The Letters of Queen Victoria, Volume 1 (of 3), 1837 to 1843)

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STOCKMAR.

[Pageheading: KING LEOPOLD ON FRENCH AFFAIRS]

_The King of the Belgians to the Prince Albert._

[_Translated._]

LAEKEN, _26th November 1840._

... As to politics, I do not wish to say much to-day. Palmerston,
_rex_ and autocrat, is, for a Minister finding himself in such
fortunate circumstances, far _too irritable and violent_. One does not
understand the use of showing so much hatred and anger. What he says
about the _appeal to the personal feeling of the Queen, on the part
of the King of the French_, is childlike and malicious, for it has
_never_ existed.

The King was for many years the great friend of the Duke of Kent,
after whose death he remained a friend of Victoria. His relations with
the latter have, up to 1837, passed through very varied phases; she
was for a long time an object of hatred in the family, who had not
treated the Duke of Kent over-amicably, and a proof of this is the
fact that the Regent, from the year 1819, forbade the Duke his house
and presence--which was probably another nail in the Duke's coffin.
Many of these things are quite unknown to Victoria, or forgotten
by her. Still it is only fair not to forget the people who were her
friends before 1837; after that date there was a violent outbreak of
affection among people who in the year 1836 would still not go near
Victoria. October 1836, when he sat next her at dinner, was the
first time that Palmerston himself had ever seen Victoria except at a
distance. As you have the best means of knowing, the King has not even
dreamt of applying to Victoria.

As to danger, it was very great in September, on the occasion of the
_ouvrier_ riot--for a Paris mob fires at once, a thing which--Heaven
be thanked!--English mobs rarely do. Towards the end of October, when
Thiers withdrew, there was a possibility of a revolution, and it was
only the fear of people of wealth that kept them together, and drew
them towards Guizot.

A revolution, at once democratic and bellicose, could not but become
most dangerous. That was on the cards, and only a fairly fortunate
combination of circumstances saved matters. The King and my poor
mother-in-law were terribly _low_, _on both occasions_, and I confess
that I looked everyday with the greatest anxiety for the news. If the
poor King had been murdered, or even if he were now to be murdered,
what danger, what confusion would follow! All these things were met by
Palmerston with the excessively _nonchalante_ declaration, _it was not
so, and it is not so_! Those are absolutely baseless assertions, and
totally valueless. At least I could estimate the danger as well as he
and Bulwer--and, indeed, it was an anxious crisis. I should think the
Revolution of 1790 _et ce qui s'en est suivi_ had done a brisk enough
business in Europe, and to risk a new one of the same kind would
really be somewhat scandalous.

What, however, may be the future fruit of the seed of Palmerston's
sowing, we do not in the least know as yet; it may, however, prove
sufficiently full of misfortune for the future of innocent people.
The Eastern affairs will be put on an intelligible footing only when,
after these differences with Mehemet Ali, something is done for
the poor Porte, which is now so much out of repair. Otherwise there
remains a little place which is called Sebastopol, and from which, as
the wind is almost constantly favourable, one can get very quickly
to Constantinople--and Constantinople is always the one place which
exercises the greatest influence, and all the more because the ducats
come from that quarter, with results which the marked economy of
England is hardly likely to effect....

Victoria has borne herself bravely and properly in the matter, and
_deserves to be greatly praised_....

[Pageheading: BIRTH OF THE PRINCESS ROYAL]

_The Queen of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._

LAEKEN, _30th November 1840._

MY MOST BELOVED VICTORIA,--I have been longing to write to you ever
since we got the _joyful_ tidings,[57] but I would not do so before
the nine days were at an end. Now that they are over, I hope as you
are, thank God, so well, I may venture a few lines to express _a part_
of my feelings, and to wish you joy on the happy birth of your dear
little girl. I need not tell you the _deep, deep_ share I took in this
most _happy event_, and all I felt for you, for dear Albert, when I
heard of it, and since we last met. You know my affection for you,
and I will not trouble you with the repetition of what you know. All
I will say is that I thanked God with all my heart, and as I have
scarcely thanked Him for any other favour....

[Footnote 57: The Princess Royal, afterwards the Empress
Frederick of Germany, was born 21st November 1840.]

