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

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

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51

[Footnote 40: Lord John Russell had strenuously opposed the
Income Tax Bill, but had been defeated by large majorities.]

[Footnote 41: Frances was tried on 17th June, and convicted.
The death sentence was commuted to one of transportation for
life.]

[Footnote 42: Used in the classical sense of "exposed to";
_cf._ "obnoxia fato."]

[Footnote 43: The first five volumes were published this
year, Madame D'Arblay having died in 1840, at the age of
eighty-seven. Croker somewhat rancorously attacked them in the
_Quarterly_, to which Macaulay replied in the _Edinburgh_.]

[Pageheading: A PRESENT FROM MUSCAT]

_The Earl of Aberdeen to Queen Victoria._

FOREIGN OFFICE, _28th June 1842._

Lord Aberdeen, with his humble duty, begs to enclose for your
Majesty's information a list of the presents brought by the Envoy of
the Imam of Muscat for your Majesty.

Lord Aberdeen will attend to-morrow with the Envoy, at the hour your
Majesty has been pleased to command; and he will suggest that the
presents should be sent previously to the Palace, in order to be laid
before your Majesty.

[List of Articles sent for Her Most Gracious Majesty, The
Mighty Queen, a trifling Gift scarce worth being
mentioned.]

Two Pearl Necklaces,
Two Emeralds,
An Ornament made like a Crown,
Ten Cashmere Shawls,
One Box containing four Bottles Otto of Roses.
Four Horses, before mentioned in a former letter, but for
the transmission of which no opportunity offered in Bombay,
but now sent in my own ship. Through your kindness have
those things taken[44] from Ali bin Nassur, and make an excuse
for me to Her Most Gracious Majesty, and peace be on you!

[Footnote 44: _I.e._ accept.]

_Lord Fitzgerald and Vesci to Queen Victoria._

INDIA BOARD, _4th July 1842._

... From the seat of war, the intelligence is most satisfactory. The
conduct of the army, its perseverance and its courage, have not been
surpassed in the military history of British India.

Recent events have not, however, changed the views of Lord
Ellenborough as to the general policy which he recommends to be
pursued.

He regards as the best result of that success which has attended
the Arms of your Majesty, that it admits of withdrawing, without
dishonour, the British force to positions of safety, having certain
and uninterrupted communications with the British territory.

From other quarters the reports are equally favourable. The successful
advance of a division commanded by Brigadier-General England may be
regarded as ensuring the safety of the force at Candahar.

In the Indian Dominions and in the native Army the best spirit
prevails.

All of which is most humbly submitted to your Majesty, by your
Majesty's most dutiful Subject and Servant,

FITZGERALD AND VESCI.

[Pageheading: BEAN'S ATTEMPT ON THE QUEEN]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

SOUTH STREET, _4th July 1842._

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and is
anxious to express his earnest hope that your Majesty is well and
not disturbed by the event[45] which took place yesterday, and
which, although it appears not to have been dangerous in itself, is
formidable as affording additional evidence of the ease with which
persons of the lower orders can incite themselves, or be incited by
others, to the contemplation and commission of such acts. The only
observation that can be made upon these attempts is, that hitherto
they appear to have been made by those who have not the means of
executing their own wicked designs, and that they are not marked by
the same determination and the same long and ferocious preparation
which characterised in France the conduct of Fieschi and Alibaud.[46]
Lord Melbourne is not of opinion that the extension of mercy to
Francis--which from what Lord Melbourne hears of the opinion of the
judges he apprehends to have been unavoidable--could have had any
effect in encouraging this man to a similar act; at the same time it
is impossible to say what may have had an effect upon the mind, and
we can only collect the intentions of men from the deeds which they
perform.

Lord Melbourne thanks your Majesty much for your letter of the 26th
ult. Lord Melbourne again expresses his fervent wishes for your
Majesty's health, safety, and tranquillity of mind.

[Footnote 45: Bean, a deformed lad, presented a pistol at the
Queen in the Mall.]

