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.

[Pageheading: CANADA]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

_14th 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 conversation with him. Lord Melbourne is to receive

his final answer before the Cabinet to-morrow, which meets 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 Durham[2] should retain her situation in

your Majesty's household. 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 Glenelg[3] 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.

[Footnote 1: In the room of Lord Gosford. See _ante_, p. 102. Ch. VII,

(Introductory Note to Ch. VII)]

[Footnote 2: Daughter of Earl Grey.]

[Footnote 3: Colonial Secretary.]

_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.

[Pageheading: INFLUENCE OF THE CROWN]

_The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._

BRUSSELS, _16th January 1838._

MY DEARLY BELOVED CHILD,--... I 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 affectionately, my dear Child,

your devoted Uncle,

LEOPOLD R.

_Queen Adelaide to Queen Victoria._

_24th January 1838._

MY DEAREST NIECE,--Having just been informed of your gracious

consideration of, and your generosity towards, the dear King's

children,[4] I must express to you 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 all 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.

[Footnote 4: 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.]

[Pageheading: DANIEL O'CONNELL]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _22nd February 1838._

MY DEAR UNCLE,--... I had a very brilliant Levée 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.[5] 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 remarkably good, and the Duke of

Wellington is behaving uncommonly well, going _with Ministers_, and

behaving like an honest man _should_ do....

[Footnote 5: Ever since the Accession, O'Connell's speeches

had been full of expressions of loyalty, and he had been

acting in concert with the Whigs.]

[Pageheading: DEPARTMENTS OF STATE]

[Pageheading: BUREAUCRACY]

_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

influence 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 Parliament; 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 with 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 writing

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 Government;

because the value and tendency, and the consequences of a measure,

frequently depend as much upon the manner in which that measure

is worked out, 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 departments, 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 "aristocratic" 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 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 consequently 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._

_21st March 1838._

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty. The House

sate until half-past eleven last night. Lord Stanhope[6] 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.[7]

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 Minto[8] told Lord Melbourne last night to acquaint your

Majesty that Lord Amelius Beauclerck,[9] 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 ridiculous--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.

[Footnote 6: Philip Henry, fourth Earl.]

[Footnote 7: 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 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.]

[Footnote 8: The First Lord of the Admiralty.]

[Footnote 9: A son of the eighth Duke of St Albans.]

[Pageheading: PRESSURE OF BUSINESS]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _4th April 1838._

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--_Vous ne m'en 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.

The Prince de Ligne[10] 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 _sujet_ which I wish to mention to you, _et que j'ai

bien à c[oe]ur_, 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....

[Footnote 10: He was appointed to attend the Coronation as

Minister Extraordinary from King Leopold.]

_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.

[Pageheading: FAVOURITE HORSES]

_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, which I 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[11] 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[12] _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.

[Footnote 11: Henry, Earl of Uxbridge, afterwards

second Marquis of Anglesey (1797-1869).]

[Footnote 12: 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. 10. (Ch. I, 'Early Reminiscences')]

[Pageheading: PRINCE ALBERT'S EDUCATION]

_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 _unité d'action et de l'ensemble_,

which otherwise we should not have had. I have communicated to him

what your uncle and the young gentleman seem 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 _no 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,[13]

has been appointed Ambassador to the Coronation....

[Footnote 13: Soult entered the French army in 1785, and

became Marshal of France in 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, 1813-14; was banished, but recalled and created a

peer. He was Minister of War 1830-34.]

[Pageheading: OLD SERVANTS]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _17th 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 I 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 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! 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! 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! You

will think this letter a very sad one, but _I feel sad_....

_Queen Adelaide to Queen Victoria._

MARLBOROUGH HOUSE, _17th 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....

[Pageheading: THE CORONATION]

_The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._

_17th 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 negotiation[14]

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'[oe]uvre_, and I 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....

[Footnote 14: Referring to the offer of the throne of Greece

to King Leopold in 1830.]

_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 Coronation, 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 _à mon aise_. First of all, I

could not lodge you, and if one is not in the same house together,

there is _no real_ seeing 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 appointment as Ambassador for the Coronation,

and of the Duc de Nemours' intention of coming here as a spectator.

You may be assured that I shall be delighted to see the Duke, as I

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.

[Pageheading: THE TRAIN-BEARERS]

_Queen Victoria to Viscount Melbourne._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _5th May 1838._

The Queen sends the papers relating to the Coronation 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[15] 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.

Lady Wilhelmina Stanhope.

Lady Mary Talbot.

Lady Anne Fitzwilliam.

Lady Mary Grimston.

Lady Louisa Jenkinson.

[Footnote 15: John, sixteenth Earl of Shrewsbury (1791-1852).]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

_17th 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 Drawing-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 Drawing-Room.

[Pageheading: THE SLAVE TRADE]

_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 allowance for the difficulties

of Portugal, but allowance must also be made for the feelings of

the people of England; that those 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 Eugène Zichy, renowned for his

magnificent _turquoises_ and his famous valzing, a good-natured

_élégant_; 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[16] 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, "_parce que le

Diable ne voulait pas l'avoir_."

