[Footnote 12: Prince Augustus, afterwards married to the Princess Clementine, daughter of King Louis Philippe.]
[Pageheading: THE KING OF PRUSSIA]
[Pageheading: BETROTHAL OF PRINCE ERNEST]
_The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._
LAEKEN, _4th February 1842._
MY DEAR VICTORIA,--Thousand thanks for your kind letter of the 1st, which I received yesterday.
The King of Prussia is a very delightful person;[13] he is so clever and amiable, and, owing to his good-nature, not by any means fatiguing. I fear you had cold weather yesterday for the opening of Parliament. To-day we have here a tremendous fog; Heaven grant that it may not be so heavy on the Thames! else the King"s journey will be rendered difficult.
We expect him to-morrow about eleven o"clock; he wishes to be at Antwerp at five, which would indicate his departure from hence at three o"clock. There can be no doubt that nothing could be better than to link this country as much as possible to Germany. The public feeling was and is still favourable to this, but in Germany some years ago they were childishly ultra, and kicked us off most unnecessarily, which renders everything of the sort now much less easy. In a political point of view the King"s journey will prove useful, as it takes him still more out of the clutches of Russia and gives him more _correct_ views of what is going on in the West of Europe.
I wish the King may also talk to his helter-skelter cousin in Holland; if the man goes on in his wild intrigues, though he will get most probably nothing by it _himself_, he may do a great deal of harm, and may force us to incline more towards France for fear of _his_ intrigues with France.
I was extremely sorry to hear the accident which befell dear Eos, a great friend of mine. I do not understand how your uncle managed it; he ought rather to have shot somebody else of the family. Ernest has then been going on fast enough; all I hear of the lady is very satisfactory.[14] I don"t yet know when he means to come here.
Now I must conclude. In haste, ever, my dear Victoria, your affectionate Uncle,
LEOPOLD R.
[Footnote 13: Lord Aberdeen wrote to Madame de Lieven: "I pa.s.sed a great deal of time with the King of Prussia when he was in this country, and perfectly subscribe to the truth of the description you gave me of him before his arrival--intelligent, high-minded, and sincere. Like all Germans, he is sometimes a little in the clouds, but his projects are generous, and he wishes to do what is right."]
[Footnote 14: He married the Princess Alexandrina of Baden on 3rd May 1842.]
_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._
WINDSOR CASTLE, _8th February 1842._
MY DEAREST UNCLE,--I thank you _de tout mon c[oe]ur_ for your kind letter of the 4th, which I received the day before yesterday. You have now seen our good, kind, amiable King of Prussia, for whom I have really the greatest affection and respect. We were quite sorry to lose him, and he was much affected at going. He is so open and natural, and seems really so anxious to do good whenever he can. His liberality and generosity here has been immense. He is very much displeased with his "helter-skelter cousin,"[15] and quite unhappy at the state of things in that country....
Ernest"s marriage is a _great, great delight_ to us; thank G.o.d! I say, as I so ardently wished it, and Alexandrina is said to be really _so_ perfect. I have begged Ernest beforehand to pa.s.s his honeymoon with us, and I beg you to urge him to do it; for he witnessed our first happiness, and we must therefore witness his.
Leopold is a dear, sweet boy, really, so full of feeling, and so very good-tempered and modest; the King was charmed with him and he with the King. I am happy to say faithful Eos is quite convalescent; she walks about wrapped up in flannel.
We are off for Brighton the day after to-morrow; I can"t say I _like_ it at all. We were, and the boy too, all three, vaccinated from the same child yesterday! Now adieu! Ever your devoted Niece,
VICTORIA R.
f.a.n.n.y Jocelyn is taking her first waiting, and makes a most excellent and sedate _Dame d"Honneur_. I am sorry she is so very thin still.
[Footnote 15: The King of Holland. _See_ King Leopold"s letter of 4th February.]
[Pageheading: CHRISTENING OF PRINCE OF WALES]
_Queen Adelaide to Queen Victoria._
MARLBOROUGH HOUSE, _5th February 1842._
MY DEAR NIECE,--I thank you a thousand times for your kind letter, just received, and am delighted with the hope of seeing you, if you have time to spare, when you come to town next week. I hardly dare to expect it, but it will make me very happy should you be able to fulfil your kind intention.
I was happy to hear how well the holy ceremony went off on Tuesday, and how splendid the whole was. The earnest attention of the King of Prussia to the ceremony, and the manner with which he read the responses, was universally remarked and admired. May your dear child, our beloved Prince of Wales, follow his pious example in future, and become as truly estimable and amiable and good as his G.o.dfather really is. He is indeed most charming, and so very agreeable and affable to every one, that he must be loved and respected by all who have the good fortune to approach him. I hope he does not over-fatigue himself, for he does a great deal in the short time of his stay in England. He expresses himself delighted with his reception.
I regret to find that your dear little girl is still suffering so much from her teeth. G.o.d bless and guard her and her brother!--who by all descriptions must be a very fine babe. The King of Prussia admires little Victoria _very much_; he described her to me as the most lovely child he ever saw.
I enclose the impression of my seal, according to your wish....
With my best love to dear Albert, I beg you to believe me ever, dearest Victoria, your most attached and devoted Aunt,
ADELAIDE.
May I ask you to give my affectionate respects to the King of Prussia, and my love to your Mamma?
_Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria._
WHITEHALL, _14th February, Monday Night._ (_Half-past_ 1 A.M.)
Sir Robert Peel, with his humble duty to your Majesty, begs leave to acquaint your Majesty that Lord John Russell proposed this evening in the House of Commons a resolution condemnatory of the principle of the plan for the adjustment of the Corn Laws, brought forward by your Majesty"s servants.
Lord John Russell was followed in the debate by Mr Gladstone, the Vice-President of the Board of Trade, who vindicated the plan....
Sir Robert Peel had a meeting yesterday of the friends of the Government in the House of Commons, and he is convinced that although many may have wished that the plan of the Government had given an increased degree of protection to agriculture, the great body will support the measure, and that we shall have no difficulty in resisting any detached efforts that may be made to add to the duties on foreign corn.
[Pageheading: PEEL AND PRINCE ALBERT]
_Sir Robert Peel to the Prince Albert._
WHITEHALL, _15th February(?) 1842._