1861
[Pageheading: CONSERVATIVE OVERTURES]
_Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria._
BROADLANDS, _1st January 1861_.
VISCOUNT PALMERSTON presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and begs
to be allowed to wish your Majesty and His Royal Highness the Prince
Consort many prosperous returns of New Year's Day, with increasing
happiness to your Majesty and the Royal Family, and progressive
advantage to the Nation who have the good fortune to have your Majesty
for their Sovereign; and to adopt the language of Pope, he would say,
"May day improve on day, and year on year,
Without a pain, a trouble, or a fear."
This Autumn and Winter, however, have been productive of events in
three of the four quarters of the Globe, which future years are not
likely to repeat. The capture of Pekin in Asia by British and French
troops; the Union in Europe of nearly the whole of Italy into one
Monarchy; and the approaching and virtually accomplished Dissolution
in America of the great Northern Confederation, are events full
of importance for the future, as well as being remarkable in time
present.
Viscount Palmerston submits two letters which your Majesty may feel an
interest in seeing. With regard to that from Lord John Russell stating
a half-formed wish to go to the House of Lords, Viscount Palmerston
does not expect that the desire will be repeated when the Session
begins, although Lord John said last year that he felt attendance in
the House of Commons in addition to the labour of his office, more
than he could well get through. He would be a loss to Viscount
Palmerston in the House of Commons, especially after the removal of Mr
Sidney Herbert to the House of Lords;[1] and speaking confidentially
to your Majesty with regard to the future, Viscount Palmerston would
think himself doing better service by recommending the House of Lords
for Mr Gladstone, than for Lord John Russell.
Mr Herbert will take the title of Lord Herbert of Lea, the title of
Herbert being that borne by his elder brother during the life of the
late Lord Pembroke.
The other letter from Lord Malmesbury relates to a communication
which he made to Viscount Palmerston last year from Lord Derby and Mr
Disraeli at the beginning of the Session, to the effect that, if
the Government were then to break up from internal dissensions, the
Conservative Party would support during the then ensuing Session any
administration which Viscount Palmerston might be able provisionally
to make, to carry through the business of the Session.[2] Viscount
Palmerston is not aware of any circumstances which can have led to the
expectation that the present administration is likely to be broken up
by internal divisions in the course of this next Session. There are
no questions ahead so likely to produce discord as the Reform Bill of
last year, and the differences between the two Houses about the Paper
Duties, about which it was very difficult to prevent Lord John and Mr
Gladstone from flying off, or the Fortification Question, upon which
Mr Gladstone announced to his colleagues, nearly a dozen times, that
he was firmly resolved to resign. Viscount Palmerston has asked Lord
Malmesbury to come over to him to Broadlands at any time before the
21st or 22nd of this month, which is the probable time at which the
Cabinet will have to meet in London.
Viscount Palmerston finds he has not got Lord John Russell's letter
at hand, but the only thing of any interest in it was the intimation
which Viscount Palmerston quoted.
[Footnote 1: Mr Herbert had been latterly in bad health, and
resigned office in the summer. He died on the 2nd of August.]
[Footnote 2: In his memoirs, Lord Malmesbury describes an
interview with Lord and Lady Palmerston on the 1st of June
1860, apparently the one at which this communication was made.
"It is evident," he writes, "he [Lord Palmerston] does not
wish to lose Lord John, though he would be very glad if
Gladstone resigned."]
_The Emperor of the French to Queen Victoria._
PARIS, _le 31 Decembre 1860_.
MADAME ET TRES CHERE S[OE]UR,--Je ne veux pas laisser cette annee
s'ecouler sans venir porter a votre Majeste l'expression de mes
souhaits pour son bonheur et celui du Prince et de sa famille.
J'espere que l'annee qui va commencer sera heureuse pour nos deux
nations, et qu'elle verra encore nos liens se resserrer. L'Europe est
bien agitee, mais tant que l'Angleterre et la France s'entendent, le
mal pourra se localiser.
Je felicite votre Majeste du succes que nos deux armees ont obtenu
en Chine; laissons toujours nos etendards unis; car Dieu semble les
proteger.
J'ai bien envie l'Imperatrice qui a pu vous faire une visite et revoir
votre charmante famille: elle en a ete bien heureuse.
Je saisis avec empressement cette occasion de renouveler a votre
Majeste les sentiments de haute estime et de sincere amitie avec
lesquels je suis, de votre Majeste le bon Frere,
NAPOLEON.
[Pageheading: DEATH OF KING OF PRUSSIA]
_The Princess Royal to Queen Victoria and the Prince Albert._
POTSDAM, _2nd January 1861_.
BELOVED PARENTS,--At last I can find a moment for myself to sit down
and collect my thoughts and to write to you an account of these two
last dreadful days! My head is in such a state, I do not know where
I am hardly--whether I am in a dream or awake, what is yesterday and
what to-day! What we have so long expected is come at last! All the
confusion, bustle, excitement, noise, etc., is all swallowed up in
that one thought for me--I have seen death for the first time! It has
made an impression upon me that I shall never, never forget as long
as I live--and I feel so ill, so confused and upset by all that I have
gone through in the last forty-eight hours, that you must forgive
me if I write incoherently and unclearly. But to go back to Monday
evening (it seems to me a year now). At a quarter to eight in the
evening of Monday the 31st, I took dear darling Affie to the railway
station, and took leave of him with a heavy heart. You know I love
that dear boy distractedly, and that nothing could have given me more
pleasure than his dear, long-wished-for visit. At nine o'clock Fritz
and I went to tea at the Prince Regent's; we four were alone together.
The Princess was rather low and unwell, the Prince low-spirited, and
I thinking of nothing but Affie and of how dear he is. While we were
sitting at tea we received bad news from Sans Souci,[3] but nothing
to make us particularly uneasy. Fritz and I went home and to bed, not
being in a humour to sit up till twelve.
About half-past one we heard a knock at the door and my wardrobe maid
brought in a telegram saying the King was given up, and a note from
the Prince Regent saying he was going up immediately. We got up in the
greatest hurry and dressed--I hardly know how; I put on just what
I found, and had not time to do my hair or anything. After we had
hurried on our clothes we went downstairs and out--for there was no
time to get a carriage or a footman or anything--it was a splendid
night, but twelve degrees of cold (Reaumur). I thought I was in a
dream finding myself alone in the street with Fritz at two o'clock
at night. We went to the Prince Regent's, and then with them in their
carriages to the railway station--we four all alone in the train. We
arrived at Sans Souci and went directly into the room where the King
lay--the stillness of death was in the room--only the light of the
fire and of a dim lamp. We approached the bed and stood there at the
foot of it, not daring to look at one another or to say a word. The
Queen was sitting in an armchair at the head of the bed, her arm
underneath the King's head, and her head on the same pillow on which
he lay; with her other hand she continually wiped the perspiration
from his forehead. You might have heard a pin drop; no sound was heard
but the crackling of the fire and the _death-rattle_, that dreadful
sound which goes to one's heart, and which tells plainly that life is
ebbing. This rattling in the throat lasted about an hour longer, and
then the King lay motionless. The doctors bent their heads low to hear
whether he still breathed--and we stood, not even daring to sit down,
watching the death-struggle; every now and then the King breathed very
fast and loud, but never unclosed his eyes; he was very red in the
face, and the cold perspiration pouring from his forehead. I never
spent such an awful time! And to see the poor Queen sitting there
quite rent my heart--three, four, five, six, seven struck, and we were
still standing there--one member of the family came in after the other
and remained motionless in the room, sobs only breaking the silence.
Oh! it is dreadful to see a person die! All the thoughts and feelings
that crowded on my mind in those hours I cannot describe, more than in
my whole past lifetime. The light of the morning dawned, and the lamps
were taken away--oh, how sad for the first morning in the year! We
all went into the next room, for I assure you, anxiety, watching,
standing, and crying had worn us out. The Princess fell asleep on a
chair, I on a sofa, and the rest walked up and down the room asking
one another, How long will it last? Towards the middle of the day,
Marianne and I went into the room alone, as we wished to stay there;
we came up and kissed the Queen's hand and knelt down and kissed the
King's; it was quite warm still. We stood about and waited till five
o'clock and then had some dinner, and I felt so sick and faint and
unwell, that Fritz sent me here to bed. At one o'clock this morning I
got up and dressed, and heard that the King had not many minutes more
to live, but by the time I had got the carriage I heard all was over.
I drove to Sans Souci and saw the King and Queen. May God bless and
preserve them, and may theirs be a long and happy and blessed reign.
Then I went into the room where the King lay, and I could hardly bring
myself to go away again. There was so much of comfort in looking
at that quiet, peaceful form, at rest at last after all he had
suffered--gone home at last from this world of suffering--so peaceful
and quiet he looked, like a sleeping child. Every moment I expected to
see him move or breathe--his mouth and eyes closed, and such a sweet
and happy expression--both his hands were on the coverlid. I kissed
them both for the last time; they were quite cold then. Fritz and I
stood looking at him for some time. I could hardly bring myself
to believe that this was really death, that which I had so often
shuddered at and felt afraid of; there was nothing there dreadful or
appalling, only a heavenly calm and peace. I felt it did me so much
good, and was such a comfort. "Death, where is thy sting? Grave,
where is thy victory?" He was a just and good man, and had a heart
overflowing with love and kindness, and he has gone to his rest after
a long trial which he bore with so much patience. I am not afraid of
death now, and when I feel inclined to be so, I shall think of that
solemn and comforting sight, and that death is only a change for the
better. We went home and to bed and this morning went there at ten.
I sat some time with the poor Queen, who is so calm and resigned and
touching in her grief. She does not cry, but she looks heartbroken.
She said to me: "I am not longer of any use in this world. I have no
longer any vocation, any duties to perform. I only lived for him."
Then she was so kind to me, kinder than she has ever been yet, and
said I was like her own child and a comfort to her. I saw the corpse
again this morning; he is unaltered, only changed in colour, and the
hands are stiffened.
The funeral will be on Saturday; the King will lie in state till then.
His wish was to be buried in Friedenskirche before the altar--and his
heart at Charlottenburg in the Mausoleum. Of course all will be done
that he wishes. His servants are in a dreadful state. They adored him,
and nursed him day and night for three years with the most devoted
attachment. The King and Queen stay at Sans Souci till after the
funeral, and Fritz and I here at Potsdam.... Ever your most dutiful
and devoted Daughter,
VICTORIA.
_P.S._--The funeral will only take place on Monday, and the body will
be embalmed to-morrow. To-morrow evening there will be prayers at the
bedside, and the day after the lying in state.
