MY DEAR UNCLE,--I have no letter from you, but hope to get one soon....
I shall send this letter by a courier, as I am anxious to put several questions to you, and to mention some feelings of mine upon the subject of my cousins" visit, which I am desirous should not transpire. First of all, I wish to know if _Albert_ is aware of the wish of his _Father_ and _you_ relative to _me?_ Secondly, if he knows that there is _no engagement_ between us? I am anxious that you should acquaint Uncle Ernest, that if I should like Albert, that I can make _no final promise this year_, for, at the _very earliest_, any such event could not take place till _two or three years hence_. For, independent of my youth, and my _great_ repugnance to change my present position, there is _no anxiety_ evinced in _this country_ for such an event, and it would be more prudent, in my opinion, to wait till some such demonstration is shown,--else if it were hurried it might produce discontent.
Though all the reports of Albert are most favourable, and though I have little doubt I shall like him, still one can never answer beforehand for _feelings_, and I may not have the _feeling_ for him which is requisite to ensure happiness. I _may_ like him as a friend, and as a _cousin_, and as a _brother_, but not _more_; and should this be the case (which is not likely), I am _very_ anxious that it should be understood that I am _not_ guilty of any breach of promise, for _I never gave any_. I am sure you will understand my anxiety, for I should otherwise, were this not completely understood, be in a very painful position. As it is, I am rather nervous about the visit, for the subject I allude to is not an agreeable one to me. I have little else to say, dear Uncle, as I have now spoken openly to you, which I was very, _very anxious_ to do.
You will be at Paris, I suppose, when you get this letter, and I therefore beg you to lay me at the feet of the whole family, and to believe me ever your very devoted Niece,
VICTORIA R.
_Queen Victoria to Viscount Melbourne._
BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _20th July 1839._
The Queen anxiously hopes Lord Melbourne has slept well, and has not suffered from last night. It was very wrong of him not to wish the Queen good-night, as she expected he would in so small a party, for she _saw_ that he did _not_ go away immediately after supper. When did he get home? It was great pleasure to the Queen that he came last night. We kept up the dancing till past three, and the Queen was much amused, and slept soundly from four till half-past ten, which she is ashamed of. She is quite well, but has got a good deal of cold in her head; she hopes to see Lord Melbourne at two.
[Pageheading: THE d.u.c.h.eSS OF BRAGANZA]
_Queen Victoria to Viscount Melbourne._
BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _25th July 1839._
The Queen has seen the d.u.c.h.ess of Braganza,[47] who, though a good deal changed, is still handsome, and very amiable; she seemed so glad, too, to see the Queen again. The child[48] is grown a dear fine girl.
Lord Palmerston thought it right that I should ask her to dinner also on Sat.u.r.day and take her to the Opera; and on Sunday, as she came on purpose to see the Queen, and goes on Monday.
On Sunday (besides Lord Melbourne) the Queen proposes asking Palmerston, Normanby, Uxbridge, and Surrey, and no one else except the d.u.c.h.ess"s suite. The Queen hopes Lord Melbourne will approve of this.
He will not forget to let the Queen know how the debate is going on, at about nine or ten, as she will be curious to know. She trusts he will not suffer from the fatigue of to-night.
[Footnote 47: The step-mother of Donna Maria. Pedro I. a.s.sumed the t.i.tle of Duke of Braganza after his abdication.]
[Footnote 48: Probably the princess known as "Chica,"
afterwards Princesse de Joinville.]
[Pageheading: SYRIAN AFFAIRS]
_The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._
ST CLOUD, _26th July 1839._
... Everything is pretty quiet, and the _grace accordee a Barbes_[49]
has put down the rage against the King personally, at least for some little time. The affairs of the Orient interest a good deal. I think that it is better the Porte should be on a favourable footing with Mehemet Ali than if that gentleman had pushed on in arms, as it will put the _casus foederis_ out of the question, and the Turks will not call in the a.s.sistance of the Russians. Whoever pushed the late Sultan into this war has done an act of great folly, as it could only bring the Porte into jeopardy.
[Footnote 49: Armand Barbes, the leader of a fatal riot in Paris, was sentenced to death, a sentence afterwards remitted.]
_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._
_3rd August 1839._
Lord Melbourne will wait upon your Majesty at a quarter before five, if possible, but there is much to discuss at the Cabinet. The Caspian Pasha has taken the Turkish fleet to Alexandria,[50] and Mehemet Ali says that he will not give it up to the Sultan until he dismisses the Grand Vizier, and acknowledges the hereditary right of the Pasha to the countries which he at present governs. This is to make the Sultan his subject and his va.s.sal.
The accounts from Birmingham are by no means good.[51] There has been no disturbance of the peace, but the general disposition is both violent and determined.
[Footnote 50: The Viceroy of Egypt had revolted against the Porte, and on 8th June the Sultan purported to deprive him and Ibrahim, his son, of their dignities. War was declared, and the Turkish fleet despatched to Syria. But the Admiral treacherously sailed to Alexandria, and the Ottoman troops, under Hafiz, who had succeeded Mehemet Ali in the Government of Egypt, were utterly routed. With the traitorous conduct of the Turkish admiral, Disraeli, a few years later, compared Peel"s conversion to Free Trade.]
[Footnote 51: Chartist riots were very frequent at the time.
_See_ Introductory Note, _ante_, p. 141. (to Ch. VIII)]
[Pageheading: THE OPERA]
_Queen Victoria to Viscount Melbourne._
BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _4th August 1839._
The Queen hopes Lord Melbourne is quite well this morning, and did not sit up working very late last night; the Queen met him twice yesterday in the Park, and really wondered how anybody _could_ ride, for she came home much hotter than she went out, and thought the air quite like as if it came out of an oven; to-day we can breathe again. It was intensely hot at the Opera; the Queen-Dowager visited the Queen in her box, as did also the young Grand Duke of Weimar, who is just returned from Scotland, and whom the Queen has asked to come after dinner to-morrow. The Queen has not asked the Duke of Suss.e.x to come after dinner to-morrow, as she thought he would be bored by such a sort of party; does not Lord Melbourne think so? and she means to ask him to dinner soon.
The Queen has not asked Lord Melbourne about any days this week besides to-morrow (when she trusts he may be able to come, but she does not know what there is in the House) and Wednesday; but perhaps Lord Melbourne will consent to leave Thursday and Friday open in _case_ he should be able to come one or both of those days.
_Queen Victoria to Viscount Melbourne._
BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _4th August 1839._
The Queen has just received Lord Melbourne"s letter; and wishes to know if Lord Melbourne means by "to-day" that he is also coming to see her _this afternoon_, (which she does not expect) as well as _this evening_? for she did _not_ ask him in her note of this morning _if_ he would come to-night (for she felt _sure_ of that), but if he could come _to-morrow_, about which he has not answered her, as to whether he expects there will be anything of great length in the House of Lords. Lord Melbourne will forgive the Queen"s troubling him again, but she felt a little puzzled by his letter; she sent him a card for Wednesday without previously asking him, as she thought that would suit him, and hopes it does?
The Queen will follow Lord Melbourne"s advice respecting the Duke of Suss.e.x.
We have just returned from hearing not only a very long, and very bad, but also, a very ludicrous, sermon.
The heat is somewhat less, but the Queen is undecided as to driving out or not.