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

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From South Steet I went to Sir Robert Peel's. I told him I came to
speak to him about Lord Exeter, whom the Prince proposed to make
the head of his Household, should it not interfere with any of Sir
Robert's arrangements for the Queen. Sir Robert said he was so good a
man and one that he felt sure the Prince would like, and he therefore
thought he had better propose the situation to him at once.

[Pageheading: MELBOURNE'S OFFICIAL FAREWELL]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

SOUTH STREET, _31st August 1841._

Lord Melbourne had the pleasure of receiving last night both your
Majesty's letters, the one dated four o'clock, and written immediately
after your Majesty's interview with Sir R. Peel, the other dated
half-past nine. Lord Melbourne thanks your Majesty much for them both,
and for the expressions of kindness contained in them. Lord Melbourne
will ever consider the time during which your Majesty is good enough
to think that he has been of service to your Majesty the proudest as
well as the happiest part of his life.

Lord Melbourne has read with great care your Majesty's very clear and
full account of what passed. It appears to Lord Melbourne that nothing
could be better. Sir Robert Peel seems to have been anxious to act
with the utmost respect and consideration for your Majesty, and your
Majesty most properly and wisely met him half-way. In the spirit
in which the negotiation has been commenced I see the prospect of a
termination of it, which will be not so unsatisfactory to your
Majesty as your Majesty anticipated, and not, Lord Melbourne trusts,
disadvantageous to the country....

Lord Melbourne concludes with the most anxious wishes for your
Majesty's happiness and with expressing a great admiration of the
firmness, prudence, and good sense with which your Majesty has
conducted yourself.

Lord Melbourne begs to be remembered to His Royal Highness most
respectfully, most affectionately.

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

_31st August 1841._

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and has just
received your Majesty's letter. Lord Melbourne rejoices much to learn
that your Majesty feels more composed and that you are well. Recollect
how precious is your Majesty's health, and how much health depends
upon tranquillity of mind....

Lord Melbourne will either write to Sir Francis Chantrey[79] to-morrow
morning, or call upon him and settle without further delay about the
Bust. There is no end of subscriptions to Monuments, but perhaps your
Majesty will do well to subscribe to Sir David Wilkie's.[80]

Your Majesty is very good about the blue Ribband, but Lord Melbourne
is certain that upon the whole, it is better for his own position and
character that he should not have it.

[Footnote 79: Sir Francis Chantrey, the sculptor, born in
1781, died on 25th November 1841.]

[Footnote 80: Sir David Wilkie, Painter-in-Ordinary to the
Queen, had died on 1st June, aged fifty-six.]

[Pageheading: PEEL'S RECEPTION]

_The Earl of Clarendon[81] to Viscount Melbourne.[82]_

GROSVENOR CRESCENT, _31st August 1841._

MY DEAR MELBOURNE,--You may like to know that Peel was perfectly
satisfied with his reception yesterday, and does full justice to the
Queen's declaration of her regret at parting with her Ministers, which
he said it was quite natural she should feel, and quite right she
should express. This I know from undoubted authority, and from a
person who came to enquire of me whether I could tell what impression
Peel had produced upon the Queen, which of course I could not.

He assured the Queen that he had had no communication with his
friends, and was not prepared to submit an Administration for her
approval, but he is to see her again to-morrow morning.

The only appointment yet settled is De Grey to Ireland; he was very
unwilling, but Peel insisted. Yours sincerely,

CLARENDON.

[Footnote 81: The retiring Lord Privy Seal.]

[Footnote 82: Letter forwarded by Lord Melbourne to the
Queen.]

[Pageheading: FAREWELL AUDIENCES]

_Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria._

CARLTON TERRACE, _31st August 1841._

... Viscount Palmerston begs to be allowed to tender to your Majesty
the grateful thanks of himself and of Viscountess Palmerston for your
Majesty's gracious expressions towards them. Viscount Palmerston sees
with deep regret the termination of those duties in your Majesty's
service, in the course of which he has had the honour of experiencing
from your Majesty so much condescending personal kindness, and
such flattering official confidence; and it affords him the highest
gratification to have obtained your Majesty's approbation.