[Footnote 3: The palace at Potsdam, built by Frederick the
Great, the usual residence of the King of Prussia.]
[Pageheading: LETTER TO THE EMPEROR NAPOLEON]
_Queen Victoria to the Emperor of the French._
OSBORNE, _le 3 Janvier 1861_.
SIRE ET CHER FRERE,--Les bons v[oe]ux que votre Majeste veut bien
m'exprimer a l'occasion de la nouvelle annee me sont bien chers, et
je vous prie d'en accepter mes remerciments sinceres, ainsi que
l'expression des v[oe]ux que je forme pour le bonheur de votre
Majeste, de l'Imperatrice et de votre cher enfant; le Prince se joint
a moi dans ces sentiments.
Votre Majeste a bien raison si elle regarde avec quelque inquietude
l'etat agite de l'Europe, mais je partage aussi avec elle le ferme
espoir, que le mal peut etre beaucoup amoindri, tant que la France et
l'Angleterre s'entendent, et j'y ajouterai, tant que cette entente a
pour but desinteresse de preserver au monde la paix et a chaque
nation ses droits et ses possessions, et d'adoucir des animosites, qui
menacent de produire les plus graves calamites, des guerres civiles
et des luttes de races. La benediction de Dieu ne manquera pas a
l'accomplissement d'une tache aussi grande et sacree.
Je me rejouis avec votre Majeste des glorieux succes que nos armees
alliees viennent d'obtenir en Chine, et de la belle paix que ces
succes ont amenee. Elle sera feconde, je l'espere, en bienfaits pour
nos deux pays aussi bien que pour ce peuple bizarre que nous avons
force a entrer en relations avec le reste du monde.
Il nous a fait bien du plaisir de voir l'Imperatrice et d'entendre
depuis que son voyage en Angleterre lui a fait tant de bien.
Agreez l'assurance de la parfaite amitie avec laquelle je suis, Sire
et mon Frere, de votre Majeste Imperiale, la bonne S[oe]ur,
VICTORIA R.
[Pageheading: ITALIAN AFFAIRS]
_Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria._
BROADLANDS, _10th January 1861_.
Viscount Palmerston presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and has
many apologies to make for not having sooner answered your Majesty's
previous communications. He is glad to be able to say that Lady
Jocelyn's youngest boy, whose illness has been the cause of very great
anxiety, is now in the course of gradual, but favourable recovery.
Viscount Palmerston returns to your Majesty the letter of the Emperor
of the French, and your Majesty's excellent answer; it is to be hoped
that he will profit by the sound advice which that answer contains.
Upon the subject of Italy your Majesty reminds Viscount Palmerston
that he stated last summer that it would be better for the interests
of England that Southern Italy should be a separate Monarchy, rather
than that it should form part of an united Italy. Viscount Palmerston
still retains that opinion; because a separate kingdom of the Two
Sicilies would be more likely, in the event of war between England and
France, to side, at least by its neutrality, with the strongest Naval
Power, and it is to be hoped that such Power would be England. But
then it would be necessary that the Two Sicilies as an independent and
separate State should be well governed, and should have an enlightened
Sovereign. This unfortunately has become hopeless and impossible under
the Bourbon Dynasty, and no Englishman could wish to see a Murat or a
Prince Napoleon on the Throne of Naples.[4] The course of events
since last summer seems to have finally decided the fate of Sicily and
Naples, and there can be no doubt that for the interest of the people
of Italy, and with a view to the general balance of Power in Europe,
a united Italy is the best arrangement. The Italian Kingdom will never
side with France from partiality to France, and the stronger that
kingdom becomes the better able it will be to resist political
coercion from France. The chief hold that France will have upon the
policy of the Kingdom of Italy consists in the retention of Venetia by
Austria.
Viscount Palmerston has heard no more from Lord John Russell about his
wish eventually to go to the House of Lords, and it is probable that
this wish often before expressed will, as upon former occasions, be
allowed to sleep undisturbed....
[Footnote 4: Prince Napoleon Murat, a son of Joachim Murat,
King of Naples, 1808-1815, had returned to France from the
United States in 1848; an attempt was now being made to form a
Murat party in Southern Italy.]
_Queen Victoria to Lord John Russell._
WINDSOR CASTLE, _19th January 1861_.
The Queen has received Lord John Russell's letter enclosing his
correspondence with Lord Clarendon.[5] She has kept the latter in
order to show it to Lord Palmerston this evening, not knowing whether
he has seen it already. She must say that Lord Clarendon's arguments
are very conclusive. Has it ever occurred to Lord John Russell that,
if Lord Clarendon were to go to Berlin carrying the highest compliment
the Queen has to bestow, viz. the Order of the Garter to the new King
of Prussia, and from thence to Vienna empty-handed to the Emperor of
Austria for the purpose of giving good advice, the Emperor might look
upon it as an offensive public proceeding towards him?
[Footnote 5: Lord Clarendon was appointed to represent the
Queen at the Coronation of the King of Prussia.]
[Pageheading: CONSERVATIVE OVERTURES]
_Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria._
PICCADILLY, _27th January 1861_.
Viscount Palmerston presents his humble duty to your Majesty....
Viscount Palmerston saw Lord Malmesbury on Friday before the Cabinet.
They both came up in the same train though not in the same carriage,
and Lord Malmesbury came to Viscount Palmerston's in Piccadilly at
three o'clock.
He said that he was charged by Lord Derby and Mr Disraeli with a
message similar to that which he had conveyed last year, namely, that
if Mr Gladstone were to propose a democratic Budget making a great
transfer of burthens from indirect to direct Taxation, and if, the
Cabinet refusing its concurrence, Mr Gladstone were to retire, the
Conservative Party would give the Government substantial support
except in the case of the Government wishing to take an active part
in war against Austria. That this did not of course mean an abstinence
from usual attacks and criticisms in debate, but that no step would
in such case be taken to produce a change of Government. In fact, said
Lord Malmesbury, neither the Conservative leaders nor the Party wish
at present to come into office, and have no intention of taking any
step to turn the present Government out. Mr Bright had indeed
proposed to Mr Disraeli to join together with the Radical Party, the
Conservatives, for the purpose of turning out the present Government;
and especially to get rid of Viscount Palmerston and Lord John
Russell. Mr Bright said he would in that case give the Conservative
Government a two years' existence, and by the end of that time the
country, it might be hoped, would be prepared for a good and real
Reform Bill, and then a proper Government might be formed.
This proposal, which it must be owned was not very tempting, Lord
Malmesbury said had been declined. He also said that Count Persigny,
on returning from one of his trips to Paris, had brought a
similar proposal from Mr Cobden for a co-operation of Radicals and
Conservatives to overthrow the present Government; but that also had
been declined. Viscount Palmerston requested Lord Malmesbury to
convey his thanks to Lord Derby and Mr Disraeli for the handsome
communication which they had thus made to him, and to assure them that
he fully appreciated the honourable and patriotic motives by which it
had been prompted....
_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._
WINDSOR CASTLE, _29th January 1861_.
MY BELOVED UNCLE,--I write to you on a sad anniversary--already
_seventeen_ years ago, that it pleased God to take dearest Papa away
from us all! He, who _ought_ to have lived for twenty years longer at
least!...
We hear from Berlin that the poor King is much _angegriffen_, and very
irritable, but that my letter announcing to him that I would give him
the Garter had given him _so_ much pleasure that he had been seen to
smile for the _first_ time since the 2nd of January.
I think you will be gratified by the little extract from a letter
from our dear friend the Queen, about Vicky, which I venture to send
you--as well as by the following extract from Vicky's own letter to
me, written on her wedding day, in which she says:--"Every time our
dear wedding day returns I feel so happy and thankful--and live every
moment of that blessed and never-to-be-forgotten day over again in
thought. I love to dwell on every minute of that day; not a hope has
been disappointed, not an expectation that has not been realised, and
much more--that few can say--and I _am_ thankful as I ought to be."
These two extracts are very gratifying to our hearts.
I must now wish you good-bye. With Albert's affectionate love, ever
your devoted Niece,
VICTORIA R.
[Pageheading: THE PROVOSTSHIP OF ETON]
[Pageheading: DR GOODFORD]
_Viscount Palmerston to Sir Charles Phipps._
94 PICCADILLY, _10th February 1861_.
MY DEAR PHIPPS,--In the box which I sent to the Queen on Friday
morning, giving a short account of the Debate on Thursday, I placed
a separate paper submitting for her approval that Dr Goodford,
Headmaster of Eton, might be recommended to the Fellows to be elected
to the office of Provost now vacant; and I mentioned that the matter
was rather pressing. I have had no answer as yet, and the election is
fixed for to-morrow.
The election is on the same footing as that of a bishop who is
nominally elected by the Chapter of the Diocese, but who is named for
being so elected by the Crown. The Crown recommends the person to be
named Provost, and the Fellows as a matter of course elect him. But
the election must be made within a stated period--I believe fifteen
days after the vacancy has happened; and if the Crown does not within
that period recommend, the Fellows proceed to make their own choice.
The election is fixed for to-morrow, and it would not, I think, be
desirable to let the Royal prerogative drop on this occasion. The
persons who have been named as candidates are Dr Goodford, Headmaster,
and with regard to him it is to be said that the office has generally
been given to the Headmaster, and that, as far as the Provost has any
function connected with improvements in the arrangement of the school,
there is an advantage in his having been conversant with the details
of the existing system. Dr Goodford is qualified for the office by his
degree.
The next candidate is Mr Coleridge, once a master in the school, but
he is not qualified by a sufficient degree, and there was a prejudice
against him on account of his Puseyite tendencies.
The third is Dr Chapman, late Bishop of Colombo, qualified by his
degree, but having no peculiar claims or other recommendations for the
office.
The fourth is Mr Birch, formerly tutor to the Prince of Wales,
scarcely of sufficient calibre for the office, and not qualified by a
sufficient degree.
Between Dr Goodford and Dr Chapman I think the preference should be
given to Dr Goodford, and the more especially because Dr Chapman is
supposed to entertain theological opinions similar to those of Mr
Coleridge, his brother-in-law.
If the Queen should approve of Dr Goodford being recommended,
perhaps she would have the goodness to sign the document sent in the
accompanying box, and if it is returned by the earliest opportunity it
is just possible that I may be able to send it to Windsor in time for
the election to-morrow.[6] Yours sincerely,
PALMERSTON.
[Footnote 6: Dr Goodford was elected, and remained Provost
till his death in 1884.]