[Footnote 46: The perpetrators of attempts on King Louis
Philippe.]

[Pageheading: DEATH OF THE DUKE OF ORLEANS]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

CLAREMONT, _14th July 1842._

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--These two horrible news of poor dear Chartres'[47]
fatal accident have quite overcome us. It is the most dreadful
misfortune I ever remember, and will be felt everywhere. I can't say
_how_ I feel it; I liked and admired him, and know how he was adored
by all of you, and by poor wretched Helene, whom this will kill. Those
poor helpless little children! it is _too_ melancholy. After escaping
from so many dangers, to be cut off in this way is _too_ dreadful!
God knows what is for our best, but this does seem difficult to
understand. I pray and hope that you will all be mercifully supported
under this heavy bereavement. I think it is so dreadful that poor
Helene could not be with him in his last moments! God be with you all,
and believe me, ever your devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

I had begun a letter to poor _Chartres_ this morning.

[Footnote 47: On 13th July the Duke of Orleans (formerly Duc
de Chartres), eldest son of Louis Philippe, was thrown from
his phaeton near the Porte Maillot, Paris, and died shortly
afterwards. He was the father of the Comte de Paris and the
Duc de Chartres.]

[Pageheading: ACCOUNT OF THE ACCIDENT]

_The Queen of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._

LAEKEN, _15th July 1842._

MY BELOVED VICTORIA,--You have surely already heard of the heavy
visitation God has sent us. My beloved brother was unexpectedly taken
away from us before yesterday evening. Before yesterday morning he
went to Neuilly to take leave of my parents, previous to his departure
for St Omer. The horses ran away: he had the unfortunate idea to jump
out from his barouche--a thing I cannot understand, as he had on
all occasions an uncommon presence of mind--fell upon his head, and
expired a few hours afterwards, in presence of my too unfortunate
parents, without having recovered his consciousness. It is the
greatest misfortune that could happen to us.

We are quite stunned by the sudden and horrid blow, and I cannot
believe it yet, although I have before me the letter of my poor
parents. They are full of courage and resignation to the will
of Providence; but I do not understand what will become of them,
particularly of my mother, who loved so fondly, and with so much
reason, my brother, and of the too unfortunate Helene. May God help
them and have mercy on them! Clementine and Victoire are gone to
Plombieres to give to Helene the fatal news, and bring her back:
it will most probably be her death. My parents wished to see us
immediately, and we go to-morrow to Paris.

I am sure, my beloved Victoria, of the share you will take in the
misfortune, the greatest which could befall us, and I thank you
beforehand for it. God's will be done! May He at least always
bless you, and preserve those you love from all evil and danger! In
affliction as in joy, I am, ever, my beloved Victoria, yours most
devotedly,

LOUISE.

_Queen Victoria to Sir Robert Peel._

CLAREMONT, _16th July 1842._

The Queen is anxious to draw Sir Robert Peel's attention to a
circumstance which she has already some months ago mentioned to him:
this is relative to Sir Edward Disbrowe.[48] The Queen knows that Sir
Robert Peel shares her opinion as to Sir Edward Disbrowe's abilities
not being of the first order, but this is not the only thing; what she
chiefly complains of is his decided unfairness towards Belgium, which
she thinks has always shown itself, and again most strongly in his
last despatches. The King of the Belgians has never dropped a word on
the subject, but the Queen really feels it her duty by her Uncle to
state this frankly to Sir Robert Peel, and to say that she thinks it
highly important that Sir Edward Disbrowe should be removed to some
other Mission. Of course she wishes that this should be done
quietly, but she thinks that with a man like the present King of the
Netherlands, who is continually intriguing in Belgium and making her
Uncle's position very painful, it is of the utmost importance that
our Minister there should be totally _unbiassed_--which Sir Edward
Disbrowe most decidedly is not. Could not Sir T. Cartwright be sent
there, and Sir Edward Disbrowe go to Stockholm? The Queen merely
suggests this; but, of course, as long as the man sent to the Hague is
sensible and _fair_, it is indifferent to her who goes there....