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

SOUTH STREET, _2nd September 1841._

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty. He received
your Majesty's letter yesterday evening, and was very glad to learn
from it that your Majesty was not ill satisfied with Sir Robert Peel,
and that the arrangements were going on smoothly, which it is highly
desirable that they should. Your Majesty should desire Sir Robert
Peel to give notice to all those who have insignia of office, such
as Seals, Wands, to give up, to attend at Claremont on Friday; but of
course he will do this of himself. Your Majesty will have much to go
through upon that day and much that is painful. Your Majesty should
spare yourself and be spared as much as possible. It will not be
necessary for Lord Melbourne to go down. He may be considered as
having resigned at the Audience which he had of your Majesty at
Windsor, and Lord Melbourne has ventured to tell Lord Lansdowne that
he thinks he need not do so either, and that your Majesty will excuse
his attendance. Lord Melbourne need say nothing about the Secretaries
of State, with all of whom your Majesty is so well acquainted; but
perhaps your Majesty will not omit to thank Mr Baring[83] cordially
for his services. He is a thoroughly honest man and an able public
servant. If your Majesty could say to the Lord Chancellor,[84] "that
you part with him with much sorrow; that you are sensible that much of
the strength of the late Administration was derived from the manner
in which he discharged the duties of his office, and that you consider
his retirement a great and serious loss to the country," it would
certainly be no more than he deserves.

It is thought by some who know him here that the Duke of Rutland will
be so extremely pleased with the offer being made, and that by your
Majesty yourself, that he will accept it; but he is a year older than
Lord Melbourne, and therefore hardly fit for any very active duty....

The appointment of Colonel Arbuthnot will of course be very agreeable
to the Duke of Wellington. The Arbuthnots are quiet, demure people
before others; but they are not without depth of purpose, and they are
very bitter at bottom.

Your Majesty will not forget the two Knights for Mr de la Beche[85]
and Major Monro.

Lord Melbourne begins to hope that this affair will be got through
more satisfactorily and with less annoyance than your Majesty
anticipated. As long as your Majesty is desirous of receiving his
communications, he will be always most careful to give your Majesty
his impartial opinion and the best advice which he has to offer. His
most fervent prayer will always be for your Majesty's welfare and
happiness.

[Footnote 83: The retiring Chancellor of the Exchequer.]

[Footnote 84: Lord Cottenham.]

[Footnote 85: Sir Henry T. de la Beche, an eminent geologist.]

[Pageheading: MELBOURNE'S LAST OFFICIAL LETTER]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

SOUTH STREET, _2nd September 1841._

....Lord Melbourne hopes and trusts that when to-morrow is over your
Majesty will recover from that depression of spirits under which your
Majesty now labours. Lord Melbourne never doubted that it would be
so, but is glad to learn from your Majesty the support and consolation
which your Majesty finds in the advice and affection of the Prince.

This is the last letter which Lord Melbourne will send in a box. He
will to-morrow morning return his keys to the Foreign Office, and
after that your Majesty will be good enough to send the letters, with
which you may honour Lord Melbourne, through Mr Anson.

Lord Melbourne most anxiously wishes your Majesty every blessing.

[Pageheading: COUNCIL AT CLAREMONT]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

SOUTH STREET, _3rd September 1841._

Lord Melbourne earnestly hopes that your Majesty is well after this
trying day.[86] Lord Melbourne has thought and felt for your Majesty
all this morning. But now that the matter is settled it will be
necessary that your Majesty should take a calm and composed view of
the whole situation, which Lord Melbourne trusts that your Majesty
will find by no means unsatisfactory.

And first with respect to public affairs. In the concerns of a
great nation like this there will always be some difficulties and
entanglements, but upon the whole the present state is good and the
prospect is good for the future. There is no reason to expect that
Sir Robert Peel will either be desirous or be able to take a very
different course from that which has been taken by your Majesty's late
servants, and some difficulties will certainly be removed, and some
obstacles smoothed, by the change which has lately taken place.

With respect to the effect which will be produced upon the comfort of
your Majesty's private life, it would be idle in Lord Melbourne,
after what your Majesty has said, to doubt of the manner in which your
Majesty will feel the change, which must take place in your Majesty,
to long accustomed habits and relations. But your Majesty may rest
assured of Lord Melbourne's devoted and disinterested attachment
to your Majesty, and that he will devote himself to giving to your
Majesty such information and advice as may be serviceable to your
Majesty with the sole view of promoting your Majesty's public
interests and private happiness.

