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

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

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

Portugal was still convulsed by revolutionary agitation. Dom Pedro,
the eldest son of King John VI., had been proclaimed Emperor of Brazil
in his father's lifetime, and had abdicated the throne of Portugal in
favour of his daughter Donna Maria, a child seven years old, while Dom
Miguel, his younger brother, who had acted in opposition to his father
in Portugal, claimed the throne for himself. Dom Pedro had agreed that
his daughter should marry Miguel, who was in 1827 appointed Regent.
Miguel, had he acted wisely, might have maintained himself on
the throne, but Dom Pedro, who had been expelled from Brazil by a
revolution, took active steps to recover the Portuguese throne for
his daughter, and equipped an expedition for that end with English and
French volunteers. In this way, Donna Maria, who had spent part of her
exile in England, and formed a friendship with the Princess Victoria,
was through British instrumentality placed on her throne, but still
could only maintain herself with difficulty against Miguel. She was a
few weeks older than the Princess Victoria, and had recently lost her
first husband, the Duc de Leuchtenberg. She was married by proxy on
the 1st of January 1836, and in person on the 9th of April, to Prince
Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg.

There was also a disputed succession in Spain, where by the ancient
law women might succeed to the throne. Ferdinand VII., who had revoked
the Pragmatic Sanction of 1711 and restored the former system, died in
1833, leaving no son. His elder daughter Isabella, then three years
of age, was proclaimed Queen (her mother Christina being appointed
Regent), and Isabella's claims were recognised by England and France.
The late King's brother, Don Carlos, taking his stand upon the Salic
Law as established by the Pragmatic Sanction, raised the standard of
revolt and allied himself with Dom Miguel, the young Queens Maria
and Isabella mutually recognising each other, and being supported by
France and England against the "Holy Alliance" of Austria, Russia, and
Prussia. A seven years' civil war resulted, which did not end
till, from sheer exhaustion, the Carlists had to cease fighting the
Christinos, as the loyal party was called. The English Government in
the previous year had sanctioned the enlistment of 10,000 men; who,
commanded by Colonel (afterwards Sir de Lacy) Evans, landed at San
Sebastian in August to assist the Christinos. A British auxiliary
contingent was already with the Spanish army, while a naval squadron
under Lord John Hay was active on the coast. Mendizabal was Prime
Minister at the beginning of the year 1836, and was succeeded in May
by Isturitz. Riots took place at Madrid, and Isturitz fled to France;
Calatrava succeeding him, assisted by Mendizabal. The Christino cause
did not much advance during the year.

CHAPTER V

1836

_The King of the Belgians to the Princess Victoria._

_4th March 1836._

MY DEARLY BELOVED CHILD,--You wrote me again a long, _dear_, _good_
letter, like all those which I received from your kind hands. Time
approaches now for the arrival of the cousins, and most probably of
your Uncle Ferdinand also. He has informed me of his arrival for the
7th or 8th; notwithstanding this, I mean to leave everything settled
as it has been arranged. They will set off on the 7th, arrive at Paris
on the 8th, and leave it again on the 12th.... Fernando[1] has still a
very bad cold; change of air is likely to cure that. The stay here has
done Fernando a great deal of good, and it cannot be denied that he is
quite another person. It has given me some trouble, but I have written
down for him everything which he ought to know about the organisation
of a government _in general_, and what will be necessary in specie to
carry on successfully the Government in Portugal.... My inclinations,
as you are aware, would have led me to the East, but certainly the
only thing which reconciles me with my not having done so is that it
has made me to remain near you, and will enable me to see you and to
be useful to you.

