A few months previous to the death of his late Majesty, he was pleased
to appoint me Historiographer in ordinary for England into which
office I was duly sworn. On the accession of Her Majesty our present
Queen, although I was informed that the office did not necessarily
lapse on the death of the monarch who conferred it, I applied to Her
Majesty through her Lord Chamberlain for her gracious confirmation of
the honor her Royal Uncle had conferred upon me. Many months have now
elapsed even since Lord Conyngham did me the honor of writing to
inform me that the time had not then arrived for Her Majesty to take
into consideration that class of offices and I am induced in
consequence to apply directly to your Lordship as I understand that
your department of the government embraces such matters. I should have
waited longer ere I thus intruded upon your valuable time but that I
am about to publish a new Historical work of some importance in the
title to which must appear whether I am or am not still
Historiographer. If I am to understand by the silence which has been
maintained upon the subject that it is Her Majesty’s determination to
deprive me of the office which her royal uncle conferred I must bow to
her gracious pleasure and neither my station in society, my fortune,
or my views of what is right require or permit me to say one word to
alter such a resolution. Should that determination however not have
been formed allow me to submit to your Lordship that to dismiss me
from a post to which I was so lately appointed is to cast a stigma of
which I am not deserving. If I have ever written anything that is
calculated to injure society; if I have ever debased my pen to pander
to bad appetites of any kind; if I have ever failed to dedicate its
efforts to the promotion of truth, virtue, and honor, not only let the
dismissal be made public but the cause of that stigma be assigned. But
if on the contrary to have done my best, and that perhaps with more
reputation than my writings merit, to promote all that is good and
noble; if to have bestowed vast labour, anxious research, valuable
time, and many hundreds of pounds for which I can hope no return on
such works as the History of Charlemagne, the History of Edward the
Black Prince, the History of Chivalry, and my letters to Lord Brougham
on the system of Education in the higher German States—if these
circumstances afford any claim to honor or distinction, I think in my
case they may stand in the way of an act which I cannot yet make up my
mind to believe that Her Majesty’s present ministers would advise. I
have given up the expectation indeed that a fair share of honors and
distinctions—or in fact any share at all—should be bestowed upon
literary men in this country, even when a high education, upright
conduct, and a fortune not ill employed combine with literary
reputation; but I still trust that that which has been given will not
be taken away.
I have now to apologize, my Lord—and I feel that an apology is very
necessary—for addressing this letter to your private house; but your
kindness and courtesy when, as a result of some communications between
my friend Sir David Brewster and myself, I addressed you on the state
of literature in England have encouraged me to trespass upon you in
some manner.