_Queen Victoria to Lord John Russell._
_10th February 1861._
The Queen has received Lord John Russell's letter enclosing the draft
of one to General Garibaldi, which she now returns. She had much
doubt about its being altogether safe for the Government to get into
correspondence, however unofficial, with the General, and thinks
that it would be better for Lord John _not_ to write to him. Lord
Palmerston, who was here this afternoon on other business, has
undertaken to explain the reasons in detail to Lord John--in which he
fully concurs.
[Pageheading: GARIBALDI]
_Lord John Russell to Queen Victoria._
CHESHAM PLACE, _11th February 1861_.
Lord John Russell presents his humble duty to your Majesty; he
earnestly entreats your Majesty to consider whether any step ought to
be omitted by which the peace of Europe may be preserved.
General Garibaldi is generally esteemed by Italians; even Count Ludolf
speaks of him in the highest terms of praise. General Garibaldi
has lost his country, and is full of resentment at Count Cavour for
selling it. He respects and admires England for her disinterested
conduct.
But it is evident the French Emperor is again exciting the Hungarian
party. The Garibaldian legion is told to hold itself in readiness, and
the _Pays_ and _Patrie_ are instructed to praise the Legion. They are
being assembled in Genoa and Piedmont.
There is little chance of Garibaldi's refusing to take part in this
expedition, and if he does proceed to the Dalmatian or Istrian coast,
his name will have an immense effect.
It does not seem reasonable to throw away any chance of saving the
Austrian Empire and the peace of Europe.
Lord John Russell will wait till Monday next to learn definitively
your Majesty's pleasure.
The proposed letter appears to him to give some hope of preventing
great misfortunes. In this belief it is Lord John Russell's duty to
endeavour to prevent the frightful war which is impending.
Kossuth is fabricating paper to the extent of from 140 to 300,000,000
of florins to furnish the sinews of insurrection. In the month of
March Hungary will be in a blaze. But if Italy, Germany, and France
keep away, the fire may burn out of itself.
_Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria._
_11th February 1861._
Viscount Palmerston presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and in
returning Lord John's letter begs to submit, that as Lord John is so
anxious to send it, and seems so strongly of opinion that it is
an effort which might be successful in dissuading Garibaldi from
attempting to create disturbances in the Austrian territory by going
thither with a band of adventurers, it may be best to let the letter
go, though it might perhaps be improved by pointing more directly
to the nature of the expedition which it advises Garibaldi not to
undertake.
There may be inconveniences which may arise from the letter, but they
might be dealt with; on the other hand, if Garibaldi undertakes his
expedition, it would be a matter of regret if it could be thought
or said that a step which might have prevented the mischief had been
omitted.
_Queen Victoria to Lord John Russell._
BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _12th February 1861_.
The Queen has received Lord John Russell's reiterated request for her
sanction to his writing to General Garibaldi. She still entertains
the same objections to the step, as implying a recognition of the
General's position as a European Power as enabling him to allow the
impression to prevail, that he is in communication with the British
Government and acts under its inspiration, as possibly leading to a
prolonged and embarrassing correspondence, and as implying for the
future that when the disapprobation of the Government is not expressed
(as in the present instance), it gives its consent to his aggressive
schemes. The Queen will not prevent, however, Lord John from taking
a step which he considers gives a chance of averting a great European
calamity. Should Lord John therefore adhere to his opinion, she asks
him to let her see the letter again, upon the precise wording of which
so much depends.
[Pageheading: A HAPPY ANNIVERSARY]
_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._
BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _12th February 1861_.
MY DEAREST UNCLE,--Many, many thanks for your dear letter of the 8th.
Here we have cold again since the day before yesterday, and last night
seven degrees of frost. On Sunday we celebrated, with feelings of
_deep gratitude_ and love, the _twenty-first_ anniversary of our
blessed marriage, a day which had brought us, and I may say the
_world_ at _large_, such incalculable blessings! _Very_ few can say
with me that their husband at the end of twenty-one years is _not_
only full of the friendship, kindness, and affection which a truly
happy marriage brings with it, but the same tender love of the _very
first days of our marriage!_
We missed dear Mamma and _three_ of our children,[7] but had _six_
dear ones round us--and assembled in the evening those of our
Household _still_ remaining who were _with us then!_...
In Parliament things go on quietly enough, and every one _hopes_ for a
short session....
Hoping that these lines will find you well, believe me ever, your
devoted Niece,
VICTORIA R.
[Footnote 7: The Duchess of Kent was at Frogmore; the Princess
Royal, now Crown Princess of Prussia, was at Potsdam; the
Prince of Wales had just entered upon his first term at
Cambridge; and Prince Alfred had joined his ship, the
_Euryalus_, at Plymouth.]
[Pageheading: LORD JOHN RUSSELL AND GARIBALDI]
_Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria._
DOWNING STREET, _13th February 1861_.
Viscount Palmerston presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and
begs to state that the Cabinet at its meeting this afternoon were
of opinion that Lord John Russell's proposed letter to Garibaldi, as
altered by Lord John, might do good, and could scarcely be attended
with any material inconvenience, and that therefore it might go.[8]
[Footnote 8: It accordingly was sent in the following form:--
GENERAL,--You did me the honour, some time ago, to write me a
letter, thanking me for a speech I made in Parliament.
I was not insensible to the value of that compliment. My
present purpose however is not compliment.
I wish you seriously to reconsider your declaration that you
propose to begin a war in the Spring.
It seems to me that no individual, however distinguished, has
a right to determine for his country the momentous question of
peace or war with a foreign State.
Italy, represented by a free Parliament, is about to assemble
and declare her own sentiments and wishes.
It is surely for the King and the Parliament together to
decide on questions which may involve all Europe in bloodshed.
I cannot believe that you will be the man to give the signal
of dissension in Italy. I remain, General, your obedient
Servant,
JOHN RUSSELL.
The reply received was as follows:--
CAPRERA, _4th March 1861_.
NOBLE LORD,--Italy owes you much gratitude. You, however,
judge me somewhat harshly; giving credence to rumours which
attribute to me projects that are not known to any one.
I hope to make war again for my country. But I desire that
you, deserving as you are of my esteem and attachment, should
believe that I will not undertake anything which may injure or
be in contradiction with the rights of the King and Parliament
of Italy.
I do not love war, Minister, but, in the present condition of
my country, it appears most difficult to constitute her in a
normal manner, without war.
I am sure that Italy is able to make her war of liberation
even this year. The person who directs does not feel the same
certainty, and I leave it to you to weigh his motives. I, if
I am not called upon by events, shall continue in my retreat,
and I will, in every way, endeavour to gain your good-will,
and that of the generous nation to whom my country owes so
much, etc., etc., etc. I am your devoted Servant,
G. GARIBALDI.]
_Queen Victoria to Viscount Palmerston._
BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _22nd February 1861_.
The Queen is very glad to see that the Government is seriously taking
up the question of iron-sided ships, and looks forward to the result
of Lord Palmerston's conference with the Duke of Somerset. The
number wanted appears large, but the Queen must add that she does not
consider one ship a sufficient preponderance over the French Navy for
this country. Twenty-seven to twenty-six would give that number.
[Pageheading: DEATH OF DUCHESS OF KENT]
_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._
FROGMORE, _16th March 1861_.
MY DEARLY BELOVED UNCLE,--On this, the most dreadful day of my
life, does your poor broken-hearted child write one line of love and
devotion. _She_ is gone![9] That _precious, dearly beloved tender_
Mother--whom I never was parted from but for a few months--without
whom _I_ can't _imagine life_--has been taken from us! It is _too_
dreadful! But she is at peace--at rest--her fearful sufferings at
an end! It was quite painless--though there was very _distressing_,
heartrending breathing to witness. I held her dear, dear hand in mine
to the very last, which I am truly thankful for! But the watching that
precious life going out was fearful! Alas! she never knew me! But she
was spared the pang of parting! How this will _grieve_ and _distress
you!_ _You_ who are now doubly precious to us. Good Alice was with us
all through, and _deeply_ afflicted, and wishes to say everything kind
to you. Bertie and Lenchen are now here--all much grieved, and have
seen her _sleeping_ peacefully and eternally! Dearest Albert is
dreadfully overcome--and well he may, for _she_ adored him! I feel
so truly _verwaist_. God bless and protect you. Ever your devoted and
truly unhappy Niece and Child,
VICTORIA R.
_P.S._--The devotion of dearest Mamma's ladies and maids is not to be
described. Their love and their devotion were _too touching_. There we
all were round her--the poor, good, old Clark, who is so devoted to us
all. Ever again, your devoted Child,
VICTORIA R.
[Footnote 9: The Duchess of Kent died on the 16th of March.
She had had a surgical operation in the arm, on account of an
abscess, a short time before, but till the 15th the medical
reports had been encouraging. On that day the Queen went to
Frogmore, and was with her mother at the time of her death.]
[Pageheading: BEREAVEMENT]
_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._
WINDSOR CASTLE, _26th March 1861_.
MY DEAREST UNCLE,--Your sad little letter of the 21st reached me on
Saturday. On Sunday I took leave of those dearly beloved remains--a
dreadful moment; I had never been near a coffin before, but dreadful
and heartrending as it was, it was so beautifully arranged that it
would have pleased _her_, and most probably _she_ looked down and
blessed _us_--as we poor sorrowing mortals knelt around, overwhelmed
with grief! It was covered with wreaths, and the carpet strewed
with sweet, white flowers. _I_ and our daughters did _not_ go
_yesterday_--it would have been _far_ too much for _me_--and Albert
when he returned, with tearful eyes told me it was well I did not
go--so affecting had been the sight--so _universal_ the sympathy.
Poor little Arthur went too. I and my girls prayed at home together,
and dwelt on her happiness and peace.
But oh! dearest Uncle--the loss--the truth of it--which _I cannot, do
not_ realise even when I go (as I do _daily_) to Frogmore--the _blank_
becomes _daily_ worse!
The constant intercourse of _forty-one_, years cannot cease without
the _total want_ of _power_ of _real enjoyment_ of _anything_. A sort
of cloud which hangs over you, and seems to _oppress_ everything--and
a positive _weakness_ in the powers of reflection and mental exertion.
The doctors _tell_ me I _must not_ attempt to _force_ this. Long
conversation, loud talking, the talking of many people together, I
_can't_ bear yet. It must come _very_ gradually....