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

_The Princess Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

KENSINGTON PALACE, _7th March 1836._

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

_The Princess Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

KENSINGTON PALACE, _29th March 1836._

MY DEAREST UNCLE,-- ... As concerning the "fatigues" we are said to
have undergone, they were none to me, and made me very happy; I only
wish they could have lasted longer, for all, all is over now, and our
_beloved_ Ferdinand[2] himself leaves our shores this _very_ morning.
We accompanied them all on Sunday, where we took a final leave of our
dear Ferdinand, and I cannot tell you how sorry I was, and am, to see
him go, for I love him dearly. He is so truly excellent, kind,
and good, and endears himself so much by his simplicity and
good-heartedness! I may venture to say, that no one has his prosperity
and happiness more at heart than I have. I am extremely sanguine about
his success. He goes there full of courage, spirits, and goodwill,
and being naturally clever and observant, I doubt not that with good
counsel, and prudence, he will do very well. _Your_ kind advice will
be of the greatest and most important use to him, the more so as he is
so exceedingly fond of you.... Ferdinand leaves behind him here a most
favourable impression on all parties, for _I_ have even _heard_ from
some great Tories themselves that there was a great feeling _for_ him
in this country.

[Footnote 2: See _ante_, p. 45. (Ch. V, Footnote 1).
He had latterly been visiting the Duchess of Kent.]

[Pageheading: THE PRINCES ERNEST AND ALBERT]

_The Princess Hohenlohe to the Princess Victoria._

STUTTGART, _16th April 1836._

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

_The Princess Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

KENSINGTON PALACE, _26th April 1836._

MY DEAREST, BEST UNCLE,-- ... You will, I am sure, have been delighted
with M. de Neumann's[3] account of the complete success of our dear
Ferdinand. All has gone off better than even our most sanguine hopes
could have desired. He is much pleased with the good Queen, and she is
delighted with him, and M. de Neumann says that they are already quite
happy together. This is really a great blessing, but I fear that all
the _exterior_ affairs are not in quite _so_ good a state. I hope,
however, that the good people will not make any more difficulties
about Fernando's being Commander-in-Chief, as I hear from all accounts
it is necessary he should be so....

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

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

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

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

VICTORIA.

[Footnote 3: Baron Neumann, who acted as Minister
Plenipotentiary during the absences of Prince Esterhazy,
succeeded him as Austrian Minister in 1842. He married Lady
Augusta Somerset in 1844.]

[Pageheading: THE PRINCE OF ORANGE]

_The King of the Belgians to the Princess Victoria._

_13th May 1836._

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

I am really _astonished_ at the conduct of your old Uncle the King;
this invitation of the Prince of Orange and his sons, this forcing him
upon others, is very extraordinary.[4] It is so, because persons in
political stations and champions of great political passions cannot
put aside their known character as you would lay your hat upon a
table.

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

I have not the least doubt that the King, in his passion for the
Oranges, will be _excessively rude to your relations_; this, however,
will not signify much; they are _your guests_ and not _his_, and will
therefore _not_ mind it....

[Footnote 4: King Leopold had for some time cherished a hope
of uniting the Princess Victoria in marriage with her cousin,
Prince Albert of Coburg. He therefore arranged that the
Prince, with his elder brother, Prince Ernest, should pay
a visit to the Duchess of Kent at Kensington Palace. King
William naturally opposed a scheme which he knew met with
the approval of his sister-in-law. He accordingly invited
the Prince of Orange and his two sons at the same time, and
favoured the candidature of the younger son, Prince Alexander.
The King (it is believed) went so far as to say that no
other marriage should ever take place, and that the Duke of
Saxe-Coburg and his son should never put foot in the country;
they should not be allowed to land, and must go back whence
they came.

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

[Pageheading: ARRIVAL OF PRINCE ALBERT]

_The Princess Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

_23rd May 1836._

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

[Pageheading: PRINCE ALBERT]

_The Princess Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

_7th June 1836._

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

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

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

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

VICTORIA.

