Peninsula and in Holland, and received
the thanks of Parliament, and a peerage in 1814.

2 He died in July 1845.

8 See ante, p. 609, note 2.

The University Press, Cambridge, U. S. A.

Internet Archive Audio

Featured

Top

Images

Featured

Top

Software

Featured

Top

Books

Featured

Top

Video

Featured

Top

Mobile Apps

Browser Extensions

Archive-It Subscription

Save Page Now

Full text of "The letters of Queen Victoria : a selection from Her Majesty's correspondence between the years 1837 and 1861 : published by authority of His Majesty the king"

See other formats