[Pageheading: SETTLEMENT OF EASTERN QUESTION]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

_15th December 1840._

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--Many thanks for your kind little letter of the
10th from Ardenne. I am very prosperous, walking about the house like
myself again, and we go to Windsor on the 22nd or 23rd, which will
quite set me up. I am _very_ prudent and careful, you may _rely_ upon
it. Your little grand-niece is most flourishing; she gains daily in
health, strength and, I may add, beauty; I think she will be very like
her dearest father; she grows amazingly; I shall be proud to present
her to you.

The _denouement_ of the Oriental affair is most fortunate, is it
not?[58]

I see Stockmar often, who is very kind about me and the Princess
Royal....

Albert sends his affectionate love, and pray believe me always, your
devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

[Footnote 58: On the 3rd of November St Jean d'Acre was
captured by the allied fleet, Admiral Sir Robert Stopford
commanding the British contingent; the battle is said to have
been the first to test the advantages of steam. Admiral Napier
proceeded to Alexandria, and threatened bombardment, unless
the Pasha came to terms. On 25th November a Convention was
signed, by which Mehemet Ali resigned his claims to Syria, and
bound himself to restore the Ottoman Fleet, while the Powers
undertook to procure for him undisturbed possession of the
Pashalik of Egypt.]

_The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._

LAEKEN, _26th December 1840._

... I can well understand that you feel quite astonished at finding
yourself within a year of your marriage a very respectable mother of
a nice little girl, but let us thank Heaven that it is so. Any illness
to which, unfortunately, we poor human creatures are very subject,
would almost have kept you longer in bed, and make you longer weak and
uncomfortable, than an event which in your position as Sovereign is of
a very great importance.

Because there is no doubt that a Sovereign without heirs direct, or
brothers and sisters, which by their attachment may stand in lieu of
them, is much to be pitied, viz., Queen Anne's later years. Moreover,
children of our own, besides the affection which one feels for them,
have also for their parents sentiments which one rarely obtains from
strangers. I flatter myself therefore that you will be a delighted and
delightful _Maman au milieu d'une belle et nombreuse famille_....

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

TO CHAPTER X

At the beginning of the year the Ministry were confronted with
monetary difficulties and bad trade; their special weakness in
finance, contrasted with Sir Robert Peel's great ability, in addition
to their many reverses, indicated that a change was at hand; and
confidential communications were, with Lord Melbourne's full approval,
opened up by the Prince with Sir Robert Peel, to avert the recurrence
of a Bedchamber dispute. The Ministry were defeated on their Budget,
but did not resign. A vote of want of confidence was then carried
against them by a majority of one, and Parliament was dissolved; the
Ministers appealing to the country on the cry of a fixed duty on corn.
The Conservative and Protectionist victory was a decisive one,
the most significant successes being in the city of London,
Northumberland, and the West Riding. Somewhat improving their position
in Scotland and Ireland, and just holding their own in the English
boroughs, the Whigs were absolutely overwhelmed in the counties, and
in the result three hundred and sixty-eight Conservatives and only two
hundred and ninety-two Liberals were returned. The modern practice of
resigning before meeting Parliament had not then been introduced, and
the Ministry was defeated in both Houses on Amendments to the Address,
the Duke of Wellington taking the opportunity of eulogising Lord
Melbourne's great services to the Queen. A powerful Protectionist
Ministry was formed by Sir Robert Peel, including the Duke of
Wellington, Lord Aberdeen, Sir James Graham, and Lord Lyndhurst.

Great national rejoicings took place when, on the 9th of November, a
male heir to the throne, now His Majesty King Edward VII., was born.

In France the bitter feeling against England, arising out of the
Syrian expedition, still continued, but Thiers' supersession by the
more pacific Guizot, and the satisfaction with which both the latter
and his Sovereign regarded the displacement of Palmerston by Aberdeen,
began to lead to a better _entente_. The scheme of fortifying Paris
continued, however, to be debated, while the Orleanist family were
still the subjects of futile _attentats_.

Spain was disturbed, the question of the guardianship of the young
Queen giving rise to dissension: insurrections in the interests of the
Queen-mother took place at Pampeluna and Vittoria, and her pension was
suspended by Espartero, the Regent.

In the east, Mehemet Ali surrendered the whole of the Turkish fleet,
and he was subsequently guaranteed the hereditary Pashalik of Egypt
by the four European Powers who had intervened in the affairs of the
Levant.