I try to be, and very often am, quite _resigned_--but dearest Uncle,
this is a life sorrow. On _all_ festive or mournful occasions, on
_all_ family events, _her love_ and _sympathy_ will be so _fearfully
wanting_. Then again, except Albert (who I very often don't see but
very little in the day), I have _no human_ being except our children,
and that is not the same _Verhaeltniss_, to _open_ myself to; and
besides, a _woman_ requires _woman's_ society and sympathy sometimes,
as men do _men's_. All this, beloved Uncle, will show you that,
without _dwelling_ constantly upon it, or _moping_ or becoming
_morbid_, though the _blank_ and the _loss to me_, in my isolated
position especially, is _such_ a _dreadful_, and such an _irreparable
one_, the worst _trials_ are _yet_ to come. My poor birthday, I
can hardly think of it! Strange it is how often _little trifles_,
insignificant in themselves, upset one more even than greater
things....
But the general sympathy for _me_, and approval of the manner in
which I have shown my grief, as well as the affection and respect for
dearest Mamma's memory in the country, is _quite wonderful and most
touching_. Ever your devoted Niece,
VICTORIA R.
[Pageheading: RENEWED GRIEF]
_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._
BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _30th March 1861_.
MY DEARLY BELOVED UNCLE,--It is a comfort for me to write to you, and
I think you may like to hear from your poor motherless child. It is
_to-day_ a _fortnight_ already, and it seems but yesterday--_all_ is
before me, and at the same time _all, all_ seems _quite impossible_.
The blank--the desolation--the fearful and awful _Sehnsucht und
Wehmuth_ come back with redoubled force, and the _weeping_, which day
after day is my welcome friend, is my greatest relief.
We have an immense deal to do--and everything is in the greatest
_order_; but to _open her_ drawers and presses, and to look at all her
dear jewels and trinkets in order to identify everything, and relieve
her really excellent servants from all responsibility and anxiety, is
like a sacrilege, and I feel as if my heart was being torn asunder! So
many recollections of my childhood are brought back to me, and these
dumb souvenirs which she wore and used, and which so painfully survive
_what_ we so _dearly_ and _passionately_ loved, touch chords in one's
heart and soul, which are _most_ painful and yet pleasing too. We have
found many most interesting and valuable letters--the existence of
which I was not aware of--and which, I _think_, must have come back
with poor Papa's letters, viz. letters from _my_ poor father asking
for dearest Mamma's hand--and sending a letter from you, encouraging
him to ask her. And many others--very precious letters--from dear
Grandmamma; Albert has also found at Clarence House, where he went
to-day, many of dear Grandpapa's.[10] ...
Frogmore we mean to keep just as dear Mamma left it--and keep it
cheerful and pretty as it still is. I go there constantly; I feel so
accustomed to go down the hill, and _so_ attracted to it, for I fancy
_she_ must be there.
Was poor dear Grandpapa's death-bed such a sad one? You speak of its
distressing impressions.[11] ...
She watches _over us now_, you may be sure! Ever your devoted,
sorrowing Child and Niece,
VICTORIA R.
Albert is so kind, and does all with such tenderness and feeling.
Vicky goes on Tuesday, and we on Wednesday, to Osborne, where I think
the air and quiet will do me good.
[Footnote 10: Duke Francis Frederick of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld,
and Duchess Augusta Caroline Sophia, the parents of the
Duchess of Kent and King Leopold.]
[Footnote 11: In a recent letter King Leopold had said that he
was not quite sixteen years old when his father died (1806),
and the elder son, Ernest, being alarmingly ill at Koenigsberg,
he was himself called upon to be the support of his mother.
"The recollections of that death-bed," he adds, "are fresh in
my memory, as if it had been yesterday. I thank God that your
recollections of that terrible moment are so peaceful,
and that you may preserve an impression ... without any
distressing addition."]
[Pageheading: FATHERLY ADVICE]
_The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._
LAEKEN, _1st April 1861_.
MY BELOVED VICTORIA,--Your dear letter of the 30th _moved me very
much_. I can see everything, and it makes me shed tears of the
sincerest sorrow.
The bereavement, the impossibility, they are what one feels most
deeply and painfully, that nothing will bring back the beloved object,
that there is a rupture with everything earthly that nothing can
remedy. Your good, dear Mamma was without ostentation, sincerely
religious, a great blessing, and the only solid support we can find.
Happy those whose faith cannot be shaken; they can bear the hardships
of earthly life with fortitude.
True it is that if we compare the sorrows of our earthly life with the
hope of an eternal existence, though painfully felt, still they shrink
as it were in appreciation.
You feel so _truly_, so _affectionately_, that even in that you must
gratify the dear being we lost. When I think of poor Aunt Julia,[12]
she was so alone that I cannot help to pity her even in all the
objects she valued and left behind; the affectionate care which is
shown to everything connected with your dear Mamma could not have
existed, and still she was a noble character, and with a warm,
generous heart. In all your dear Mamma's letters there will everywhere
be found traces of the affection which united us. From early childhood
we were close allies; she recollected everything so well of that
period which now, since the departure of the two sisters, is totally
unknown to every one but me, which, you can imagine, is a most
melancholy sensation. Time flies so fast that all dear recollections
soon get isolated. Your stay at Osborne will do you good, though
Spring, when fine, affects one very much, to think that the one that
was beloved does not share in these pleasant sensations. You must try,
however, not to shake your precious health too much. Your dear Mamma,
who watched your looks so affectionately, would not approve of it....
Your devoted old Uncle,
LEOPOLD R.
[Footnote 12: Sister of King Leopold, and widow of the Grand
Duke Constantine, who had lived in retirement at Geneva for
many years, and died at Elfenau on the 15th of August 1860.]
_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._
OSBORNE, _9th April 1861_.
MY DEARLY BELOVED UNCLE,--Your dear, _sad_ letter of the 5th found a
warm response in my poor heart, and I thank you with all my heart
for it. I am _now most_ anxiously waiting for an answer to my letter
asking you to come to us _now_. You would, I think, find it soothing,
and it would painfully interest you to look over her letters and
papers, which make me _live_ in times I heard her talk of when I was
a child. It is touching to find how she treasured up every little
flower, every bit of hair. I found some of dear Princess Charlotte's,
and touching relics of my poor Father, in a little writing-desk of his
I had never seen, with his last letters to her, and her notes _after_
his death written in a little book, expressing such longing to be
reunited to him! _Now_ she _is!_ And what a comfort it is to think
_how many very dear ones_ are gone on before her whom she will find!
All these notes show how very, very much she and my beloved Father
_loved_ each other. _Such_ love and affection! I hardly knew it was
_to that extent_. Then her love for _me_--it is _too_ touching! I have
found little books with the accounts of my babyhood, and they show
_such_ unbounded tenderness! Oh! I am so wretched to think _how_, _for
a time_, _two people most_ wickedly estranged us!... To miss a mother's
friendship--not to be able to have her to confide in--when a girl
_most_ needs it, was fearful! I _dare not_ think of it--it drives me
_wild_ now! But thank God! that is all passed _long, long_ ago, and
she had forgotten it, and only thought of the last very happy years.
And all that was brought by my good angel, dearest Albert, whom _she_
adored, and in whom she had such unbounded confidence....
On Sunday our dear little Beatrice was four years old. It upset me
much, for she was the idol of that beloved Grandmamma, and the child
so fond of her. She continually speaks of her--how she "is in Heaven,"
but hopes she will return! She is a most darling, engaging child....
Ever your devoted Niece,
VICTORIA R.
[Pageheading: THE DANISH QUESTION]
_Queen Victoria to Lord John Russell._
OSBORNE, _27th May 1861_.
The Queen returns the proposed draft of answer to the observations of
the Russian Government on Lord John Russell's proposals with regard to
the Danish Question. She has to observe that this reverses the whole
position taken by us hitherto. Prince Gortschakoff is quite right in
reminding us that the engagements taken in 1852[13] did not contain
a formal guarantee (_obliging_ to take up arms for the defence of
the object guaranteed) in deference to the opinion of the British
Government which, on general principles, has always objected to such
engagements. These principles are as important now as ever, and yet
Lord John proposes "to renew the _guarantee_ of the integrity of the
Danish Monarchy contained in the Treaty of 8th May 1852," thereby
giving those engagements the force of a guarantee, which was on
principle objected to by us at the time. Both Russia and France in
their answers object to such a guarantee now, even with regard to
Schleswig alone, as involving the guaranteeing powers in future grave
difficulties, and Lord John proposes to extend it to Holstein, a part
of Germany and not of Denmark, by way of obviating the difficulty. The
Queen cannot give her sanction to this proposal.
[Footnote 13: A Treaty was signed by the European Powers on
the 8th of May 1852, by which the succession of the line of
Sonderburg-Gluecksburg to the Danish throne was settled, and
the integrity of the kingdom guaranteed. See _ante_, vol. ii.,
4th January, 1852.]
[Pageheading: WAR IN AMERICA]
_Lord John Russell to Queen Victoria._
FOREIGN OFFICE, _30th May 1861_.
Lord John Russell presents his humble duty to your Majesty; he has the
honour to submit letters from the Emperor and Empress of Austria of a
private nature. The Cabinet decided yesterday that the ports of
your Majesty's Dominions ought to be closed to the ships of war and
privateers of the Belligerents in America.[14] A letter for that
object has been sent to the Law Officers of the Crown, and will be,
when put into proper form, submitted for your Majesty's approbation.
[Footnote 14: See _ante_, Introductory Note to Chapter XXX.]
_Queen Victoria to Viscount Palmerston._
OSBORNE, _30th May 1861_.
The Queen returns these papers. She thinks it of great importance that
we should be strong in Canada, and thinks an increase in Artillery as
important as the sending of two more battalions, as that Arm cannot
be supplied at all by the Colony. The Naval forces would, however,
require strengthening even more. It is less likely that the remnant
of the United States could send expeditions by land to the North
while quarrelling with the South, than that they should commit acts of
violence at sea.
_Queen Victoria to Lord John Russell._
BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _5th June 1861_.