[Footnote 48: Then British Minister at the Hague.]

[Pageheading: GRIEF OF THE QUEEN]

_Queen Victoria to Viscount Melbourne._

CLAREMONT, _17th July 1842._

The Queen had intended to have written to Lord Melbourne some time
ago to have thanked him for his kind letter of the 5th, but she was
so occupied, first of all with the arrival of our brother and sister,
with our removal here, and lastly by the dreadful misfortune at Paris,
which has completely overpowered her, and made her quite ill--that
it prevented her from doing so. The Queen is sure that Lord Melbourne
will have warmly shared the universal horror and regret at the
untimely and fearfully sudden end of so amiable and distinguished a
Prince as poor Chartres (as we all called the Duke of Orleans) was!
The loss to France, and indeed Europe, is very great; but to the Royal
Family, dearest Louise (who all doted on him), and above all to poor
unfortunate Helene, who adored him (and he was a most devoted husband
to her), and to his two poor little boys of four and one years old--he
is an irreparable loss. The Queen has heard from none yet, but has
seen a letter from Guizot, who was a witness of the _last scene_,
which is quite truly reported in the papers; he says it was
fearful--the poor Duke lying and dying on a mattress on the floor
surrounded by his parents and sisters, kneeling and praying around
their dearly beloved Child! Alas! poor Helene had not even that
comfort!

The Queen is very glad that the Bill for the better security of her
person has passed so quickly and in so gratifying a manner through
both Houses.

We are here since yesterday week, enjoying the fine weather, and great
quiet and peace; but the news from Paris have damped our spirits.

The Queen is charmed with her new sister,[49] who is a most amiable,
sensible, and gentle creature, and without being really handsome, very
pretty and pleasing.

We return to town to-morrow and the Queen hopes soon to see Lord
Melbourne. We intend going to Windsor to settle, on Saturday.

The Queen trusts Lord Melbourne is quite well.

[Footnote 49: The Duchess Ernest of Saxe-Coburg.]

[Pageheading: LETTER FROM KING LOUIS PHILIPPE]

_The King of the French to Queen Victoria._

NEUILLY, _17 Juillet 1842._

MADAME MA BIEN CHERE ET BIEN BONNE S[OE]UR,--J'ai bien reconnu
le c[oe]ur de votre Majeste dans l'empressement qu'elle a mis a
m'exprimer la part qu'elle prend a mon malheur. Ma malheureuse Reine
en est egalement bien touchee, et si elle ne le temoigne pas elle-meme
des aujourd'hui a votre Majeste, c'est qu'elle est encore dans
l'impossibilite d'ecrire. Nous osons lui demander tous les deux,
d'etre notre interprete aupres du Prince Albert, et de lui dire
combien nous sommes sensibles a son interet. S'il pouvait y avoir une
consolation au coup affreux qui a frappe nos vieux jours, ce serait
ces temoignages d'interet, et les regrets dont on entoure le tombeau
de mon enfant cheri, et la perte immense que tous ont faite en lui!
C'est a present qu'on sent ce qu'il etait, et ce qu'il devenait chaque
jour de plus en plus.

Je remercie de nouveau votre Majeste, du fond de mon c[oe]ur brise, de
tous les sentiments dont elle veut bien me donner tant de preuves, et
je la prie d'agreer l'expression de la haute estime et de l'inviolable
amitie avec lesquelles, je suis, Madame, ma tres chere S[oe]ur, de
votre Majeste, le bien affectionne Frere,

LOUIS PHILIPPE R.