[Pageheading: CONVERSATION]

_The King of the Belgians to the Princess Victoria._

_17th June 1836._

MY DEAREST AND MOST BELOVED CHILD,--I begged your Mother, in the
meantime, to offer you my best thanks for your very pretty drawing
representing the Provost of Bruges and his daughter[5]; I admired also
that for your Aunt. They do your spirit of invention honour, and it is
a very good plan to draw subjects from books or plays which interest
you. You will feel the loss of a pleasant society in the old Palace,
the more so as your relations are good unsophisticated people, a thing
which one does not so often meet with. I suppose that part of your
London amusements will soon be over. You were going to Windsor,
which you will probably have left by this time. I hope you were very
prudent; I cannot disguise from you, that though the inhabitants are
good-natured people, still that I think you want all your natural
caution with them. Never permit yourself to be induced to tell them
any opinion or sentiment of yours which is _beyond the sphere of
common conversation_ and its ordinary topics. Bad use would be made
of it against yourself, and you cannot in that subject be too much
guarded. I know well the people we have to deal with. I am extremely
impartial, but I shall also always be equally watchful.... God bless
you! Ever, my dear child, your very devoted Uncle and Friend,

LEOPOLD R.

[Footnote 5: Leading characters in _The Heiress of Bruges_, by
Grattan.]

_The Princess Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

_9th August 1836._

MY BELOVED UNCLE,-- ... I was sure you would be very much pleased with
Ernest and Albert as soon as you knew them more; there cannot be two
more good and sensible young men than they are. Pray, dear Uncle, say
everything most kind from me to them.

We go to Buxted[6] to-morrow morning, and stay there till next Monday.

All the gaieties are now over. We took leave of the Opera on Saturday,
and a most brilliant conclusion to the season it was. Yesterday I took
my farewell lesson with Lablache,[7] which I was very sorry to do. I
have had twenty-six lessons with him, and I look forward with pleasure
to resume them again next spring.

[Footnote 6: Lord Liverpool's house. Charles Cecil Cope
Jenkinson, third Earl of Liverpool, was fifty-three years old
at the time of the Queen's accession. He was a moderate Tory,
and had held office as Under-Secretary for the Home Department
in 1807, and in 1809 as Under-Secretary for War and the
Colonies. He succeeded to the Earldom in 1828. The title,
since revived, became extinct on his death in 1851. He was a
friend of the Duchess of Kent, who often stayed with him at
Buxted Park in Sussex, and at Pitchford in Shropshire. At
three successive visits at the latter house the Princess
occupied the same small room without a fireplace.]

[Footnote 7: Luigi Lablache (1794-1858), a famous
opera-singer, was the Princess's singing-master.]

_The Princess Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

_2nd September 1836._

MY DEAREST UNCLE,-- ... The state of Spain is most alarming and
unfortunate.[8] I do hope something will be done. The news were rather
better yesterday and the day before. The Christinos had gained a
victory over the Carlists.[9] I take a great interest in the whole of
this unfortunate affair. I hope and trust Portugal may not suffer by
all the affairs of Spain, but much is to be feared. Dieskau will have
told you much about the internal affairs, which seem to go on very
prosperously. Pray has the Duchess of Braganza[10] written to you or
Aunt Louise since Ferdinand's marriage?

You did not send me the King of Naples'[11] letter, as you said you
would; pray do so in your next letter. I hope he will come here next
year. You do not mention France, so I hope all is quiet. The Duke of
Orleans is quite well again, I am happy to hear from Aunt Louise. Now
I must conclude, begging you to believe me, always, your most truly
attached and really devoted Niece,

VICTORIA.

[Footnote 8: See Introductory Note for the year, _ante_, p. 44.
(to Ch. V)]

[Footnote 9: The civil war was favourable to the Carlists at
this time, General Gomez obtaining a victory on 30th August.
By the end of the year he had twice traversed the kingdom,
hampered with plunder and prisoners, and surrounded by armies
greater than his own, and in no district did he find the
inhabitants disposed to act against him.]

[Footnote 10: Step-mother of the Queen of Portugal.]

[Footnote 11: Ferdinand II., commonly named "Bomba." He
married _en secondes noces_, the Archduchess Theresa of
Austria.]

[Pageheading: A FAREWELL LETTER]

_The Princess Victoria to the King of the Belgians._[12]

CLAREMONT, _21st September 1836._

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

Believe me, always, your ever devoted and most affectionately attached
Niece and _Child_,

VICTORIA.