The Queen has perused the accompanying draft to Sir James Hudson. She
is of opinion that so important a step as proposals on our part for
the solution of the Roman Question, with which we are not directly
concerned, and for the solution of which we are for many obvious
reasons perhaps the Power possessing the least favourable position, is
a subject of such great importance, that it should not be undertaken
without the most mature consideration. Has this draft been brought
before the Cabinet? The Queen wishes to have their united advice
before giving her decision. Her opinion at present is against our
volunteering a scheme which will render us responsible for the result
of grave complications, from which we have hitherto stood happily
quite clear. The Queen wishes these lines to be communicated to the
Cabinet.[15]
[Footnote 15: Lord John Russell had written that the
withdrawal of the French troops from Rome would probably be
followed by tumults and bloodshed; and as both the Roman party
and Garibaldi hated the Government of the Pope, and wished to
put an end to his temporal power, he suggested that the
Pope should be allowed to retain his sovereignty during
his lifetime, in a restricted territory and with restricted
powers; that Italian troops should occupy the towns and
villages outside a limit of five miles from Rome; and that the
King of Italy and the Emperor of the French should agree not
to recognise the temporal power of any future Pope.]
[Pageheading: DEATH OF CAVOUR]
_Lord John Russell to Queen Victoria._
PEMBROKE LODGE, _6th June 1861_.
Lord John Russell presents his humble duty to your Majesty; the
despatch relating to Rome had been sent, seeming to Lord John Russell
quite unobjectionable. But your Majesty will see that it was instantly
suspended, and that Count Cavour is dying.[16] The despatch was solely
intended to save the poor old Pope from insult, and Rome from tumult,
but beyond this it is of no consequence, and the death of Cavour may
give a new complexion to the affairs of Italy.
Nothing will be done on the despatch at present.
[Footnote 16: Count Cavour died at Turin on the 6th of June.
It is curious to note that the words of the Emperor Napoleon,
on hearing of the death of Cavour, appear to have been "Le
cocher est tombe du siege; il faut voir maintenant si les
chevaux iront s'emporter, ou rentrer a l'ecurie."]
_Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria._
PICCADILLY, _18th June 1861_.
Viscount Palmerston presents his humble duty to your Majesty....
Viscount Palmerston submits a note from Garter King at Arms, by which
your Majesty will see that there are now three Garters vacant;
and Viscount Palmerston would beg to suggest for your Majesty's
consideration that those Garters might appropriately be conferred upon
Lord Canning for his great services in India, upon Lord John Russell
for his long political services under your Majesty, and upon the
Duke of Somerset, senior Duke after the Duke of Norfolk, and the able
administrator of an important branch of your Majesty's service.[17]
Viscount Palmerston is not aware whether by the regulations of the
Order the Garter could be sent out to Lord Canning in India. If that
were possible, it might have the double advantage of strengthening his
hands during the remainder of his stay, by affording so public a mark
of your Majesty's approval; and moreover of making sure that Lord
Canning should receive this mark of your Majesty's royal favour, while
the Government is in the hands of an administration similar to that
at whose recommendation he was sent out, which perhaps might be more
agreeable to his feelings than running the chance, always possible,
though Viscount Palmerston hopes it may not be probable, that
political combinations might, before his return in May or June 1862,
have produced administrative changes.
[Footnote 17: The Duke was First Lord of the Admiralty. All
the three Peers mentioned received the Garter early in 1862.]
[Pageheading: DEATH OF LORD CAMPBELL]
_Queen Victoria to Viscount Palmerston._
_24th June 1861._
The Queen approves of Sir R. Bethell[18] as Lord Campbell's successor.
Lord Palmerston is aware of the Queen's objections to the appointment;
they will have weighed with him as much as with her. If therefore he
finally makes this recommendation, the Queen must assume that under
all the circumstances he considers it the best solution of the
difficulty, and that his Colleagues take the same view.
[Footnote 18: Lord Campbell died at the age of eighty-two; his
successor was created Lord Westbury.]
[Pageheading: THE DUCHESS OF SUTHERLAND]
_The Duchess of Sutherland to Queen Victoria._
STAFFORD HOUSE, _26th June 1861_.
MADAM,--I shall never forget your Majesty and the Prince's
kindness.[19]
I am anxious to tell your Majesty as strongly as _it was_, what _his_
feeling was of my service to your Majesty; he approved and delighted
in it; dear as it was to me--it could not have been if this had not
been so, nor those occasional absences, if he had not had devoted
children when I was away; still, when the great parting comes one
grudges every hour, and the yearning is terrible.
Even in his last illness he showed an anxious feeling, as if he feared
I might resign, saying that I knew what an interest it had been to
him, how he had liked hearing of the Queen and her family. He spoke
very late in life of your Majesty's constant kindness. This feeling
and early associations made him take a great interest in the Princess
Royal's marriage, which did not leave him. If it ever crossed your
Majesty--if your Majesty should ever feel that I might have been
devoted, if I had had but one service, pray believe that he took the
greatest pleasure and pride in that other great service; and that
therefore he really felt it best it should be so.
Since I have written this I have received your Majesty's most kind
letter--and the precious gift of the photograph so wonderfully like,
and rendering exactly that most kind and loving countenance. I shall
like much sending one to your Majesty of my dearest husband.
I repeat to myself the precious word that I am dear to your Majesty
again and again; and that my love to your Majesty was returned. How
often I shall think of this in my altered life, in my solitude of
heart! The admiration I have ever felt for the Prince has been one
of the great pleasures of my life; that he should be your Majesty's
husband, a constant thankfulness. I feel I owe him much, and that
great approbation and admiration are not barren feelings. I have the
honour to remain, Madam, your Majesty's devoted Subject,
HARRIET SUTHERLAND.
I fear I have written worse than usual--I can hardly see to do
so--weak eyes and tears.
[Footnote 19: The Duke of Sutherland had died in the preceding
February.]
[Pageheading: MR LAYARD]
_Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria._
PICCADILLY, _8th July 1861_.
Viscount Palmerston presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and begs
to state that Lord Elcho[20] this afternoon moved a Resolution that
the new Foreign Office should not be built in the Palladian style. Mr
Charles Buxton seconded the Motion. Mr Cowper[21] opposed it, stating
reasons for preferring the Italian style to the Gothic. Mr Layard was
for neither, but seemed to wish that somebody would invent a new style
of architecture. Mr Tite,[22] the architect, was strongly for the
Italian style; Lord John Manners, swayed by erroneous views in
religion and taste, was enthusiastic for Gothic;[23] Mr Dudley
Fortescue confided in a low voice to a limited range of hearers some
weak arguments in favour of Gothic; Mr Osborne seemed to be against
everything that anybody had ever proposed, and wanted to put off the
building till some plan better suited to his own taste should have
been invented. Viscount Palmerston answered the objections made to the
Italian plan, and Lord Elcho's Motion was negatived by 188 to 75. The
House then went into Committee of Supply, and the first estimate being
that for the Foreign Office, some of the Gothic party who had not been
able to deliver their speeches on Lord Elcho's Motion, let them off on
this estimate....
[Footnote 20: Now Earl of Wemyss.]
[Footnote 21: Mr William Cowper, at this time First
Commissioner of Works.]
[Footnote 22: Mr (afterwards Sir) William Tite, was now Member
for Bath; he had been the architect entrusted with the task of
rebuilding the Royal Exchange.]
[Footnote 23: Mr Gilbert Scott had made his first designs for
the new Foreign Office in the Gothic style; his appointment as
architect for the building was made by the Derby Government,
but the scheme which they favoured, for a Gothic building,
was opposed by Lord Palmerston, and Scott adopted the Italian
style in deference to his views.]
_Queen Victoria to Viscount Palmerston._
OSBORNE, _24th July 1861_.
The Queen is sorry that she cannot alter her determination about Mr
Layard.[24] She fully recognises the importance of the Parliamentary
exigencies; but the Queen cannot sacrifice to them the higher
interests of the country. Neither Mr Layard nor Mr Osborne ought to
be proposed as representatives of the Foreign Office in the House
of Commons, and therefore of the Crown to foreign countries. If Lord
Palmerston can bring Mr Layard into office in some other place, to get
his assistance in the House of Commons, she will not object.
[Footnote 24: In the course of July, Lord John Russell, who
had entered Parliament for the first time in 1813, was raised
to the Peerage as Earl Russell and Viscount Amberley. To
supply the loss to the Government of two such powerful
debaters as Lord Russell and Lord Herbert, Lord Palmerston had
suggested Mr Layard as Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs,
mentioning also the claims of Mr Bernal Osborne.]
[Pageheading: MR LAYARD]
_Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria._
94 PICCADILLY, _24th July 1861_.
Viscount Palmerston presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and
regrets very much to find that he has not succeeded in removing your
Majesty's objections to Mr Layard as Under-Secretary of State for the
Foreign Department; but he still hopes that he may be able to do so.
If he rightly understands your Majesty's last communication on this
subject, he is led to infer that your Majesty's main objection is
founded on a dislike that Mr Layard should be the representative and
organ of the Foreign Policy of the Crown in the House of Commons.
With regard to his being a subordinate officer in the Foreign Office,
your Majesty's sanction to that was obtained in 1851-52, when Mr
Layard was Under-Secretary to Lord Granville. His tenure of office
at that time was short; not from any fault of his, but because the
Government of that day was overthrown by Viscount Palmerston's Motion
in the House of Commons in February 1852 about the Militia; and Lord
Granville speaks highly of Mr Layard's performance of his official
duties at that time. There is no reason, but the reverse, for thinking
him less competent now than then; and an Under-Secretary of State is
only the instrument and mouthpiece of his principal to say what he is
told, and to write what he is bid.
With regard to Mr Layard's position in the House of Commons, he would
in no respect be the representative of the Foreign Policy of the
country; that function will belong to Viscount Palmerston, now that
the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs will be removed to the
House of Lords, and it will be Viscount Palmerston's duty and care
to see that nobody infringes upon that function. Mr Layard would be
useful to answer unimportant questions as to matters of fact, but all
questions involving the Foreign Policy of the country will be answered
by Viscount Palmerston as head of the Government, as was done when
Lord Clarendon was Foreign Secretary and in the House of Lords. But
there are not unfrequently great debates on Foreign Affairs in the
House of Commons, and there are many members, some of them not perhaps
of great weight, who join in attacks on such matters. It is of great
importance to your Majesty's Government to have a sufficient number
of speakers on such occasions. Lord John Russell and Lord Herbert
were ready and powerful. Mr Gladstone is almost the only one on the
Treasury Bench who follows up foreign questions close enough to take
an active part; it would be of great advantage to Viscount Palmerston
to have as assistant on such occasions a man like Mr Layard, knowing
the details of matters discussed, able to make a good speech in reply
to Mr Fitzgerald, or Mr Baillie Cochrane,[25] or Mr Hennessy,[26] or
Sir G. Bowyer,[27] and who would shape his course in strict conformity
with the line which might be chalked out for him by Viscount
Palmerston. Your Majesty need therefore be under no apprehension that
Mr Layard or anybody else, who might in the House of Commons hold the
office of Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, would appear
to the world as the organ or representative of the Foreign Policy of
your Majesty's Government. With respect to giving Mr Layard any other
office of the same kind, there is none other in which he could be
placed without putting into the Foreign Office somebody far less fit
for it, and putting Mr Layard into some office for which he is far
less fit. His fitness is for the Foreign Department, and to use the
illustration, which was a favourite one of the late Mr Drummond,
it would be putting the wrong man into the wrong hole. Viscount
Palmerston has, as charged with the conduct of the business of the
Government in the House of Commons, sustained a severe loss by the
removal of two most able and useful colleagues, Lord Herbert and
Lord John Russell, and he earnestly hopes that your Majesty will be
graciously pleased to assist him in his endeavours, not indeed to
supply their place, but in some degree to lessen the detriment which
their removal has occasioned.
