G.o.d be praised that the dear _menage_ is so happy! I can only say may it be so for ever and ever. I always thought that with your warm and feeling heart and susceptibility for strong and lasting affection, you would prefer this _genre_ of happiness, if you once possessed it, to every other. It must be confessed that it is less frequent than could be wished for the good of mankind, but when it does exist, there is something delightful to a generous heart like yours in this sacred tie, in this attachment for better for worse, and I think the English Church service expresses it in a simple and touching manner.
I was happy to see that the Addresses of both Houses of Parliament were voted in a decent and becoming way. How mean people are! If they had not seen the public at large take a great interest in your marriage and show you great affection, perhaps some would again have tried to bring on unpleasant subjects....
My letter is grown long; I will therefore conclude it with the expression of my great affection for your dear self. Ever, my most beloved Victoria, your devoted Uncle,
LEOPOLD R.
[Pageheading: POPULAR ENTHUSIASM]
_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._
_6th March 1840._
... As your Majesty has by your Lord Chamberlain permitted plays to be acted on Wednesdays and Fridays in Lent, it would be condemning yourself if you did not go to see them if you like to do so....
... Lord Melbourne is much pleased to hear that your Majesty and the Prince liked _The School for Scandal_. It is upon the whole the cleverest comedy in the English language, the fullest of wit and at the same time the most free from grossness.
[Pageheading: THE CORN LAWS]
_Lord John Russell to Queen Victoria._
_4th April 1840._
Lord John Russell presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and has the honour to state that the House of Commons having resumed the consideration of the Corn Laws, the debate was closed by Sir Robert Peel, in a speech much inferior to those which he usually makes. Mr Warburton moved an adjournment, which caused many members to leave the House. The motion being opposed, there were on a division 240 against adjournment, and only 125 in favour of it.
Mr Warburton then by some blunder moved that the House adjourn, which puts an end to the debate. This was eagerly caught at by the opposite party, and agreed to. So that the question is lost by this ridiculous termination, and it is to be feared that it will produce much discontent in the manufacturing cla.s.s.[10]
[Footnote 10: The opposition to the Corn Laws was now increasing in the North.]
_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._
_5th April 1840._
Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty. He is quite well but much tired. He has so much to do this morning that he will not be able to speak to Albemarle,[11] but if Albemarle dines at the Palace, he certainly will then.
Lord Melbourne always feared anything like a mixture of the Stable establishments. It would have been much better that what horses the Prince had should have been kept quite separate, and that the horses of your Majesty"s which he should have to use should have been settled, and some plan arranged by which they could have been obtained when wanted. Horses to be used by one set of people and kept and fed by another will never do. Servants and subordinate agents in England are quite unmanageable in these respects. If they get [matters] into their hands neither the Deity nor the Devil, nor both together, can make them agree. Lord Melbourne writes this in ignorance of the actual facts of the case, and therefore it may be inapplicable.
[Footnote 11: Master of the Horse.]
_Lord John Russell to Queen Victoria._
_8th April 1840._
Lord John Russell presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and has the honour to state that Sir James Graham yesterday brought forward his motion on China in a speech of nearly three hours.[12] He was answered by Mr Macaulay in a manner most satisfactory to his audience, and with great eloquence. Sir William Follett spoke with much ingenuity, but in the confined spirit of a lawyer.
[Footnote 12: The motion was to censure Ministers for their want of foresight in their dealings with China in connection with the extension of commerce, and with the opium trade. The motion was rejected by 271 to 262.]
[Pageheading: ENGLAND AND CHINA]
_Lord John Russell to Queen Victoria._
_9th April 1840._
Lord John Russell presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and has the honour to report that the debate went on yesterday, when Mr Hawes spoke against the motion. In the course of the debate Mr Gladstone[13]
said the Chinese had a right to poison the wells, to keep away the English! The debate was adjourned.
[Footnote 13: Mr Gladstone had been member for Newark since 1832.]
_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._
_2nd May 1840._
Mr Cowper has just come in and tells me that they have determined to begin the disturbance to-night at the Opera, at the very commencement of the performance.[14] This may be awkward, as your Majesty will arrive in the middle of the tumult. It is the intention not to permit the opera to proceed until Laporte gives way.
Lord Melbourne is afraid that if the row has already begun, your Majesty"s presence will not put an end to it; and it might be as well not to go until your Majesty hears that it is over and that the performance is proceeding quietly. Some one might be sent to attend and send word.
[Footnote 14: A _fracas_ took place at the Opera on 29th April. The Manager, Laporte, not having engaged Tamburini to sing, the audience made a hostile demonstration at the conclusion of the performance of _I Puritani_. An explanation made by Laporte only made matters worse, and eventually the Tamburinists took possession of the stage.]
_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._
_6th May 1840._
Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty. He has just received this from Lord John Russell--a most shocking event,[15] which your Majesty has probably by this time heard of. The persons who did it came for the purpose of robbing the house; they entered by the back of the house and went out at the front door.[16] The servants in the house, only a man and a maid, never heard anything, and the maid, when she came down to her master"s door in the morning, found the horrid deed perpetrated....