Lord Melbourne hopes, and indeed ventures to expect, that your
Majesty, upon reflection and consideration of the real state of
circumstances, will recover your spirits, and Lord Melbourne has
himself great satisfaction in thinking upon the consideration of
the advice which he has given, that it has not tended to impair your
Majesty's influence and authority, but, on the contrary, to secure to
your Majesty the affection, attachment, approbation, and support of
all parties.

In the course of this correspondence Lord Melbourne has thought it his
duty to your Majesty to express himself with great freedom upon
the characters of many individuals, whose names have come under
consideration, but Lord Melbourne thinks it right to say that he may
have spoken upon insufficient grounds, that he may have been mistaken,
and that the persons in question may turn out to be far better than he
has been induced to represent them.

[Footnote 86: A Council had been held at Claremont for the
outgoing Ministers to give up their Seals of Office, which
were bestowed upon Sir Robert Peel and the incoming Cabinet.]

[Pageheading: MELBOURNE ON THE NEW MINISTRY]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

SOUTH STREET, _4th September 1841._

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty. He was most
happy to hear yesterday the best account of everything that had taken
place at Claremont. Everybody praised, in the highest manner, the
dignity, propriety, and kindness of your Majesty's deportment, and if
it can be done without anything of deceit or dissimulation, it is well
to take advantage of the powers and qualities which have been given,
and which are so well calculated to gain a fair and powerful influence
over the minds and feelings of others. Your Majesty may depend upon
it, that the impression made upon the minds of all who were present
yesterday, is most favourable. Of course, with persons in new and
rather awkward situations, some of whom had never been in high office
before, all of whom had not been so now for some years, there was a
good deal of embarrassment and mistakes. Forms which are only gone
through at long intervals of time, and not every day, are necessarily
forgotten, and when they are required nobody knows them. But Lord
Melbourne cannot really think that they looked cross; most probably
they did look shy and embarrassed. Strange faces are apt to give the
idea of ill humour....

Lord Melbourne anxiously hopes that your Majesty is well and happy
to-day.

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

SOUTH STREET, _5th September 1841._

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty. Your Majesty
may depend upon it, that if Lord Melbourne hears anything respecting
your Majesty, which it appears to him to be important or advantageous,
that your Majesty should know, Lord Melbourne will not fail to convey
it to your Majesty.

Lord Melbourne encloses the exact names of the two gentlemen to whom
Knighthood has been promised by your Majesty....

Your Majesty is very good, very good indeed, to think of doing what
your Majesty mentions for Fanny; but Lord Melbourne fears that it
would hardly suit with their present situation, or with the comfort of
their domestic life. But Lord Melbourne mentioned the matter yesterday
to his sister, and he encloses the letter which she has written to him
this morning, after reflecting upon the subject. By that letter your
Majesty will perceive that Jocelyn is not so much in debt, as Lord
Melbourne's letter had led your Majesty to suppose....

Lord B---- is a very old friend of Lord Melbourne's. They were at Eton
together, and intimate there. He is a gentlemanly man and a good man,
but not very agreeable. Few of the P----s are, and very bitter in
politics; but still Lord Melbourne is glad, for old acquaintance'
sake, that your Majesty has taken him. Lord Melbourne must again
repeat that when he writes with so much freedom about individual
characters, it is only to put your Majesty in possession of what he
knows respecting them, and not with a view of inducing your Majesty to
object to their being appointed....

Might not Fanny have the Bedchamber Woman's place? It would be a help
to her, and would not take her away from home. This only strikes Lord
Melbourne as he is writing.

[Pageheading: MELBOURNE ON PEEL]

_6th September 1841._

Lord Melbourne wrote the above yesterday, but had no opportunity of
sending it, as there was no post. Lord Melbourne has since seen Lady
Palmerston, and finds that his last suggestion about Fanny will not
do.

Lord Melbourne encloses Lady Palmerston's two notes upon the subject,
which will explain to your Majesty what she wishes. But if Jocelyn is
himself to get a place, this will be a better arrangement, and puts an
end to all the others.

What Lady Palmerston says about Sir R. Peel is very unjust. There
is no shabbiness whatever in his not coming to a decision upon the
factory question.[87]

[Footnote 87: Lady Palmerston (no doubt in sympathy with Lord
Ashley) expected some factory legislation to be announced.]

_Queen Victoria to the Countess of Gainsborough._[88]

CLAREMONT, _6th September 1841._

MY DEAREST LADY GAINSBOROUGH,--I had the pleasure of receiving your
two kind letters of the 24th and 25th ult. yesterday, and thank you
much for them. I am so happy that you are _really_ better....

