The Letters of Queen Victoria
Chapter 208 : _The d.u.c.h.ess of Gloucester to Queen Victoria._ GLOUCESTER HOUSE, _2nd May 1851._ M

_The d.u.c.h.ess of Gloucester to Queen Victoria._

GLOUCESTER HOUSE, _2nd May 1851._

MY DEAREST VICTORIA,--It is impossible to tell you how warmly I do partic.i.p.ate in all you must have felt yesterday, as well as dear Albert, at everything having gone off so beautifully. After so much anxiety and the trouble he has had, the joy _must_ be the greater.[13]

The sight from my window was the gayest and the most gratifying to witness, and to me who loves you so dearly as _I do_, made it the more delightful. The good humour of all around, the fineness of the day, the manner you were received in both going and coming from the Exhibition, was quite perfect. Therefore what must it have been in the inside of the building!

Mary and George came away in perfect _enchantment_, and every soul I have seen describes it as the fairest sight that ever was seen and the best-conducted _fete!_Why, G. Bathurst told me it far surpa.s.sed the _Coronation_ as to magnificence, and we all agreed in rejoicing that the _Foreigners should_ have witnessed the affection of the _People_ to _you_ and _your Family_, and how the _English people_ do _love_ and respect the _Crown_. As to Mary, she was in _perfect enchantment_, and full of how pretty your dear little Victoria looked, and how nicely she was dressed, and so grateful to your Mother for all her kindness to her. I should have written to you last night, but I thought I would not plague you with a letter until to-day, as I think you must have been tired last night with the _excitement_ of the day. I shall ever lament the having missed such a sight, but I comfort myself in feeling sure I could not have followed you (as I ought) when you walked round.

Therefore I was _better_ out of the way. We drank your health at dinner and _congratulation_ on the _complete success_ of _Albert's plans_ and _arrangements_, and also dear little Arthur's health. Many thanks for kind note received last night. Love to Albert. Yours,

MARY.

[Footnote 13: The Great Exhibition in Hyde Park was opened with brilliant ceremony on the 1st of May.]

[Pageheading: THE GREAT EXHIBITION]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _3rd May 1851._

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--... I wish you _could_ have witnessed the _1st May 1851_, the _greatest_ day in our history, the _most beautiful_ and _imposing_ and _touching_ spectacle ever seen, and the triumph of my beloved Albert. Truly it was astonis.h.i.+ng, a fairy scene. Many cried, and all felt touched and impressed with devotional feelings. It was the _happiest_, _proudest_ day in my life, and I can think of nothing else. Albert's dearest name is immortalised with this _great_ conception, _his_ own, and my _own_ dear country _showed_ she was _worthy_ of it. The triumph is _immense_, for up to the _last hour_ the difficulties, the opposition, and the ill-natured attempts to annoy and frighten, of a certain set of fas.h.i.+onables and Protectionists, were immense; but Albert's temper, patience, firmness, and energy surmounted all, and the feeling is universal. _You_ will be astounded at this great work when you see it!--the beauty of the building and the vastness of it all. I can never thank G.o.d enough.

I feel _so_ happy, so proud. Our dear guests were much pleased and impressed. You are right to like the dear Princess, for she is a n.o.ble-minded, warm-hearted, distinguished person, much attached to you, and who revered dearest Louise. Oh! _how_ I thought of _her_ on that great day, how kindly she would have rejoiced in our success! Now good-bye, dearest Uncle. Ever your devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

_Queen Victoria to the Emperor of Austria._[14]

PALAIS DE BUCKINGHAM, _5 Mai 1851._

SIRE ET MON BON FReRE,--C'est avec un vif empress.e.m.e.nt que je viens remercier votre Majeste Imperiale des superbes objets de l'industrie et des arts de votre Empire, que vous avez eu l'extreme bonte de m'envoyer et qui me seront bien precieux a plus d'un t.i.tre d'abord comme venant de votre Majeste, et puis a cause de leur grande beaute et comme un souvenir a une epoque ou il a plu au Tout-Puissant de permettre une reunion pacifique de tous les peuples du monde et de leurs produits.

La ceremonie de l'inauguration de l'Exposition a fait une profonde impression sur mon c[oe]ur et je regrette d'avoir ete le seul Souverain qui ait pu jouir de cette scene a la fois imposante et parlant au c[oe]ur. Nous avons deja fait plusieurs visites au departement Autrichien et le Prince et moi avons eu occasion d'admirer beaucoup les produits qui nous sont venus de vos etats. Puisse leur exposition contribuer a la prosperite du commerce de l'Empire Autrichien.

Agreez l'expression de ma sincere amitie, qui j'espere pourra un jour etre cimentee par la connaissance personnelle de votre Majeste, et croyez-moi toujours, Sire, de votre Majeste Imperiale, la bonne S[oe]ur,

VICTORIA R.

[Footnote 14: Francis Joseph, who became Emperor in December 1848.]

[Pageheading: DEATH OF MR SHEIL]

_Queen Victoria to Lord John Russell._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _2nd June 1851._

The Queen will see the Judge Advocate on Sat.u.r.day at three.

The place of the late Mr Mill is already filled up.

Mr Sheil's death is very sudden, and must be a great shock to his family....

We go to Windsor this afternoon to stay till Friday. We hope that Lord John Russell's little girl is going on quite well.

The Queen has had good accounts from the dear Princess of Prussia from Coblentz. Her letter is full of England, her great happiness here, and her great sorrow at having left it. The Princes have expressed the same, so this dangerous journey has gone off without _one_ single unpleasant circ.u.mstance, which is very gratifying.

The Prince and Prince Frederic are gone to Berlin, where the statue of Frederic the Great was to be inaugurated yesterday.

_Queen Victoria to Lord John Russell._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _18th June 1851._

The Queen returns the papers signed. We are both much pleased at what Lord John Russell says about the Prince's speech yesterday.[15] It was on so ticklish a subject that one could not feel sure beforehand how it might be taken; at the same time the Queen felt sure that the Prince would say the right thing, from her entire confidence in his great tact and judgment.

The Queen, at the risk of not appearing sufficiently modest (and yet, why should a wife ever be modest about her husband's merits?), must say that she thinks Lord John Russell will admit now that the Prince is possessed of very extraordinary powers of mind and heart. She feels so proud at being his wife that she cannot refrain from herself paying a tribute to his n.o.ble character.

[Footnote 15: The Prince presided at the meeting commemorative of the one hundred and fifty years' existence of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel. His speech was warmly praised by the Premier.]

_Queen Victoria to Lord John Russell._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _10th July 1851._

The Queen hastens to tell Lord John Russell how amiably everything went off last [night], and how enthusiastically we were received by an almost _fearful_ ma.s.s of people in the streets;[16] the greatest order prevailed, and the greatest and most gratifying enthusiasm.

Not being aware whether Sir George Grey is equal to any business, the Queen writes to Lord John to direct that a proper letter be written without delay to the Lord Mayor, expressing not only the Queen's and Prince's thanks for the splendid entertainment at the Guildhall, but also our high gratification at the hearty, kind, and enthusiastic reception we met with during our progress through the City, both going and returning. Our only anxiety is lest any accident should have occurred from the great pressure of the dense crowds.

The Queen would likewise wish to know what distinction should be conferred in honour of the occasion on the Lord Mayor.

[Footnote 16: A ball in commemoration of the Exhibition took place at the Guildhall on the 9th of July.]