_The Queen of the French to Queen Victoria._

NEUILLY, _19 Juillet 1842._

MADAME MA TRES CHERE S[OE]UR,--Je comptais que votre Majeste et le
Prince Albert s'associeraient a notre immense douleur; que Dieu vous
benisse pour les tendres expressions de votre lettre. Nous sommes
aneantis par le coup dont Dieu nous a frappes, que sa Sainte Volonte
soit faite! J'ai perdu l'objet de ma plus vive tendresse, celui qui
depuis 32 ans avait ete mon amour, mon bonheur, et ma gloire, plein de
vie, d'avenir, ma tete n'y est plus, mon c[oe]ur est fletri, je tache
de me resigner, je pleure et je prie pour cette Ame qui m'etait si
chere et pour que Dieu nous conserve l'infortune et precieux Roi dont
la douleur est incommensurable; nous tachons de nous reunir tous
pour faire un faisceau autour de lui. Notre ange de Louise et votre
excellent oncle sont arrives avant-hier; leur presence nous a fait
du bien. Helene, aneantie par la douleur, a un courage admirable, sa
sante se soutient. Nemours, dont l'affliction est inexprimable, tache
de prendre des forces pour nous consoler tous, et les bonnes Victoire
et Clementine apres l'horrible et douleureuse scene a laquelle elles
avaient assiste, ont passe trois nuits pour aller chercher leur
infortunee Belle-S[oe]ur. Enfin, Dieu veut que nous vivions pour nous
soutenir les uns les autres, que ce Dieu Tout Puissant vous benisse,
Madame, et vous preserve a jamais de pareilles douleurs, c'est le
v[oe]u bien sincere de celle qui se dit de tout son c[oe]ur, Madame,
De votre Majeste la toute devouee S[oe]ur,

MARIE AMELIE.

[Pageheading: LEIGH HUNT]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

SOUTH STREET, _22nd July 1842._

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty, and ventures to transmit the
copy of Mr Leigh Hunt's poem, which he mentioned to your Majesty in
his last letter. Lord Melbourne also sends the letter which Mr Leigh
Hunt has taken the liberty of addressing to your Majesty, as well as
that which he has addressed to Lord Melbourne. Lord Melbourne will
inform Mr Hunt that he has done this, and it is not at all required
that any further notice should be taken.[50]

It is a very gay and lively work, and has in it some wit and fun.

Lord Melbourne had great pleasure yesterday in seeing your Majesty
well and in good spirits.

[Footnote 50: The poem was no doubt _The Palfrey; a Love-Story
of Old Times_.]

_Mr Leigh Hunt to Viscount Melbourne._

32 EDWARDES SQUARE, KENSINGTON, _15th July 1842._

MY LORD,--I was once speaking to Mr Fonblanque[51] of my unwillingness
to trouble your Lordship, when Prime Minister, with a request to lay
my tragedy of the _Legend of Florence_[52] before Her Majesty; and he
said that he was sure your good-nature would not have been displeased
with it. This is the reason why I now venture to ask whether a similar
kindness might be shown the accompanying little poem, supposing
no etiquette to stand in the way of it. I have no Tory channels of
communication with the Palace, nor wish to seek any; neither can I
trespass upon any friendships of Her Majesty's, unless they can find
my excuse in some previous knowledge of me. On the other hand, I have
no fear of being supposed by your Lordship to approach one who is no
longer Premier with less respect than when he was in power. I would
even venture to say, if the mode of testifying it were not so poor a
one, that it is in a double spirit of respectfulness the application
is made. Should it be of a nature calculated to give your Lordship any
perplexity, I can only blush for having been the occasion of it, and
beg it may be laid to the account of an ignorance which lives very
much out of the world. The same reason will plead my excuse for
not knowing whether a letter to Her Majesty ought, or ought not, to
accompany the book; and for begging your Lordship, after its perusal,
to suppress it or otherwise accordingly, in case you can oblige me
in the other part of my request. Your Lordship will perceive that the
Address prefixed to the poem, not having ventured to ask Her Majesty's
permission, does not presume to call itself a dedication; neither does
it leave the public under any erroneous impression whatsoever as to
the nature of its intentions: and on this account I not only expect,
of course, no acknowledgment of its receipt on the part of any
one about Her Majesty's person, but shall be more than content to
understand by your Lordship's own silence that my book has reached its
destination, and therefore not been considered altogether unworthy of
it.