I hoped that you would be pleased at what you thank me for; you see
I _did not_ forget what you told me once at Windsor when we were
out driving, and I assure you that Lord Melbourne was very anxious
to do it. Last week was a most painful, trying one to me, and this
separation from my truly excellent and kind friend Lord Melbourne,
_most_ distressing. You will understand _what_ a change it must be to
me. I am, however, so happy in my home, and have such a perfect angel
in the Prince, who has been such a comfort to me, that one must be
thankful and grateful for these blessings, and take these hard trials
as lessons sent from above, for our best.

Our little girl makes great progress, and suffers comparatively but
very little from her teething. We came here to be _quiet_ for a few
days, as this place is so very private.

The Baroness will write to Lord Gainsborough to say that I wish much
you would take Lady Lyttelton's waiting, which begins on 23rd of
November.

The Prince begs to be kindly named to you, and I to Fanny and your
brother, and pray believe me always, dearest Lady Gainsborough, ever
yours most affectionately,

VICTORIA R.

Pray thank Fanny for her kind letter.

[Footnote 88: Formerly, as Lady Barham, a Lady of the
Bedchamber. Lord Barham had been created Earl of Gainsborough
in the course of the year (1841).]

[Pageheading: LORD CHAMBERLAIN'S DEPARTMENT]

_Queen Victoria to Sir Robert Peel._

_7th September 1841._

The Queen wishes that Sir Robert Peel would mention to Lord De la
Warr[89] that he should be very particular in always naming to the
Queen any appointment he wishes to make in his department, and always
to take her pleasure upon an appointment before he settles on them;
this is a point upon which the Queen has always laid great stress.
This applies in great measure to the appointment of Physicians and
Chaplains, which used to be very badly managed formerly, and who were
appointed in a very careless manner; but since the Queen's accession
the Physicians and Chaplains have been appointed only for merit and
abilities, by the Queen herself, which the Queen is certain Sir Robert
Peel will at once see is a far better way, and one which must be of
use in every way. Sir Robert Peel may also tell Lord De la Warr that
it is unnecessary for him to appear in uniform, as the Queen
always dispenses with this in the country. This applies also to the
Ministers, who the Queen does not expect or wish should appear in
uniform at Councils which are held in the country. The Queen concludes
that it will be necessary to hold a Council some time next week to
swear in some of the new Officers who are not Privy Councillors; but
Sir Robert Peel will be able to tell the Queen when he thinks this
will be necessary.

[Footnote 89: See _ante_, p 156.(Ch. VIII, 7th May, 1839)]

[Pageheading: DIPLOMATIC APPOINTMENTS]

_Queen Victoria to Sir Robert Peel._

_8th September 1841._

There is a subject which the Queen wishes to mention to Sir Robert
Peel, as she is at present so little acquainted with Lord Aberdeen;
the Queen is very desirous that, if it were possible, Sir Hamilton
Seymour should not be removed from Brussels. The Queen believes that
his political views are not violent either way, and she knows that he
is peculiarly agreeable to her Uncle, which has, therefore, prompted
her to write this to Sir Robert Peel. The Queen seizes the same
opportunity to say that she is also very anxious that a moderate
and conciliatory person should be sent to Lisbon, as it is of great
importance there.

[Pageheading: THE FRENCH AMBASSADOR]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

CLAREMONT, _8th September 1841._

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--I begin my letter to-day, for fear I should have no
time to write to-morrow. Your kind letter gave me great pleasure, and
I must own your silence on all that was going on distressed me very
much! It has been indeed a sad time for me, and I am still bewildered,
and can't believe that my excellent Lord Melbourne is no longer
my Minister, but he will be, as you say, and has _already_ proved
himself, _very_ useful and _valuable_ as my friend out of office.
He writes to me often, and I write to him, and he gives really the
fairest and most impartial advice possible. But after seeing him for
four years, with very few exceptions--_daily_--you may imagine that I
_must_ feel the change; and the longer the time gets since we parted,
the _more_ I feel it. _Eleven days_ was the _longest_ I ever was
without seeing him, and this time will be elapsed on Saturday, so you
may imagine what the change must be. I cannot say what a comfort and
support my beloved Angel is to me, and how well and how kindly
and properly he behaves. I cannot resist copying for you what Lord
Melbourne wrote to me about Albert, the evening after we parted; he
has already praised him greatly to me, before he took leave of me. It
is as follows:

"Lord Melbourne cannot satisfy himself without again stating to your
Majesty in writing what he had the honour of saying to your Majesty
respecting H.R.H. the Prince. Lord Melbourne has formed the highest
opinion of H.R.H.'s judgment, temper, and discretion, and he cannot
but feel a great consolation and security in the reflection that
he leaves your Majesty in a situation in which your Majesty has the
inestimable advantage of such advice and assistance. Lord Melbourne
feels certain that your Majesty cannot do better than have recourse to
it, whenever it is needed, and rely upon it with confidence."

