[Pageheading: HISTORICAL READING]
_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._
BROCKET HALL, _30th December 1842._
Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty. He has been much delighted this morning by receiving your Majesty"s letter of the 28th. He was the more gratified, as he had begun to be a little annoyed at being such a very long time without hearing from your Majesty.
Lord Mahon has sent Lord Melbourne his book.[120] Lord Melbourne has not yet read it, but he has read the review of it in the _Quarterly_, which seems to be a sort of abstract or abridgment of the book.
The effect of writing it in French has naturally been to direct all attention and criticism from the merits of the work to the faults of the French. People who have read the work speak of it as entertaining, and the times are curious and interesting. The characters engaged in them, striking and remarkable. Lord Melbourne is very glad to hear that Pottinger"s conduct is so universally approved. He always appeared to Lord Melbourne to be a man of great ability, resolution and discretion, and Lord Melbourne much rejoices that he has turned out so.
Hallam"s opinions Lord Melbourne believes to be in general sound, and such as have been held and approved by the most able and const.i.tutional statesmen in this country.
Lord Melbourne is much rejoiced to hear of the Princess and the Prince of Wales, and also that your Majesty is pursuing your studies quietly, cheerfully, and happily.
Lord Melbourne is very sensible of the interest which the Baron takes in his health and which he warmly reciprocates. There is no man whom he esteems more, nor of whose head and heart he has a better opinion.
We expect here to-morrow the d.u.c.h.ess of Sutherland[121] and Lady Elizabeth Gower,[122] who have been kind enough to propose to pay Lord Melbourne a visit.
[Footnote 120: _Essai sur la vie du grand Conde_, afterwards published in English.]
[Footnote 121: Formerly Mistress of the Robes.]
[Footnote 122: Afterwards d.u.c.h.ess of Argyll.]
INTRODUCTORY NOTE
TO CHAPTER XII
Repeated debates took place during the year (1843) on the Corn Laws, the agitation against them steadily growing, Mr Cobden coming on one occasion into violent conflict with the Premier. The events of the previous year in Afghanistan were also the subject of constant discussion in Parliament. A movement of some importance took place in Wales in opposition to the increasing number of toll-bars, bands of rioters dressed in women"s clothes and known as "Rebecca and her daughters," demolishing the gates and committing acts of greater or less violence. A verse in Genesis (xxiv. 60) fancifully applied gave rise to this name and disguise.
In Scotland the system of private patronage in the Established Kirk had become very unpopular, the Act of Anne in favour of the nomination by lay patrons, and the control given to the Law Courts over the revising action of the Presbytery being ultimately modified by a declaration of the General a.s.sembly known as the Veto Act. But it was decided in what was called the Strathbogie case that the veto was illusory, the disruption of the old Kirk followed, and on 18th May Dr Chalmers and five hundred other ministers seceded from it in order to form the Free Church.
In Ireland the agitation for Repeal was at its height. O"Connell, supported by the _Nation_ newspaper, founded a Repeal a.s.sociation in Dublin, and monster meetings were held on Sundays on some conspicuous spot of free and historic a.s.sociations to claim the re-establishment of a Parliament on College Green. It was believed that a quarter of a million people were present on one occasion, and the Government, alarmed at the absolute power wielded by O"Connell over these huge bodies of men, resolved to prohibit the meetings, and somewhat tardily issued a Proclamation against that announced for Clontarf on 8th October. O"Connell accordingly disbanded the meeting, but his action did not please his more zealous supporters, and his ascendency came to an end. The agitation collapsed and the princ.i.p.al actors were arrested.
A military duel fought in the summer of this year, in which a colonel in the Army was shot by his brother-in-law, made the code of honour existing on the subject a burning question, the criminal law of homicide being the same then as now. On Prince Albert"s suggestion, the question was taken up by the heads of the Army and Navy, and the Articles of War were in the following year amended so as to admit of an apology and a tender of redress.
The better feeling existing between this country and France enabled the Queen and Prince to visit Louis Philippe at the Chateau d"Eu.
CHAPTER XII
1843
_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._
WINDSOR CASTLE, _4th January 1843._
DEAREST UNCLE,--... We have been _very_ gay; danced into the New Year, and again _last_ night, and were _very_ merry, though but a very small party; young and old danced. Good Lord Melbourne was here from Sat.u.r.day till this morning, looking very well, and I _almost_ fancied happy old times were returned; but alas! the dream is _past_! He enquired much after you.
Now adieu! Ever your devoted Niece,
VICTORIA R.
[Pageheading: BETROTHAL OF PRINCE DE JOINVILLE]
_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._
CLAREMONT, _10th January 1843._
MY DEAREST UNCLE,--I am happy to write to you again from this so very dear and comfortable old place, where you will have heard from Louise that we arrived with our dear p.u.s.s.y on Thursday last. We are _all_ so particularly well, including p.u.s.s.y, that we intend, to my great delight, to prolong our stay till next Monday. This place has a peculiar charm for us both, and to me it brings back recollections of the _happiest_ days of my otherwise _dull_ childhood--where I experienced such kindness from you, dearest Uncle, which has ever since continued. It is true that my _last_ stay here _before_ I came to the Throne, from November "36 to February "37, was a peculiarly painful and disagreeable one, but somehow or other, I do _not_ think of those times, but only of all the former _so_ happy ones. Victoria plays with my old bricks, etc., and I think you would be pleased to see this and to see her _running_ and jumping in the flower garden, as _old_--though I fear _still little_--_Victoria of former days_ used to do. She is very well, and such an amus.e.m.e.nt to us, that I can"t bear to move without her; she is _so_ funny and speaks so well, and in French also, she knows almost everything; she would therefore get on famously with Charlotte....
Might I ask you some questions about Joinville"s match,[1] which interests me much? First of all, _have_ you heard of his arrival at Rio? Secondly, if the Donna Francesca pleases, is he empowered _at once to make the demand_, or must he write home first? How nice it would be if the _two_ marriages could take place at _once_; but I suppose, under any circ.u.mstances, that could _not_ be....
Alexandrine is nearly quite recovered; she writes such pretty, affectionate, kind letters, poor dear child, and is so fond of Ernest.
I must say I think _he_ seems improved, as he likes to live _quietly_ with her, and speaks of her too with the greatest affection.
Now, my dearest Uncle, let me take my leave, begging you to believe me, always, your devoted Niece,
VICTORIA R.
[Footnote 1: He was married to the Princess Francesca of Brazil on 1st May.]
[Pageheading: HISTORICAL READING]
_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._
BROCKET HALL, _12th January 1843._
Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and thanks your Majesty much for your letter of the 9th inst. which he received yesterday. Every letter that he receives from your Majesty brings back to his mind the recollection of times, which, though they were clouded with much care and anxiety, were still to Lord Melbourne a period of much happiness and satisfaction....