[Footnote 25: Afterwards Lord Lamington.]
[Footnote 26: Mr (afterwards Sir) John Pope Hennessy, M.P. for
King's County.]
[Footnote 27: M.P. for Dundalk.]
[Pageheading: MR LAYARD]
_Queen Victoria to Viscount Palmerston._
OSBORNE, _25th July 1861_.
The Prince has reported to the Queen all that Lord Palmerston said
to him on the subject of Mr Layard; this has not had the effect of
altering her opinion as to the disqualifications of that gentleman
for the particular office for which Lord Palmerston proposes him. This
appointment would, in the Queen's opinion, be a serious evil. If Lord
Palmerston on sincere self-examination should consider that without it
the difficulty of carrying on his Government was such as to endanger
the continuance of its success, the Queen will, of course, have to
admit an evil for the country in order to avert a greater. She still
trusts, however, that knowing the nature of the Queen's objections, he
will not place her in this dilemma.
_Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria._
94 PICCADILLY, _26th July 1861_.
Viscount Palmerston presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and begs
to be allowed to make his grateful and respectful acknowledgments
for your Majesty's gracious and condescending acquiescence in his
recommendation of Mr Layard for the appointment of Under-Secretary
of State for the Foreign Department. It is always a source of most
sincere pain to Viscount Palmerston to find himself differing, on any
point, in opinion with your Majesty, a respect for whose soundness
of judgment, and clearness of understanding, must always lead him to
distrust the value of his own conclusions when they differ from those
to which your Majesty has arrived. But the question about Mr Layard
turned mainly upon considerations connected with the conduct of public
business of your Majesty's Government in the House of Commons.
Viscount Palmerston sits in that House four days in every week during
the Session of Parliament, from half-past four in the afternoon to any
hour however late after midnight at which the House may adjourn. It
is his duty carefully to watch the proceedings of the House, and to
observe and measure the fluctuating bearings of Party and of sectional
associations on the present position of the Government, and on its
chances for the future; and he is thus led to form conclusions as to
persons and parties which may not equally strike, or with equal force,
those who from without and from higher regions may see general results
without being eye- and ear-witnesses of the many small and successive
details out of which those results are built up.
It was thus that Viscount Palmerston was led to a strong conviction
that the proposed appointment of Mr Layard would be a great advantage
to your Majesty's Government as regards the conduct of business in
the House of Commons, and the position of your Majesty's Government
in that House; and he is satisfied that he will be able to prevent
Mr Layard in any subsidiary part which he may have to take in any
discussion on foreign questions, from departing from the line
which may be traced out for him by Lord John Russell and Viscount
Palmerston....
[Pageheading: THE KING OF SWEDEN]
_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._
OSBORNE, _13th August 1861_.
MY BELOVED UNCLE,--Since Saturday we have great heat. _Our_ King of
Sweden[28] arrived yesterday evening. We went out in the yacht to meet
him, and did so; but his ship going slow, the _dress_ of the _hohen
Herrn only_ arrived at a quarter to nine, and we only sat down to
dinner at a quarter past nine! The King and Prince Oscar[29] are
very French, and very Italian! I think that there is a dream of a
Scandinavian Kingdom floating before them. The King is a fine-looking
man.... He is not at all difficult to get on with, and is very civil.
Oscar is very amiable and mild, and very proud of his three little
boys. They leave again quite early to-morrow.
Our _dear_ children leave us, alas! on Friday quite early, for
Antwerp.[30] It will again be a painful trial! Their stay has been
very pleasant and _gemuethlich_, and we have seen more of and known
dear Fritz more thoroughly than we ever did before, and really he is
_very_ excellent, and would, I am convinced, make an excellent King.
The little children are _very great_ darlings, and we shall miss them
sadly.
On the 16th we go to poor, dear Frogmore, and on the 17th we shall
visit that dear grave! Last year she was still so well, and so full
of life; but it was a _very_ sad birthday, two days after the loss of
that dear beloved sister, whom she has joined so soon! Oh! the agony
of _Wehmuth_, the bitterness of the blank, do _not_ get better with
time! Beloved Mamma, how hourly she is in my mind!
The King of Prussia will have great pleasure in visiting you at
Wiesbaden; he will arrive at Ostend on the 16th....
Good-bye, and God bless you, dearest Uncle. Ever your devoted Niece,
VICTORIA R.
[Footnote 28: Charles XV., who succeeded to the throne in
1859.]
[Footnote 29: Brother and heir to Charles XV., whom he
succeeded, as Oscar II., in 1872; died 1907.]
[Footnote 30: The Crown Prince and Princess of Prussia,
accompanied by their two children, were on a visit to the
Queen.]
[Pageheading: SWEDISH POLITICS]
_Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria._
DOWNING STREET, _14th August 1861_.
Viscount Palmerston presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and
hastens to answer the enquiry contained in your Majesty's note, which
was delivered to him at Southampton. He must, in the first place,
explain that much of what was said to him by the King of Sweden and by
Prince Oscar was not clearly understood by him. They would both
speak English--which they spoke with difficulty and in an indistinct
utterance of voice--and he did not like to break the conversation into
French, because to have done so would have looked like a condemnation
of their English, of any imperfection of which they did not seem to be
at all conscious.
The King was very guarded in all he said about France; the Prince
spoke with more freedom and with less caution. The result of what
Viscount Palmerston gathered from their conversation, and perhaps for
this purpose they may be put together, because they probably both feel
and think nearly alike, though the Prince lets his thoughts out more
than the King, may be summed up as follows.
They were much pleased and flattered by the kind and friendly
reception given them by the French Emperor, and both he and they seem
to have had present to their minds that the existing Royal Family of
Sweden is descended from General Bernadotte--a General in the Army of
the First Napoleon. They think the French Emperor sincerely desirous
of maintaining his alliance with England, believing it to be for his
interest to do so. But they consider the French Nation essentially
aggressive, and they think that the Emperor is obliged to humour
that national feeling, and to follow, as far as the difference of
circumstances will allow, the policy of his Uncle. They consider the
principle of nationalities to be the deciding principle of the day,
and accordingly Venetia ought to belong to Italy, Poland ought to
be severed from Russia, and Finland ought to be restored to Sweden.
Holstein should be purely German with its own Duke, Schleswig should
be united to Denmark, and when the proper time comes, Denmark, so
constituted, ought to form one Monarchy with Sweden and Norway. But
they see that there are great if not insuperable obstacles to all
these arrangements, and they do not admit that the Emperor of the
French talked to them about these things, or about the map of Europe
revised for 1860. They lamented the dangerous state of the Austrian
Empire by reason of its financial embarrassments, and its differences
between Vienna and Hungary. They admitted the difficulty of
re-establishing a Polish State, seeing that Russia, Prussia, and
Austria are all interested in preventing it; but they thought that
Russia might make herself amends to the Eastward for giving up part of
her Polish possessions.
They said the Swedes would be more adverse than the Danes to a Union
of Denmark with Sweden. They said the Finns are writhing under the
Russian yoke, and emigrate in considerable numbers to Sweden. They
think Russia paralysed for ten years to come by her war against
England and France, by her internal changes, and her money
embarrassments. When the Prince asked Viscount Palmerston to sit down,
it was for the purpose of urging in the strongest and most earnest
manner that some British ships of war, or even one single gunboat, if
more could not be spared, should every year visit the Baltic, and make
a cruise in that sea. He said that the British Flag was never seen
there, although Great Britain has great interests, commercial and
political, in that sea. That especially for Sweden it would be a great
support if a British man-of-war were every year to show itself in
Swedish waters. He said that our Navy know little or nothing of the
Baltic, and when a war comes, as happened in the late war with Russia,
our ships are obliged, as it were, to feel their way about in the
dark; that the Russians send ships of war into British ports--why
should not England send ships of war into Russian ports? That we
survey seas at the other side of the Globe, why should we not survey
a sea so near to us as the Baltic; that as far as Sweden is concerned,
British ships would be most cordially received. I said that this
should receive due consideration; and in answer to a question he said
the best time for a Baltic cruise would be from the middle of June to
the latter end of August.
They both thought the Emperor of the French extremely popular in
France--but, of course, they only saw outward demonstrations. They
are very anxious for the maintenance of the Anglo-French Alliance;
and they think the Emperor obliged to keep a large Army and to build a
strong Navy in order to please and satisfy the French Nation. Such
is the summary of the impression made upon Viscount Palmerston by the
answers and observations drawn out by him in his conversations with
the King and the Prince; most of these things were said as above
reported, some few of the above statements are perhaps inferences and
conclusions drawn from indirect answers and remarks.
[Pageheading: SWEDEN AND DENMARK]
[Pageheading: FRANCE AND SWEDEN]
_Queen Victoria to Viscount Palmerston._
OSBORNE, _18th August 1861_.
The Queen is very much obliged to Lord Palmerston for his detailed
account of his conversation with the King of Sweden, and sends
both Memorandums back to him in accordance with his wishes, in the
expectation of having them returned to her after they shall have been
copied.
The King may have been embarrassed by the presence of the Crown
Prince of Prussia here at Osborne, and have on that account postponed
speaking openly to Lord Palmerston. His desire to acquire Denmark and
Finland is not unnatural, and would not be very dangerous; but
the important part of the matter is, that the Emperor Napoleon has
evidently tried to bribe him for his schemes by such expectations.
After having established a large kingdom, dependent upon him and
possessing a fleet, in the South of Europe on his right flank, he
evidently tries to establish by the same means a similar power on his
left flank in the North. If then the Revolution of Poland and Hungary
takes Germany also in the rear, he will be exactly in the all-powerful
position which his Uncle held, and at which he himself aims, with that
one difference: that, unlike his Uncle, who had to fight England all
the time (who defended desperately her interests in Europe), he tries
to effect his purposes in alliance with England, and uses for this end
our own _free_ Press and in our own free country!
The Polish and Hungarian Revolutions (perhaps the Russian) and the
assistance which may be (nobly?) given to them by Sweden, can easily
be made as popular in this country as the Italian has, and efforts
to produce this result are fully visible already. The position and
prospects of the Ally, when the Emperor shall have the whole Continent
at his feet, and the command of the Mediterranean and the Baltic,
will not be a very pleasant one. Moreover, the Ally will probably have
irritated him and the French Nation all the time by abusing them, and
by showing that, although we may have approved of her policy, we did
not intend that France should reap any benefits from it. All this is
probably not thought of by our journalists, but requires the serious
attention of our statesmen.
Lord Palmerston will perhaps show this letter to Lord Russell when he
sends him the copies of the Memoranda, which he will probably do.
[Pageheading: FROGMORE]
_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._
OSBORNE, _20th August 1861_.
MY BELOVED UNCLE,--Before I thank you for your dear letter of the
14th, or at least before I answer it, I wish to tell you _how soothed_
I was by that visit to that _lovely_ peaceful _Mausoleum at Frogmore_.
We parted from our dear children and grandchildren with heavy hearts
at seven on the morning of the 16th, for their visit, excepting the
_blank_ which clouds over everything, has been most peaceful and
satisfactory, and we have learnt to know and most highly
appreciate the great _excellence_ of dear Fritz's character; noble,
high-principled, so anxious to do what is right, and to improve
in every way, and so sweet-tempered and affectionate--so, beyond
everything, devoted to Vicky.
I thought much of poor, dear Aunt Julia on the 15th; _that loss_ was
the _signal_ for my irreparable one!
We went that afternoon (16th) to Frogmore, where we slept. The first
evening was terribly trying, and I must say quite overpowered me for a
short time; _all_ looked _like life_, and yet _she_ was not there! But
I got calmer; the very fact of being surrounded by all she liked, and
of seeing the dear pretty house inhabited again, was a satisfaction,
and the next morning was beautiful, and we went after breakfast
with wreaths up to the Mausoleum, and into the vault which is _a
plain-pied_, and so pretty--so airy--_so_ grand and simple, that,
affecting as it is, there was no anguish or bitterness of grief,
but calm repose! We placed the wreaths upon the splendid granite
sarcophagus, and at its feet, and _felt_ that _only_ the _earthly
robe_ we loved so much was there. The pure, tender, loving spirit
_which loved us_ so tenderly, is above us--loving us, praying for us,
and _free_ from _all_ suffering and woe--_yes_, that _is_ a _comfort_,
and that _first birthday_ in _another_ world must have been a _far_
brighter one than _any_ in this poor world below! I only grieve _now_
that we should be going so far away from Frogmore, as I long to go
there; only Alice and dear Augusta Bruce[31](who feels as a daughter
of hers) went with us. The morning was so beautiful, and the garden
_so_ lovely!...
The news from Austria are very sad, and make one very anxious. The
King of Sweden is full of wild notions put into his head by the
Emperor Napoleon, for whom he has the greatest admiration!...
It is high time I should end my long letter. With Albert's
affectionate love, ever your devoted Niece,
VICTORIA R.
[Footnote 31: Lady Augusta Bruce, who bad been living with the
Duchess of Kent at the time of her death, was appointed by the
Queen to be her resident Bedchamber Woman.]
[Pageheading: VISIT TO IRELAND]
_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._
VICE-REGAL LODGE, PHOENIX PARK, _26th August 1861_.
MY BELOVED UNCLE,--_Not_ to miss your messenger I write a few hurried
lines to thank you for your two dear letters of the 16th and the 22nd,
the last of which I received yesterday morning here.... Would to God
that affairs in Hungary took a favourable turn--_mais j'en ai bien
peur_. We had a very good passage on Wednesday night, since which it
has blown very hard. We left Osborne on Wednesday morning (21st) at
quarter to nine, and anchored in Kingstown Bay at half-past eleven
that night. The next day (22nd) we landed at eleven and came here,
and it rained the whole day. On Saturday we all went over to the camp,
where there was a field-day. It is a fine _emplacement_ with beautiful
turf. We had two cooling showers. Bertie marched past with his
company, and did not look at all so very small.
Yesterday was again a very bad day. I have felt weak and very nervous,
and so low at times; I think _so_ much of dearest mamma, and miss her
love and interest and solicitude _dreadfully_; I feel as if we were no
longer cared for, and miss writing to her and telling her everything,
dreadfully. At the Review they played one of her marches, which
entirely upset me.
Good Lord Carlisle[32] is most kind and amiable, and so much beloved.
We start for Killarney at half-past twelve. This is the _dearest of
days_, and one which fills my heart with love, gratitude, and emotion.
God bless and protect for ever my beloved Albert--the purest and best
of human beings! We miss our four little ones and baby sadly, but have
our four eldest (except poor Vicky) with us.
Now good-bye, dearest Uncle. Ever your devoted Niece,
VICTORIA R.
[Footnote 32: Lord Carlisle was Viceroy in both the
administrations of Lord Palmerston; as Lord Morpeth he had
been Chief Secretary in the Melbourne Government.]
_Queen Victoria to Earl Canning._
BALMORAL, _9th September 1861_.
The Queen has not heard of Lord Canning for some time, but is happy to
hear indirectly that he is well, and that everything is going on well
under his admirable administration.
It is most gratifying to the Queen to see how peaceful her Indian
Dominions are, and considering the very alarming state of affairs
during the years 1857, '58, and even '59, it must be a source of
unbounded satisfaction and pride to Lord Canning to witness this state
of prosperity at the end of his Government.
As Lord Canning will now soon return to England, the Queen is anxious
to offer him the Rangership of the Park at Blackheath, with the house
which dear Lord Aberdeen had for some years, hoping that he might find
it acceptable and agreeable from its vicinity to London.[33]
[Footnote 33: Lord Aberdeen had died on the 14th of December
1860.]
[Pageheading: THE ORLEANS PRINCES]
_The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._
LAEKEN, _17th October 1861_.
MY BELOVED VICTORIA,--Receive my sincerest thanks for your dear letter
of the 14th, which arrived very exactly. I am so happy to see all the
good which your stay in the Highlands has done you, and I am sure it
will be _lasting_, though Windsor must have the effect of reviving
strongly some feelings.... When one looks back on those times, one
must say that they were full of difficulties, and one ought to feel
very grateful that such a happy present has grown out of them. I
regret much Paris and Robert[34] having joined the Federal Army,
mixing in a civil war!! The object is to show courage, to be able to
say: "_Ils se sont beaucoup distingues_." They have a chance of being
shot for Abraham Lincoln and the most rank Radicalism. I don't think
that step will please in France, where Radicalism is at discount
fortunately. The poor Queen is very unhappy about it, but now nothing
can be done, only one may wish to see them well out of it. Poor Queen!
constantly new events painful to her assail her. I had rather a kind
letter from the Emperor Napoleon about the state of Mexico. I fear he
will find his wishes to see there a stable Government not much liked
in England, though his plans are _not_ for any advantage France is to
derive from it. To-morrow we go to Liege to be in readiness for the
following day. The King William III.[35] will arrive for dinner, stay
the night, and go very early on Sunday. He will be extremely well
received here, his _procede_ being duly appreciated. To be very
civilly received in a country which one was heir to, is rather _un
peu penible_, and one feels a little awkward.... Your devoted and only
Uncle,
LEOPOLD R.
[Footnote 34: The Comte de Paris and the Duc de Chartres, sons
of the Duc d'Orleans, eldest son of King Louis Philippe.]
[Footnote 35: The King of Holland.]
[Pageheading: THE COURT OF HANOVER]
_The Duchess of Manchester[36] to Queen Victoria._
HANOVER [_Undated. October 1861_].
MADAM,--Though your Majesty has only very lately seen the Princess
Royal, I cannot refrain from addressing your Majesty, as I am sure
your Majesty will be pleased to hear how well Her Royal Highness was
looking during the Man[oe]uvres on the Rhine, and how much she seems
to be beloved, not only by all those who know her, but also by those
who have only seen and heard of her. The English could not help
feeling proud of the way the Princess Royal was spoken of, and the
high esteem she is held in. For one so young it is a most flattering
position, and certainly as the Princess's charm of manner and her kind
unaffected words had in that short time won her the hearts of all the
officers and strangers present, one was not astonished at the praise
the Prussians themselves bestow on Her Royal Highness. The Royal
Family is so large, and their opinions politically and socially
sometimes so different, that it must have been very difficult indeed
at first for the Princess Royal, and people therefore cannot praise
enough the high principles, great discretion, sound judgment, and
cleverness Her Royal Highness has invariably displayed.
Your Majesty would have been amused to hear General Wrangel[37] tell
at the top of his voice how delighted the soldiers were to see the
Princess on horseback, and the interest she showed for them. What
pleased them specially was to see Her Royal Highness ride without a
veil--such an odd thing in soldiers to remark. The King of Prussia
is looking very well, but the Queen I thought very much altered. Her
Majesty looks very pale and tired, and has such a painful drawn look
about the mouth. How the Queen will be able to go through all the
fatigues of the Coronation I do not know, as Her Majesty already
complained of being tired, and knocked up by the man[oe]vres and
dinners, and had to go to Mentz for a few days to rest herself.
Their Majesties' kindness was very great, and the Duke told me of the
extreme hospitality with which they were entertained. Every one,
high and low, were rivalling each other in civility and friendliness
towards the strangers, especially the English, and one really felt
quite ashamed of those wanton attacks the _Times_ always makes on
Prussia, and which are read and copied into all the Prussian papers.
The last night all the officers dined together. General Forey put
himself into the President's place and insisted, to the exclusion of
Lord Clyde, who was by far the senior officer, and who was expected
to do it, on proposing the health of the King, the Royal Family, the
Army, and Nation. Not content with doing it in French, he drew out of
his pocket a document written for him in German, for he did not know
the language, and read it with the most extraordinary pronunciation.
The English officers all admired the way the Germans kept their
countenance notwithstanding the absurdity of the exhibition.