[Footnote 12: Written at the conclusion of the King's visit to
England.]

[Pageheading: THE PRINCESS AND THE CHURCH]

_The King of the Belgians to the Princess Victoria._

LAEKEN, _11th November 1836._

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

_The Princess Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

RAMSGATE, _14th November 1836._

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

I am reading away famously. I like Mrs. Hutchinson's Life of her
husband[13] only _comme cela_; she is so dreadfully violent. She and
Clarendon are so totally opposite, that it is quite absurd, and I only
believe the _juste milieu_....

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

Belgium is indeed the happiest country in the world, and it is _all,
all_ owing to your _great care_ and _kindness_. "Nous etions des
enfans perdus," General Goblet[14] said to me at Claremont, "quand le
Roi est venu nous sauver." And so it is....

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

VICTORIA.

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

[Footnote 13: The regicide, Colonel Hutchinson's, fame rests
more on his wife's commemoration of him than on his own
exploits. She was the daughter of Sir Allen Apsley, Lieutenant
of the Tower of London, and highly educated. Between 1664 and
1671 she wrote the biography of her husband, first published
in 1806. "The figure of Colonel Hutchinson," says J. R.
Green, "stands out from his wife's canvas with the grace and
tenderness of a portrait by Van Dyck."]

[Footnote 14: The Belgian General, Albert Joseph Goblet. Count
d'Alviella.]

[Pageheading: DEATH OF CHARLES X]

_The King of the Belgians to the Princess Victoria._

LAEKEN, _18th November 1836._

... Poor Charles X. is dead, it is said of the cholera. I regret
him; few people were ever kinder to me than the good old man. He was
blinded by certain absolute ideas, but a good man, and deserving to
be loved. History will state that Louis XVIII. was a most liberal
monarch, reigning with great mildness and justice to his end, but that
his brother, from his despotic and harsh disposition, upset all
the other had done, and lost the throne. Louis XVIII. was a clever,
hard-hearted man, shackled by no principle, very proud and false.
Charles X. an honest man, a kind friend, an honourable master, sincere
in his opinions, and inclined to do everything that is right. That
teaches us what we ought to believe in history as it is compiled
according to ostensible events and results known to the generality of
people. Memoirs are much more instructive, if written honestly and not
purposely fabricated, as it happens too often nowadays, particularly
at Paris.... I shall not fail to read the books you so kindly
recommend. I join you a small copy of our very liberal Constitution,
hitherto conscientiously executed--no easy matter. You may communicate
it to your Mother; it is the best answer to an infamous Radical or
Tory-Radical paper, the _Constitutional_, which seems determined to
run down the Coburg family. I don't understand the meaning of it;
the only happiness poor Charlotte knew was during her short wedded
existence, and there was but one voice on that subject, that we
offered a bright prospect to the nation. Since that period I have
(though been abused, and vilified merely for drawing an income which
was the consequence of a Treaty ratified by both Houses of Parliament,
and that without one dissenting voice, a thing not very likely to
happen again) done everything to see England prosperous and powerful.
I have spared her, in 1831, much trouble and expense, as _without
my coming here very serious complications, war and all the expensive
operations connected with it_, must have taken place. I give the whole
of my income, without the reservation of a farthing, to the country; I
preserve unity on the Continent, have frequently prevented mischief at
Paris, and to thank me for all that, I get the most scurrilous abuse,
in which the good people from _constant practice so much excel_....
The conclusion of all this--and that by people whose very existence
in political life may be but of a few years' standing--is scurrilous
abuse of the Coburg family. I should like to know what harm the Coburg
family has done to England? But enough of this. Your principle is very
good; one must not mind what newspapers say. Their power is a fiction
of the worst description, and their efforts marked by the worst faith
and the greatest untruths. If all the Editors of the papers in the
countries where the liberty of the press exists were to be assembled,
we should have a _crew_ to which you would _not_ confide a dog that
you would value, still less your honour and reputation....