[Footnote 16: Died 17th May, aged eighty-four.]

[Pageheading: INDEPENDENCE OF BELGIUM]

_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,[17] 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 immediate 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 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

contributed 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.

[Footnote 17: 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.]

[Pageheading: ANGLO-BELGIAN RELATIONS]

[Pageheading: PROGRESS OF BELGIUM]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _10th 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 peinée_. I know, however, 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!

Independent 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

_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 circumstances 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 advantageous to

the Dutch, else they would have most probably urged their Government

before this time to accept it; besides, when these conditions were

framed, England was only one out of _five_ Powers whose concurrence

was required, and consequently they were made under very difficult

circumstances. This treaty having been ratified, it is become binding,

and therefore 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.

I 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.

[Pageheading: FOREIGN POLICY]

_The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._

LAEKEN, _June [18] 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.

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

exactly think that you had 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.[19] 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

_égards_ 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 Reine et ses Ministres

sont donc entièrement indifférents sur le compte du Roi L.; _cela

change entièrement_ 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 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 assurance 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.

[Footnote 18: The day of the month is not given.]

[Footnote 19: Prussia was giving unmistakable evidence of a

disposition to support Holland against Belgium.]

[Pageheading: THE CORONATION]

_Queen Adelaide to Queen Victoria._

MARLBORO' HOUSE, _28th June 1838._ (_At a quarter before 12 o'clock on

the Coronation Day._)

MY DEAREST NIECE,--The guns are just announcing 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 Queen's 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 in my House of Lords costume; and met Uncle

Ernest, Charles,[20] and Feodore (who had come a few minutes before

into my dressing-room), Lady Lansdowne, Lady Normanby, the Duchess of

Sutherland, and Lady Barham, all in their robes.

[Footnote 20: Prince Charles of Leiningen, the Queen's

half-brother.]

[Pageheading: THE ABBEY]

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 Procession. Their good humour

and excessive loyalty was beyond everything, and I really cannot say

_how_ 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 Fitzwilliam, 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, I 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 whenever I wanted anything. The Bishop of Durham[21]

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 beginning 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 bareheaded 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.

[Footnote 21: Edward Maltby, 1770-1859.]

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.

[Pageheading: HOMAGE]

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 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 descended 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 Späth, Lady John Russell, and Mr.

Murray saw me leave the Palace, arrive at the Abbey, leave the Abbey

and again return to the Palace!!

[Pageheading: POPULAR ENTHUSIASM]

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 _un_like 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_

confused and puzzled 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 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 finger, 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 were really

touching, 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.

[Pageheading: INCIDENTS OF THE CORONATION]

At eight we dined. Besides we thirteen--my Uncles, sister, brother,

Späth, 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[22] 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 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 awkwardness, Lord Rolle's fall, etc. Of the Duc

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 Illuminations and Uncle Ernest's wish

to see them.

[Footnote 22: The King of Hanover.]

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-Comités_; 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.

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.

[Pageheading: PAGES OF HONOUR]

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 was 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 plen'y 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 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.

[Pageheading: EXTRA HOLIDAYS FOR SCHOOLS]

_Queen Victoria to Viscount Melbourne._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _29th 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

holiday 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 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 Duc 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,[23] 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.

[Footnote 23: Referring to the Hyde Park review on the next day.]

[Pageheading: LOYAL DEMONSTRATIONS]

_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 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

attachment_, 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, _20th July 1838._

I feel most grateful for your dear kind letter of the 10th inst.,

which I 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 remembrance of all this long remain in

your mind, to cheer and strengthen you when occasionally there will be

a darker sky....

[Pageheading: LORD DURHAM]

_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 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[24] 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....

[Footnote 24: 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.]

_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.[25]

This is absolutely necessary, but very disagreeable, and will be very

much so to Lord Durham.

[Footnote 25: _See_ Introductory Note for the year, _ante_, p. 102.

(Introductory Note to Ch. VII)]

_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 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_....

[Pageheading: IRELAND AND O'CONNELL]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

_25th October 1838._

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty....

Mr Stanley of the Treasury[26] 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

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,[27] 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 approaching, for which

your Majesty must hold yourself prepared; 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.

[Footnote 26: "Ben" Stanley, afterwards Lord Stanley of Alderley,

Secretary to the Treasury.]

[Footnote 27: Field-Marshal Sir John Colborne, afterwards Lord Seaton,

had been Military Secretary to Sir John Moore, had commanded a brigade

with much distinction in the Peninsula, and had contributed greatly to

the success of the British arms at Waterloo.]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

_4th November 1838._

Lord Melbourne is very well, but Sir James Clark,[28] a Scotchman and

a physician, and therefore neither by country nor by profession very

religious, detained 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.

[Footnote 28: Physician-in-Ordinary to the Queen.]

[Pageheading: DEATH OF LADY JOHN RUSSELL]

_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,[29] 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 twelve years old, and two little girls by Lord

John; the eldest of these two is two and a half, and the youngest a

_fortnight_. I had known her _very_ well and liked her, and I assure

you I was dreadfully 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.

