The Letters of Queen Victoria
Chapter 23 : _Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._ _1st January 1838._ ... Lord Melbourne feels mo

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

_1st January 1838._

... Lord Melbourne feels most deeply the extreme kindness of your Majesty's expressions. Whatever may happen in the course of events, it will always be to Lord Melbourne a source of the most lively satisfaction to have a.s.sisted your Majesty in the commencement of your reign, which was not without trouble and difficulty, and your Majesty may depend that whether in or out of office Lord Melbourne's conduct will always be directed by the strongest attachment to your Majesty's person, and by the most ardent desire to promote your Majesty's interests, which from his knowledge of your Majesty's character and disposition Lord Melbourne feels certain will be always identified with the interests of your People.

[Pageheading: CANADA]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

_14th January 1838._

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and has the honour of acknowledging your Majesty's gracious communication, which he received this evening. Lord Melbourne has this morning seen Lord Durham upon the subject of his a.s.suming the Government of Canada,[1]

and has had a long conversation with him. Lord Melbourne is to receive his final answer before the Cabinet to-morrow, which meets at ten o'clock. Lord Durham is anxious that your Majesty should express to him your wish, or rather, as he phrased it, lay upon him your commands that he should undertake this duty, and also that, as his absence will be but temporary, that Lady Durham[2] should retain her situation in your Majesty's household. Lord Melbourne thinks that your Majesty may properly gratify him in both these points. Lord Durham made some other stipulations, which Lord Melbourne will explain to your Majesty, but, upon the whole, Lord Melbourne feels little doubt that he will accept.

Lord Glenelg[3] is on Monday to make a statement to the House of Lords upon the subject of Canada, on which a debate may not improbably arise by which Lord Melbourne may be detained. On Wednesday there is neither House of Lords nor Cabinet dinner. Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday will therefore be festive days, on which Lord Melbourne will have great pleasure in obeying your Majesty's commands and also on Monday, if he should not be kept in the House of Lords.

Lord Melbourne thinks it was prudent in your Majesty not to expose yourself to the cold of the Chapel. He is himself better, but has still much cough, though he has kept himself very quiet and been very careful of his diet since he has been in London.

[Footnote 1: In the room of Lord Gosford. See _ante_, p. 102. Ch. VII, (Introductory Note to Ch. VII)]

[Footnote 2: Daughter of Earl Grey.]

[Footnote 3: Colonial Secretary.]

_Queen Victoria to Viscount Melbourne._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _15th January 1838._ (_Half-past nine o'clock._)

The Queen has written _approved_ on Lord Melbourne's letter as he desired; but adds a line to express her _satisfaction_ at Lord Durham's having accepted the office of Governor-General of Canada.

The Queen will be very happy to see Lord Melbourne at half-past three.

[Pageheading: INFLUENCE OF THE CROWN]

_The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._

BRUSSELS, _16th January 1838._

MY DEARLY BELOVED CHILD,--... I am very grateful for Lord Melbourne's kind recollection of me. I have a sincere regard for him, and I think that our intercourse has satisfied him of one thing, that I have nothing so much at heart than your welfare, and what is for the good of your Empire. I wish very much that you would speak with him on the subject of what ought to be done to keep for the Crown the little influence it still may possess. His views on this important subject are the more trustworthy as he always has belonged to the moderate Liberals, and therefore has had the means of judging the matter with great impartiality. Monarchy to be carried on requires certain elements, and the occupation of the Sovereign must be constantly to _preserve these elements_, or should they have been too much weakened by untoward circ.u.mstances, to contrive by every means to _strengthen them again_. You are too clever not to know, that it is _not_ the being _called_ Queen or King, which can be of the _least consequence_, when to the t.i.tle there is not also annexed the power indispensable for the exercise of those functions. All trades must be learned, and nowadays the trade of a _const.i.tutional Sovereign, to do it well, is a very difficult one_.

... I must end, and remain ever, most affectionately, my dear Child, your devoted Uncle,

LEOPOLD R.

_Queen Adelaide to Queen Victoria._

_24th January 1838._

MY DEAREST NIECE,--Having just been informed of your gracious consideration of, and your generosity towards, the dear King's children,[4] I must express to you how deeply I feel this kind proof of your attachment to the late King, whose memory you respect by the generous continuance of their former allowances from the Privy Purse.

Nothing could have given me more real satisfaction, and I trust and hope that they will prove their grat.i.tude and entire devotion to you by their future conduct. Let me thank you, dearest Victoria, from the bottom of my heart, and be a.s.sured that the heavenly blessing of our beloved King will be upon you for your generous kindness to those he loved so much in this world.

I hope that you have not suffered at all from the severity of the weather, and are as well as all your subjects can wish you to be, amongst whom there is none more anxiously praying for your welfare and happiness than, my dear Niece, your most devoted and affectionate Aunt,

ADELAIDE.

[Footnote 4: The eldest of the five illegitimate sons of William IV. and Mrs. Jordan had been created Earl of Munster, and his sisters and brothers had been given the precedence of the daughters and younger sons of a Marquis. The Queen now continued the same allowances as they had received from the late King.]

[Pageheading: DANIEL O'CONNELL]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _22nd February 1838._

MY DEAR UNCLE,--... I had a very brilliant Levee again yesterday, at which O'Connell and all his sons, son-in-law, nephew, etc., appeared.

I received him, as you may imagine, with a very smiling face; he has been behaving very well this year.[5] It was quite a treat for me to see him, as I had for long wished it.

We are going on most prosperously here, which will, I am sure, give you as much pleasure as it does me. We have no fear for any of the questions. Lord John Russell is much pleased with the temper of the House of Commons, which he says is remarkably good, and the Duke of Wellington is behaving uncommonly well, going _with Ministers_, and behaving like an honest man _should_ do....

[Footnote 5: Ever since the Accession, O'Connell's speeches had been full of expressions of loyalty, and he had been acting in concert with the Whigs.]

[Pageheading: DEPARTMENTS OF STATE]

[Pageheading: BUREAUCRACY]

_Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria._