The Letters of Queen Victoria Volume I Part 30

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--I was certain you _would_ take interest in and feel for poor Lord John; he is, I hear, still dreadfully shaken, and quite unequal to do any business at present. His chief consolation is in attending to the children.

I felt much for you, and still more for poor dear Aunt Louise, when the sad separation from poor Marie[31] took place; it is so melancholy to see a dear relation depart who is _so ill_.

I have this morning heard from Ferdinand that the good Queen is at last confined, after keeping us for _two months_ and _more dans l'attente_ of the event. It took place on the 3rd, and Ferdinand writes such a funny letter, saying, "nous sommes tous bien heureux surtout moi qui craignais que ce ne fut une pet.i.te fille ce qui m'eut ete un peu desagreable, car en fait d'enfants j'aime mieux les pet.i.ts garcons, parce qu'ils sont plus gais et plus tapageurs."[32] Isn't this very good?

I believe the King of the French is to be G.o.dfather....

[Footnote 31: See _post_, p. 144. (Ch. VIII, 11th January, 1839)]

[Footnote 32: The Prince received the t.i.tle of Duke of Oporto.]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

_20th November 1838._

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and transmits a copy of Mr. Macaulay's letter.[33]...

Lord Melbourne fears, from what he hears of the language of Lord Howick and Mr. Monson, that much difficulty will be found in making arrangements and deciding upon questions. But Lord Melbourne will use every effort in his power in order to keep the Administration together and to carry on the public service. Lord Melbourne hears with concern from Mr Fox Maule that Lord John Russell does not return to business as readily as Mr Maule had hoped that he would, and Lord Melbourne fears that he will not do whilst he remains at Ca.s.siobury with the children. Solitude and retirement cherish and encourage grief.

Employment and exertion are the only means of dissipating it.

[Footnote 33: Declining to join the Government. The original is not preserved among the Queen's papers.]

[Pageheading: CANADA AND LORD DURHAM]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

_22nd November 1838._

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and begs to acknowledge your Majesty's gracious communication received yesterday.

Lord Melbourne had nothing particular to lay before your Majesty, but still regrets that he did not write, as your Majesty might have wished to hear from him.

Lord Melbourne returns the King of Portugal's[34] letter, which, as your Majesty observes, is very rough and ill-tempered with reference to Lord Howard.[35] Lord Melbourne read it with much concern, as it shows so much dislike and alienation, as renders it very improbable that they should ever go on together well and in a friendly spirit.

Lord Melbourne fears that the epithets applied to Lord Howard, though very severe and full of resentment, are not entirely ill-chosen and inappropriate.

All the Ministers, except Lord Duncannon[36] and Lord John Russell, dined here yesterday, and they all appeared to be in very good-humour and disposed to co-operate in order to meet the difficulties by which we are surrounded....

With respect to Canada, Lord Melbourne feels that it may be considered somewhat presumptuous in him to undervalue danger, which is considered by those upon the spot to be so great and so imminent, but still he cannot feel the alarm which seems to be felt there. Lord Durham, Lord Melbourne is convinced, exaggerates the peril in order to give greater _eclat_ to his own departure. The worst symptom which Lord Melbourne perceives is the general fear which seems to prevail there, and which makes every danger ten times as great as it really is.

[Footnote 34: The birth of an heir on 16th September 1837 conferred on Prince Ferdinand the right to the t.i.tle of King.]

[Footnote 35: See _ante_, p. 131. (Ch VII, Footnote 30)]

[Footnote 36: Lord Duncannon (1781-1847), at this time Lord Privy Seal and First Commissioner of Woods and Forests, was afterwards (as Earl of Bessborough) Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland. He must not be confused with the Lord Dungannon who sat in the House of Commons as Mr Hill-Trevor from 1830-1841, and, as Viscount Dungannon, was elected in 1843, but immediately unseated on pet.i.tion.]

[Pageheading: BELGIUM AND ENGLAND]

_The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._

LAEKEN, _24th November 1838._

MY DEAR VICTORIA,--Van Praet[37] is bearer of this letter. The present moment being one of some importance--which may, if imprudently managed, cause great disturbances in the West of Europe, and exercise a reaction on your own Government--I think it my duty to inform you of what is going on.

I join a copy of a letter to Lord Palmerston. I should feel obliged to you if you would read it _in the presence_ of good Lord Melbourne, in whose fairness and sense of justice I must say I feel great confidence....

I will not complain, only one subject I must touch upon as really very unfair. That your Ministers should take a line unfavourable to this country may be explained by their political position, but why should they press so much on the French Government? I really see no cause for it. England is in an _excellent_ position for a _mediator_, and for all parties it is highly desirable that that position should be maintained.[38]

I will not plague with a longer letter. You know from experience that I _never ask anything of you._ I prefer remaining in the position of having rendered services without wanting any return for it but your affection; but, as I said before, if we are not careful we may see serious consequences which may affect more or less everybody, and _this_ ought to be the object of our most anxious attention. I remain, my dear Victoria, your affectionate Uncle,

LEOPOLD R.

[Footnote 37: Jules van Praet, author of a History of Flanders, was Secretary of the Belgian Legation in London in 1831, and took a leading part in the negotiations which placed King Leopold on the throne.]

[Footnote 38: King Leopold considered that the interests of Belgium were being neglected by the four Powers, and in his speech at the opening of his Parliament, on 13th November, stated amid loud acclamations that those interests would be defended with perseverance and courage. The Deputies, in reply, said that Belgium had consented to painful sacrifices only under a formal guarantee by the Powers, which they now shrank from carrying out.]

[Pageheading: BELGIUM AND HOLLAND]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

_2nd December 1838._

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and returns this letter with the enclosures. He has read it and them with great attention. Your Majesty will probably think it right to acquaint the King that your Majesty had already seen his letter to Lord Palmerston.

Lord Melbourne cannot perceive the justice of the King's complaint.

For the sake of the King himself and of the Belgian nation, we are most anxious to settle speedily and definitely the questions so long pending between Belgium and Holland, and which arose from the separation of the two countries in 1830. We can only settle it by the agreement of the four Great Powers who const.i.tute the Conference to which the question was referred, viz., Austria, Prussia, England, France. Of course it is of vital importance for us to carry them all along with us, and for that reason we press France. If she differs from us, there is a ground immediately laid for difference and war.

Lord Melbourne would suggest that your Majesty should say "that your great affection for the King, as well as your anxiety for the interests of your own country, and your desire for the promotion of peace, render you most solicitous to have the Belgian question speedily and definitively settled; that it appears to you that it can only be settled by the agreement of the four Powers who const.i.tute the Conference, and that therefore you cannot but wish most strongly to carry France as well as the two others along with you."[39]

[Footnote 39: See the Queen's letter of 5th December to the King of the Belgians.]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._