Lord and Lady Howard[30] have been here, and I urged 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....

[Footnote 29: Daughter of Mr Thomas Lister. She had been widow

of the second Lord Ribblesdale, and married Lord John Russell

in April 1835.]

[Footnote 30: Charles Augustus, sixth Lord Howard de Walden,

was the British Minister at Lisbon, and afterwards (1846-1868)

at Brussels.]

_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

sentiments 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....

[Pageheading: LORD JOHN RUSSELL]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _12th 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 any business at present. His chief consolation is in

attending to the children.

I felt much for you, and still more for poor dear Aunt Louise, when

the sad separation from poor Marie[31] 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

l'attente_ 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 fût une petite fille ce qui m'eût

été un peu désagréable, car en fait d'enfants j'aime mieux les petits

garçons, parce qu'ils sont plus gais et plus tapageurs."[32] Isn't

this very good?

I believe the King of the French is to be godfather....

[Footnote 31: See _post_, p. 144. (Ch. VIII, 11th January, 1839)]

[Footnote 32: The Prince received the title of Duke of

Oporto.]

_Viscount 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.[33]...

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.

[Footnote 33: Declining to join the Government. The original

is not preserved among the Queen's papers.]

[Pageheading: CANADA AND LORD DURHAM]

_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's[34] letter, which, as

your Majesty observes, is very rough and ill-tempered with reference

to Lord Howard.[35] 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 Duncannon[36] 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

_éclat_ 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.

[Footnote 34: The birth of an heir on 16th September 1837

conferred on Prince Ferdinand the right to the title of King.]

[Footnote 35: See _ante_, p. 131. (Ch VII, Footnote 30)]

[Footnote 36: 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 1830-1841,

and, as Viscount Dungannon, was elected in 1843, but

immediately unseated on petition.]

[Pageheading: BELGIUM AND ENGLAND]

_The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._

LAEKEN, _24th November 1838._

MY DEAR VICTORIA,--Van Praet[37] is bearer of this letter. The

present moment being one of some importance--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.[38]

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.

[Footnote 37: Jules van Praet, author of a History of

Flanders, was Secretary of the Belgian Legation in London in

1831, and took a leading part in the negotiations which placed

King Leopold on the throne.]

[Footnote 38: 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 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.]

[Pageheading: BELGIUM AND HOLLAND]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

_2nd December 1838._

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and returns

this letter with the enclosures. 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 definitely 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."[39]

[Footnote 39: See the Queen's letter of 5th December to the

King of the Belgians.]

_Viscount 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

Grey[40] ran in to acquaint him that the whole insurrection in Canada

was put down and suppressed.[41] 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.

[Footnote 40: Sir George Grey (1799-1882), at this time

Under-Secretary for the Colonies, afterwards Secretary of

State successively for Home and Colonial Affairs.]

[Footnote 41: On the 3rd of November, however, the

insurrection had broken 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.]

[Pageheading: BELGIAN AFFAIRS]

_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 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.

[Pageheading: LORD DURHAM'S RESIGNATION]

_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, 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.[42] 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 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 conveyed in

the last despatch.

Your Majesty will receive from the Colonial Office a _précis_ 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....

[Footnote 42: 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."]

_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.

[Pageheading: AN ENGLISH CHURCH FOR MALTA]

_Queen Adelaide to Queen Victoria._

PALACE, VALETTA,[43] _13th 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 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

Government, 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

England, however, it cannot be effected. I therefore most humbly and

confidently submit this subject to you, dearest Victoria, who will

bestow upon your Protestant subjects of this island an everlasting

benefit by granting them what they want most.[44]...

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.

[Footnote 43: The Queen-Dowager was at this time cruising in

the Mediterranean, and made some stay at Malta.]

[Footnote 44: Queen Adelaide herself erected the church at a

cost of £10,000.]

[Pageheading: LORD MELBOURNE'S ANXIETIES]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

_21st December 1838._

... Lord Melbourne saw Mr. Stephenson this morning and learns from him

that the Duke of Sussex[45] is in 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.

[Footnote 45: The Duke of Sussex was anxious to be appointed

Viceroy of Ireland. Mr Stephenson was his Private Secretary.

See _ante_, p. 129. (Ch. VII, 'Ireland and O'Connell)]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

_22nd 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 superintendence 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....

[Pageheading: BRIGHTON]

_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 happy_. Sir H. Seymour[46] 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. I

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 faire aller le monde_.... My

most beloved Victoria, your devoted Uncle,

LEOPOLD R.

[Footnote 46: Sir Hamilton Seymour, Minister at Brussels.]

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 planters'

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 Syria. On that

occasion (1833) Turkey had been saved by Russian intervention, a

defensive alliance, known 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 Luxemburg 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 Constitution of other autonomous

colonies, but for the present the ex-Commissioner met with much

criticism of his actions.

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. In spite of the prohibition which the Chinese

Government laid on importation of opium, the traffic was actively

carried on, and, as a result of the strained relations which ensued,

Captain Elliot, the British Chief Superintendent, requested that

warships should proceed to China for the protection of British life

and property.