In Afghanistan, an insurrection broke out, and Sir Alexander Burnes
was murdered; our envoy at Cabul, Sir William Macnaghten, in an
unfortunate moment entered into negotiations with Akbar Khan, a son
of Dost Mahommed, who treacherously assassinated him. Somewhat
humiliating terms were arranged, and the English force of 4,000
soldiers, with 12,000 camp-followers, proceeded to withdraw from
Cabul, harassed by the enemy; after endless casualties, General
Elphinstone, who was in command, with the women and children, became
captives, and one man alone, of the 16,000--Dr Brydon--reached
Jellalabad to tell the tale.

In China, operations were continued, Sir Henry Pottinger superseding
Captain Elliot, and Canton soon lying at the mercy of the British
arms; the new Superintendent co-operated with Sir Hugh Gough and
Admiral Sir William Parker, in the capture of Amoy, Chusan, Chintu,
and Ningpo.

In America, the union of the two Canadas was carried into effect, but
a sharp dispute with the United States arose out of the Upper Canada
disturbances of 1837. Some Canadian loyalists had then resented the
interference of a few individual Americans in favour of the rebels,
and an American named Durfee had been killed. One M'Leod, a British
subject, was now arrested in the State of New York, on a charge of
having been concerned in the affray. He was acquitted, reprisals were
made by Canadians, and international feeling was for a time highly
acute.

Much interest naturally attaches to Lord Melbourne's continued
correspondence with the Queen, after the change of Government. Baron
Stockmar's remonstrance on the subject shows that he misunderstood the
character of the correspondence, and over-estimated its momentousness.

These letters dealt chiefly with social and personal matters, and
although full of interest from the light which they throw on Lord
Melbourne's relations with the Queen, they show him to have behaved
with scrupulous honour and delicacy, and to have tried to augment,
rather than undermine, Peel's growing influence with the Queen
and Prince. There are comparatively few of Peel's letters in the
collection. He wrote rarely at first, and only on strictly official
matters. But before long his great natural reserve was broken through,
and his intercourse with the Prince, to whom his character was
particularly sympathetic, became very close and intimate.

Of all the English Ministers with whom the Prince was brought in
contact, it is known that he preferred the stately and upright
Commoner, who certainly, of all English Ministers, estimated and
appreciated the Prince's character most truly and clearly.

CHAPTER X

1841

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

_5th January 1841._

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--I have to thank you for two very kind letters, of
the 26th December and 1st January, and for all your very kind and good
wishes. I am sorry to hear you have all been plagued with colds; we
have as yet escaped them, and I trust will continue to do so. I think,
dearest Uncle, you cannot _really_ wish me to be the "Mamma d'une
_nombreuse_ famille," for I think you will see with me the great
inconvenience a _large_ family would be to us all, and particularly to
the country, independent of the hardship and inconvenience to myself;
men never think, at least seldom think, what a hard task it is for us
women to go through this _very often_. God's will be done, and if He
decrees that we are to have a great number of children, why we must
try to bring them up as useful and exemplary members of society. Our
young lady flourishes exceedingly, and I hope the Van de Weyers (who
have been here for three days), who have seen her twice, will give you
a favourable description of her. I think you would be amused to see
Albert dancing her in his arms; he makes a capital nurse (which I do
not, and she is much too heavy for me to carry), and she already seems
so happy to go to him.

The christening will be at Buckingham Palace on the 10th of February,
our dear marriage-day.

Affairs are certainly still precarious, but I feel confident all will
come right....

Ever your devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

_The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._

LAEKEN, _8th January 1841._

... I trust also that affairs will come right; what is to be feared
is the _chapter of accidents_. Your name bears glorious fruits in all
climes; this globe will soon be too small for you, and something must
be done to get at the other planets....

[Pageheading: THE QUEEN'S EDUCATION]

_Memorandum--Mr Anson._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _15th January 1841._

Lord Melbourne said, "The Prince is bored with the sameness of his
chess every evening. He would like to bring literary and scientific
people about the Court, vary the society, and infuse a more useful
tendency into it. The Queen however has no fancy to encourage such
people. This arises from a feeling on her part that her education has
not fitted her to take part in such conversation; she would not like
conversation to be going on in which she could not take her fair
share, and she is far too open and candid in her nature to pretend to
one atom more knowledge than she really possesses on such subjects;
and yet, as the world goes, she would, as any girl, have been
considered accomplished, for she speaks German well and writes it;
understands Italian, speaks French fluently, and writes it with great
elegance. In addition to this old Davys instilled some Latin into her
during his tutorship. The rest of her education she owes to her own
natural shrewdness and quickness, and this perhaps has not been the
proper education for one who was to wear the Crown of England.

"The Queen is very proud of the Prince's utter indifference to the
attractions of all ladies. I told Her Majesty that these were early
days to boast, which made her rather indignant. I think she is a
little jealous of his talking much even to men."

[Pageheading: THE QUEEN'S SPEECH]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

_19th January 1841._

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty. He has just
received your Majesty's letter. Lord Melbourne is very sorry not
to come down to Windsor, but he really thinks that his absence from
London at this moment might be prejudicial.

Lord Melbourne will do his utmost to have the Speech worded in the
most calm manner, and so as in no respect to offend or irritate any
feelings. Some mention of the good conduct and gallantry of the Navy
there must be--to omit it would be injurious and disheartening--but as
to any expressions complimentary to France or expressive of regret
at our separation from it, it will be hardly possible to introduce
anything of that nature.[1] It is quite unusual in our Speeches from
the Throne to express either approbation or disapprobation of the
conduct of foreign nations and foreign Governments. It is surprising
how very seldom it has been done, and the wisdom and prudence of
abstaining from it is very manifest. It would be giving an opinion
upon that which does not belong to us. Anything which would have the
effect of producing satisfaction in France must be of an apologetic
character, which there is no ground for, and for which neither the
Government nor the country is prepared.

The best course will be a total reserve upon this head, certainly
abstaining from anything that can be in the slightest degree
offensive.

[Footnote 1: France was not mentioned, though the Convention
with the other Powers, and the naval operations in conjunction
with Austria, were referred to.]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

_22nd January 1841._

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty.

Lord Melbourne will be most happy to wait upon your Majesty on
Saturday and Sunday.

Lord Melbourne is very sorry that your Majesty is compelled to come to
London contrary to your inclinations; but Lord Melbourne much rejoices
that your Majesty expresses that reluctance, as there is no surer
sign of complete happiness and contentment in the married life than a
desire to remain quietly in the country, and there is nothing on the
earth Lord Melbourne desires more anxiously than the assurance of your
Majesty's happiness.

[Pageheading: THE QUEEN'S INFANCY]

_The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._

BRUSSELS, _22nd January 1841._

MY DEAREST VICTORIA,--I thank you very sincerely for your kind letter
of the 19th, which I hasten to answer. I should not have bored you by
my presence, but the act of the christening is, in my eyes, a sort of
closing of the first cyclus of your dear life. I was shooting at the
late Lord Craven's in Berkshire, when I received the messenger who
brought me the horrifying news of your poor father's deadly illness. I
hastened in bitter cold weather to Sidmouth, about two days before his
death. His affairs were so much deranged that your Mother would have
had no means even of leaving Sidmouth if I had not taken all this
under my care and management. That dreary journey, undertaken, I
think, on the 26th of January, in bitter cold and damp weather, I
shall not easily forget. I looked very sharp after the poor little
baby, then about eight months old. Arrived in London we were very
unkindly treated by George IV., _whose great wish was to get you and
your Mamma out of the country_, and I must say without my assistance
you could _not_ have remained.... I state these facts, because it is
useful to remember through what _difficulties_ and _hardships_ one
had to struggle. You will also remember that though there existed
the _possibility_ of your eventually succeeding to the Crown, that
possibility was very doubtful, the then Duchess of Clarence having
been confined after your Mother, and there being every reason to think
that, though poor little Princess Elizabeth did not live more than
some months, other children might appear.[2]

It was a long time from 1820 to 1837! We got over it, however, and, as
far as you are concerned, God be praised! safely and happily. You are
married, with every prospect of many happy years to come, and your
happiness is _crowned_, and _consolidated_, as it were, by the birth
of the dear little lady. Having from motives of discretion, perhaps
_carried even too far_, not assisted at your coming to the throne,
nor at your Coronation, nor afterwards at your marriage, I wished to
assist at the christening of the little Princess, an event which is of
great importance....

[Footnote 2: Two children were born to the Duke and Duchess of
Clarence--Charlotte Augusta Louisa, born and died 29th March
1819, and Elizabeth Georgina Adelaide, born 10th December
1820, and died 4th March 1821.]

_Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria._

CARLTON TERRACE, _1st February 1841._

Viscount Palmerston presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and in
submitting this letter from Earl Granville, which coupled with the
despatches from Sir Robert Stopford virtually show that the Turkish
Question is brought to a close, begs most humbly to congratulate your
Majesty upon this rapid and peaceful settlement of a matter which at
different periods has assumed appearances so threatening to the peace
of Europe.[3]

[Footnote 3: See _ante_, pp. 252, 254.
(Ch. IX, Footnote 58; Intro. Note to Ch. X)]

[Pageheading: ILLNESS OF DUKE OF WELLINGTON]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

_2nd February 1841._

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty. Lord
Melbourne will be happy to wait upon your Majesty on Thursday,
Saturday and Sunday, but he finds that there is to be a Cabinet dinner
to-morrow.

Lord Melbourne will speak to Lord Palmerston about Lord John Russell.

Lord Melbourne does not see the name of the Archbishop of Canterbury
as a subscriber to this "Parker" Society, and if your Majesty will
give him leave, he will ask him about it before he gives your Majesty
an answer. It is in some degree a party measure, and levelled against
these new Oxford doctrines. The proposal is to republish the works of
the older divines up to the time of the death of Queen Elizabeth. Up
to that period the doctrines of the Church of England were decidedly
Calvinistic. During the reign of James II.,[4] and particularly after
the Synod of Dort (1618-1619), the English clergy very generally
adopted _Arminian_ opinions.

It is proposed to republish the works of the divines who wrote during
the first period, and to stop short when they come to the second.
There is meaning in this. But, after all, the object is not a bad one,
and it may not be worth while to consider it so closely.

[Footnote 4: Lord Melbourne must have meant James I.]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

_5th February 1841 (6 o'clock)._

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and is very
sorry to have to acquaint your Majesty that the Duke of Wellington was
taken ill in the House of Lords this evening with a seizure, probably
paralytic, and of the same nature with those which he has had before.
Lord Brougham, who was standing opposite to the Duke and addressing
the House, observed the Duke's face to be drawn and distorted, and
soon afterwards the Duke rose from his seat and walked staggeringly
towards the door. He walked down the gallery, supported on each side,
but never spoke. A medical man was procured to attend him; he was
placed in his carriage and driven home....

[Pageheading: THE UNITED STATES]

_Lord John Russell to Queen Victoria._

_6th March 1841._

Lord John Russell presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and has
the honour to state that the remainder of the Navy Estimates, and
nearly the whole of the Army Estimates, were voted last night without
any serious opposition. Indeed the chief fault found with the Army
Estimates was that they are not large enough.

Sir Robert Peel made a remarkable speech. Adverting to the present
state of our affairs with the United States,[5] he said that much
as he disliked war, yet if the honour or interests of the country
required it, he should sink all internal differences, and give his
best support to the Government of his country.

This declaration was received with loud cheers. It must be considered
as very creditable to Sir Robert Peel.

[Footnote 5: _See_ Introductory Note, _ante_, p. 254.
(Intro Note to Ch. X)]

[Pageheading: CHINA]

_Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria._

FOREIGN OFFICE, _10th April 1841._

Viscount Palmerston presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and
has the honour to submit the accompanying letters, which he received
yesterday, about the operations in China, and which have just
been returned to him by Viscount Melbourne, whose letter he also
transmits.[6]

Viscount Palmerston has felt greatly mortified and disappointed at
this result of the expedition to China, and he much fears that the
sequel of the negotiation, which was to follow the conclusion of these
preliminary conditions, will not tend to render the arrangement less
objectionable. Captain Elliot seems to have wholly disregarded the
instructions which had been sent to him, and even when, by the entire
success of the operations of the Fleet, he was in a condition to
dictate his own terms, he seems to have agreed to very inadequate
conditions.[7] The amount of compensation for the opium surrendered
falls short of the value of that opium, and nothing has been obtained
for the expenses of the expedition, nor for the debts of the bankrupt
Hong[8] merchants. The securities which the plenipotentiaries were
expressly ordered to obtain for British residents in China have been
abandoned; and the Island of Chusan which they were specifically
informed was to be retained till the whole of the pecuniary
compensation should have been paid, has been hastily and discreditably
evacuated. Even the cession of Hong Kong has been coupled with a
condition about the payment of duties, which would render that island
not a possession of the British Crown, but, like Macao, a settlement
held by sufferance in the territory of the Crown of China.