The bookseller tells me that it is no longer "the mode" for authors to
present their volumes _bound_; but in regard to books intended to go
to Court, he is not quite so certain; and I find it so difficult to
disassociate the idea of dress from any such proceeding, that I trust
my inexperience in this respect also will procure me whatever pardon
it may require.

I have the honour to be, my Lord, your Lordship's ever grateful and
faithful Servant,

LEIGH HUNT.

[Footnote 51: Hunt had founded _The Examiner_ in 1808, and
Albany Fonblanque (1793-1872) had succeeded him on it as
leader writer.]

[Footnote 52: Leigh Hunt's play, _A Legend of Florence_, had
had a great success at Covent Garden in 1840; in 1852 it was
performed at Windsor by the Queen's command.]

[Pageheading: THE AFFLICTED FAMILY]

_The Queen of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._

NEUILLY, _21st July 1842._

MY BELOVED VICTORIA,--I was unable to thank you the other day for your
kind and feeling letter of the 14th, although I was greatly touched
by it, and I trust you will have excused me. I thank you to-day very
sincerely for both your letters, and for the share and sympathy you
and dear Albert take in our _great misfortune_. I know it is very
heart-felt, and we are all very grateful for it. Victoire and my poor
mother have already given you news from the unfortunate Helene.
She has sustained and outlived the first shock and shows wonderful
courage. She is even well in health, and much better and stronger
in all ways than I had expected. She takes very much upon herself
on account of the poor children, to prevent that any melancholy or
painful feeling should be connected for them with the remembrance of
their beloved and unfortunate father. My parents show great fortitude
and resignation, but their hearts are for ever broke. They are only
sustained by their feeling of duty. My poor mother bears up for my
father, and my father bears up to fulfil his duties of father and of
king. Their health is, thank God! good, and my father retains all his
strength of mind and quickness of judgment; but they are both grown
old in looks, and their hairs are turned quite white.

The first days, my poor father could do nothing but sob, and it was
really heartbreaking to see him. He begins now to have more command
upon his grief, and the presence of your uncle, whom he dearly loves,
seems to do him good. The poor children are well and _merry_ and seem
unconscious of their dreadful loss. From time to time only they jump
round us as if looking for protection. The contrast of their gaiety
with their horrid misfortune is very painful. Paris is looking
remarkably well and strong. Robert[53] is much grown, extremely quick
and lively, and begins to speak. The remainder of the family is,
as you may easily imagine, in the _deepest affliction_. Nemours
especially is quite broken down with grief. Chartres was _more_ than
a _brother_ to him, as he was _more_ than a _second father_ to us all.
He was the _head_ and the _heart_ and _soul_ of the whole family. We
all looked up to him, and we found him on all occasions. A _better_,
or even _such_ a brother was never seen; our loss is as great as
irreparable; but God's will be done! He had surely His motives in
sending on my unfortunate parents the horrid affliction in their
old days, and in removing from us the being who seemed the _most
necessary_ to the hope and happiness of all; we must submit to His
decrees, hard as they are; but it is impossible not to regret that my
poor brother has not at least found the death of a soldier, which
he had always wished for, instead of such a useless, horrid, and
miserable one! It seems, for no one saw him fall, that he did not
jump, as we had thought at first, but that he was thrown from the
barouche, while standing; and I like it in some measure better so, as
God's will is still more manifest in this way. It is equally manifest
in _all_ the circumstances attending the catastrophe. My poor brother
was not even to have come to Neuilly. He had taken leave of my parents
the day before, and would not have gone again if my unfortunate mother
had not asked him, and if my parents, who were to go to Paris, had not
delayed their departure....

I thank you again and again, my beloved Victoria, for all your
interest and sympathy. I was sure you would think of us and of me: you
know how much I loved my brother. I little expected to outlive him, as
I had done my beloved Mary;[54] but once more, _God's will be done_. I
remain now and ever, yours most devotedly,

LOUISE.