This naturally gave me great pleasure, and made me very proud, as it
comes from a person who is no flatterer, and would not have said it if
he did not think so, or feel so. The new Cabinet you have by this time
seen in the papers.

The Household (of which I send you a list) is well constituted--_for
Tories_.

Lord Aberdeen has written to me to say Bourqueney has announced Ste
Aulaire[90] as Ambassador. This is very well, but let me beg you, for
decency's sake, to stop his coming immediately; if _even not meant_
to, it would have the effect of their sending an ambassador the moment
the Government changed, which would be too marked, and most _offensive
personally_ to _me_. Indeed Guizot behaved very badly about refusing
to sign the Slave Trade Treaty[91] which they had so long ago settled
to do; it is unwise and foolish to irritate the late Government who
may so easily come in again; for Palmerston will _not_ forgive nor
_forget_ offences, and then France would be worse off than before,
with England. I therefore _beg_ you to stop Ste Aulaire for a little
while, else _I_ shall feel it a great personal offence.

_9th._--I have had a letter from Lord Melbourne to-day, who is much
gratified by yours to him.... Now adieu! Believe me, always, your
devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

[Footnote 90: See _post_, p. 334. (Ch. X, 1st October, 1841)]

[Footnote 91: A treaty on the subject was signed in London,
on 20th December, between Great Britain, France, Austria,
Prussia, and Russia.]

[Pageheading: QUEEN ADELAIDE]

_Queen Adelaide to Queen Victoria._

SUDBURY HALL, _8th September 1841._

MY DEAREST NIECE,--I have not ventured to disturb you with a letter
since we parted, knowing how fully your time was employed with
business of importance. I cannot any longer now refrain to enquire
after you, after all you have gone through lately, and I must
congratulate you with all my heart on having so well completed your
difficult task.

There is but one voice of praise, I hear, of your perfect composure
and beautiful conduct during the trying scenes of last week. It has
gratified me more than I can express, for I had fully expected it of
you, and it has made me very happy to find that it has been generally
remarked and has given so much satisfaction. Everybody feels deeply
for you, and the devotion and zeal in your service is redoubled by
the interest your trying position has evoked. May our Heavenly Father
support and guide you always as hitherto, is my constant prayer!

I hope that the selection of your Government is to your own
satisfaction, and though the change must have been trying to you, I
trust that you will have perfect confidence in the able men who form
your Council. Our beloved late King's anxious wishes to see Wellington
and Peel again at the head of the Administration is now fulfilled. His
blessing rests upon you.

Excuse my having touched upon this subject, but I could not keep
silent whilst the heart is so full of earnest good wishes for your and
the country's prosperity.

I hope that an article of the newspapers, of the indisposition of your
darling child, is not true, and that she is quite well. God bless and
protect her!...

I am much amused with reading your Life by Miss Strickland,[92] which,
though full of errors, is earnest on the whole, and very interesting
to _me_. However, I wish she would correct the gross errors which
otherwise will go down to posterity. She ought to have taken first
better information before she published her work....

With my affectionate love to dear Prince Albert, believe me ever, my
dearest Niece, your most devoted and affectionate Aunt,

ADELAIDE.

[Footnote 92: Miss Agnes Strickland (1808-1874), who also
edited _Letters of Mary Queen of Scots_, etc.]

_Memorandum by Mr Anson._

CLAREMONT, _9th September 1841._

The Ministerial arrangements are now nearly completed. Writs for new
elections moved last night.

Wrote to Sir Robert, telling him the Queen ought to have heard from
him respecting the adjournment of the House of Commons, instead of
seeing it first in the public papers. Told him also of its being the
Queen's wish that a short report of the debates in each House should
always be sent to Her Majesty, from him in the Commons and from the
Duke of Wellington in the Lords.