I perceive I forgot mentioning Ernest. Pray thank him for his sympathy
also. He knows what a brother is, and may feel for us! We expect on
Saturday poor Joinville. My father will have thus his four remaining
sons round him for the opening of the Session, which takes place on
the 26th, and at which he must preside in person. It is a hard duty
for him.

[Footnote 53: The young Duc de Chartres, born in 1840.]

[Footnote 54: See _ante_, p. 144. (Ch. VIII, Footnote 8)]

[Pageheading: THE CORN LAWS]

_Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria._

WHITEHALL, _23rd July 1842._

Sir Robert Peel, with his humble duty to your Majesty, begs leave to
acquaint your Majesty that last night was occupied in the House of
Commons with another debate on the Corn Laws, again impeding any
progress with the Government business. The debate was entirely
confined to those members who act in concert with the Anti-Corn Law
League.[55] It continued until twelve, when Mr Cobden, the Member for
Stockport, moved an adjournment of the House, on the ground that none
of your Majesty's servants had taken a part in the debate....

Several members of the Opposition voted with the Government, and
declared that they would not be parties to such vexatious proceedings.

A division on the main question--a Committee to enquire into the state
of the country with a view to the Repeal of the Corn Laws--then took
place.

The motion was negatived by a majority of 156 to 64--92. The House did
not adjourn until three this morning.

[Footnote 55: The Anti-Corn Law League was rapidly gaining
importance, and fiscal policy occupied a great part of the
session of 1842. Peel was already reducing import duties
on articles other than corn. Cobden had been elected at
Stockport, for the first time, in 1841.]

[Pageheading: FURTHER PARTICULARS OF ACCIDENT]

_The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._

NEUILLY, _22nd July 1842._

MY DEAREST VICTORIA,--I was anxious to write to you on the 18th, but
I was so overpowered with all that surrounded me that I could really
not. Yesterday I received your dear letter of the 19th, and I will
answer it, so as to give you a clear view of the sad case. On the
12th, Tuesday, Chartres had taken leave, as he meant to go to St Omer,
the 13th; however, in the family the Queen and others said he ought to
come once more to see them. The King had ordered his carriage to go to
town on the 13th, to a Council; Chartres meant to have called shortly
after ten.

It is necessary to tell you all this, as it shows how strangely
circumstances turned fatally. Chartres did not want to return once
more to Neuilly, and the King, if exact, might see him once more
in town. Chartres, however, instead of coming early, set off after
eleven; his Off. d'Ordonnance, M. Bertin de Veaux, his _valet de
chambre_, a German, Holder, begged him not to go quite alone in that
small phaeton through Paris, as he was in uniform, but all this did
not avail; he insisted to go in the phaeton and to go _alone_. He set
out later than he expected, and if the King had set out _exactly_ as
he had named, the parents and the son would probably have met on the
rising avenue of the Champs Elysees, towards the Barriere de l'Etoile
and Arc de Triomphe. However, the King delayed his departure and the
son set off. At the place where from the great avenue one turns off
towards Neuilly, the horses, which were not even young horses, as I am
told that he has had them some years, moved by that stupid longing to
get to Neuilly, where they knew their stables, got rather above
the postillion, and ran _quasi_ away. Chartres got up and asked the
postillion if he could hold his horses no longer; the boy called out
"Non, Monseigneur"; he had looked back when he said this, and saw his
master for the last time _standing_ in the phaeton. People at some
distance saw him come out of his carriage and describe a sort of
semicircle falling down. Nobody knows exactly if he jumped out of the
carriage, or if he lost his position and fell out. I am inclined to
think that, trusting to his lightness and agility, he wanted to jump
out, forgetting the impulse which a quick-going carriage gives, as
there were marks on his knees as if he had first fallen that way. The
principal blow was, however, on the head, the skull being entirely
fractured. He was taken up senseless, that is to say confused, but
not fainting, and carried into a small inn. At first his appearance,
sitting in a chair, was so little altered that people thought it was
nothing of any consequence.