On the 21st they have had great doings here at Hanover. I hear that to
the astonishment of everybody the Queen appeared at the _Enthuellung_,
where all other people were _en grande tenue_, in a little small round
hat with a lilac feather. Her Maids of Honour--she has only one now
besides that English Miss Stewart--were ordered to wear hats to keep
Her Majesty in countenance. I wonder if your Majesty has read the
speech the King has addressed to his people on the occasion of the
_Enthuellung_ and the Crown Prince's birthday. It cannot fail to excite
the greatest pity that such things, however well meant, should be
written. Has your Majesty also heard of the pamphlet that has been
published here called _Das Welfe_--that name Welfe is quite an _idee
fixe_ of the King now, and he brings it in on every occasion, and
this pamphlet is written throwing the whole idea into ridicule, and
beginning with the last years of the late King's reign. The Crown
Prince[38] is very much liked, but, unfortunately, his new tutor will
probably also leave very shortly--he has no authority over him, the
Prince still regretting M. de Issendorf. Besides, he is not allowed
to exercise his judgment in the smallest way--the King going on the
principle that a King only can educate a King. The reason the
other tutor left, or was dismissed, was partly on account of his
remonstrating against the religious instructions, which were carried
so far that the Prince had hardly any time left to learn other
things. Besides the Prince, who dislikes the clergyman, had drawn a
caricature, to which the man very much gives himself, and the King
thought M. de Issendorf had known of it, which turned out not to be
the case.... I have the honour to remain, your Majesty's most obedient
and devoted Servant and Subject,
LOUISE MANCHESTER.
[Footnote 36: Louise Frederica Augusta, wife of the seventh
Duke of Manchester, and Mistress of the Robes. She was
daughter of the Count von Alten of Hanover, and is now Dowager
Duchess of Devonshire.]
[Footnote 37: The Queen had met General von Wrangel at
Babelsberg in August 1858. "He is seventy-six," she wrote,
"and a great character." He had commanded a division in the
Danish war of 1848, and it had fallen to him in the same year,
as Commandant of the troops, to dissolve the Berlin Assembly
by force.]
[Footnote 38: Prince Ernest Augustus, born 1845; the present
Duke of Cumberland.]
[Pageheading: CORONATION OF KING OF PRUSSIA]
[Pageheading: A BRILLIANT CEREMONY]
[Pageheading: DISTINGUISHED GUESTS]
_The Crown Princess of Prussia to Queen Victoria._
KOENISBERG, _19th October 1861_.
MY BELOVED MAMMA,--Last night I could not write to you as I would have
wished, because I felt so knocked up that I went to bed. I have got
such a very bad cold on my chest, with a cough that leaves me no rest,
and of course cannot take care of myself, and am obliged to stand and
sit in every sort of draught with a low gown and without a cloak, so
it is no wonder to have caught cold. I have not had a cough since
I don't know when. I should like to be able to describe yesterday's
ceremony to you, but I cannot find words to tell you how fine and how
touching it was; it really was a magnificent sight! The King looked so
very handsome and so noble with the crown on; it seemed to suit him so
exactly. The Queen, too, looked beautiful, and did all she had to do
with perfect grace, and looked so _vornehm_; I assure you the whole
must have made a great impression on everybody present, and all those
to whom I have talked on the subject quite share my feeling. The
moment when the King put the crown on the Queen's head was very
touching, I think there was hardly a dry eye in the church. The
_Schlosshof_ was the finest, I thought--five bands playing "God save
the Queen," banners waving in all directions, cheers so loud that they
quite drowned the sound of the music, and the procession moving slowly
on, the sky without a cloud; and all the uniforms, and the ladies'
diamonds glittering in the bright sunlight. I shall never forget it
all, it was so very fine! Dearest Fritz's birthday being chosen for
the day made me very happy; he was in a great state of emotion and
excitement, as you can imagine, as we all were. Mr Thomas[39] was in
the chapel. I hope he will have been able to take down some useful
memoranda. The Grand Duke of Weimar,[40] the King and ourselves, have
ordered drawings of him.
The _coup d'[oe]il_ was really beautiful; the chapel is in itself
lovely, with a great deal of gold about it, and all hung with red
velvet and gold--the carpet, altar, thrones and canopies the same. The
Knights of the Black Eagle with red velvet cloaks, the Queen's four
young ladies all alike in white and gold, the two Palastdamen in
crimson velvet and gold, and the Oberhofmeisterin in gold and white
brocade with green velvet, Marianne and Addy in red and gold and red
and silver; I, in gold with ermine and white satin, my ladies, one
in blue velvet, the other in red velvet, and Countess Schulenberg,
together with the two other Oberhofmeisterin of the other Princesses,
in violet velvet and gold. All these colours together looked very
beautiful, and the sun shone, or rather poured in at the high windows,
and gave quite magic tinges.
The music was very fine, the chorales were sung so loud and strong
that it really quite moved one. The King was immensely cheered,
wherever he appeared--also the Queen, and even I.
There were illuminations last night, but I did not go to see them,
as I was too tired and felt so unwell. There are five degrees of cold
(Reaumur), and one is exposed to draughts every minute.
Sixteen hundred people dined in the Schloss last night! The King and
Queen were most kind to me yesterday; the King gave me a charming
little locket for his hair, and only think--what will sound most
extraordinary, absurd, and incredible to your ears--made me Second
_Chef_ of the 2nd Regiment of Hussars! I laughed so much, because
really I thought it was a joke--it seemed so strange for ladies; but
the Regiments like particularly having ladies for their _Chefs!_ The
Queen and the Queen Dowager have Regiments, but I believe I am the
first Princess on whom such an honour is conferred.
The Archduke addressed the King yesterday, in the name of all the
foreign Princes present, in a very pretty speech.
It is such a pleasure to see good Philip here, and the two Portuguese
cousins. Juan[41] is very nice, but he does not talk much; he has a
very fine, tall figure, and is nice-looking. I should think he must
be like his father. Prince Hohenzollern [42] is become Royal Highness,
and the title is to descend to his eldest son. Half Europe is here,
and one sees the funniest combinations in the world. It is like
a happy family shut up in a cage! The Italian Ambassador sat near
Cardinal Geisel, and the French one opposite the Archduke. The
Grand Duke Nicolas is here--he is so nice--also the Crown Prince
of Wuertemberg,[43] Crown Prince of Saxony,[44] Prince Luitpold of
Bavaria,[45] Prince Charles of Hesse[46] (who nearly dies of fright
and shyness amongst so many people), and Heinrich; Prince Elimar of
Oldenburg,[47] Prince Frederic of the Netherlands,[48] and the
Grand Duke and Duchess of Weimar, who wish to be most particularly
remembered to you and Papa.
The King and Queen are most kind to Lord Clarendon, and make a marked
difference between their marked cordiality to him and the stiff
etiquette with which the other Ambassadors are received.
I think he is pleased with what he sees. The King has given the Queen
the Order of the Black Eagle in diamonds. I write all these details,
as you wish them, at the risk of their not interesting you, besides
my being, as you know, a very bad hand at descriptions. I shall make a
point of your having newspapers.
I am unable to appear at the _cour_ this morning, as my cough is too
violent: I hope to be able to be at the concert this evening, but I
own it seems very doubtful. The state dinner looked very well; we were
waited on by our _Kammerherren_ and pages--the King being waited on
by the _Oberhofchargen_--and our ladies stood behind our chairs. After
the first two dishes are round, the King asks to drink, and that is
the signal for the ladies and gentlemen to leave the room and go to
dinner, while the Pages of Honour continue to serve the whole dinner
really wonderfully well, poor boys, considering it is no easy task.
To-morrow we leave Koenigsberg for Dantzic--we have not had one day's
bad weather here, nothing but sunshine and a bright blue sky. I was so
glad that Heaven smiled upon us yesterday, it would have been so sad
if it had poured; it looked a little threatening early in the morning
and a few drops fell, but it cleared completely before nine o'clock.
Fritz would thank you for your dear letters himself, but he is at the
University, where they have elected him _Rector Magnificus_, and where
he has to make a speech. We have all got our servants and carriages
and horses here _every_ day--300 footmen in livery, together with
other servants in livery, make 400. All the standards and colours of
the whole Army are here, and all the Colonels. Altogether, you cannot
imagine what a crush and what a scramble there is on every occasion;
there was a man crushed to death in the crowd the other day, which
is quite dreadful. I must say good-bye now, and send this scrawl by
a messenger, whom Lord Clarendon means to expedite. Ever your most
dutiful and affectionate Daughter,
VICTORIA.
[Footnote 39: George Housman Thomas, artist (1824-1868). The
picture he produced on this occasion was entitled, _Homage of
the Princess Royal at the Coronation of the King of Prussia_.]
[Footnote 40: Charles Alexander, 1818-1901, grandfather of the
present Grand Duke.]
[Footnote 41: Prince John, brother of King Pedro, was making a
tour with his elder brother, Louis, the Duc d'Oporto.]
[Footnote 42: Prince Charles Anthony of Hohenzollern was the
father of the young Queen Stephanie of Portugal, who had died
in 1859.]
[Footnote 43: Prince Charles Frederick, 1823-1891.]
[Footnote 44: Prince Albert, who became King in 1873.]
[Footnote 45: Brother of King Maximilian II.]
[Footnote 46: Son of the Elector Frederick William I.]
[Footnote 47: Brother of the reigning Grand Duke.]
[Footnote 48: Uncle of the King of Holland.]
[Pageheading: THE PRINCESS ROYAL]
_The Earl of Clarendon to Queen Victoria._
KOENIGSBERG, _19th October 1861_.
Lord Clarendon presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and humbly
hopes that your Majesty will not be displeased at his not having
written sooner, but every moment has been occupied by _fetes_ and
ceremonies here, and the visits to Royal Personages, who are in great
numbers, and Lord Clarendon also wished to delay sending off the
messenger until the Coronation was over.
That most interesting and imposing ceremony took place yesterday, and
with the most complete and unalloyed success; everything was conducted
with the most perfect order; the service not too long, the vocal music
enchanting, but _the_ great feature of the ceremony was the manner in
which the Princess Royal did homage to the King. Lord Clarendon is at
a loss for words to describe to your Majesty the exquisite grace and
the intense emotion with which Her Royal Highness gave effect to her
feelings on the occasion. Many an older as well as younger man than
Lord Clarendon, who had not his interest in the Princess Royal, were
quite as unable as himself to repress their emotion at that which was
so touching, because so unaffected and sincere....
If His Majesty had the mind, the judgment, and the foresight of the
Princess Royal, there would be nothing to fear, and the example
and influence of Prussia would soon be marvellously developed. Lord
Clarendon has had the honour to hold a very long conversation with
Her Royal Highness, and has been more than ever astonished at the
_statesmanlike_ and comprehensive views which she takes of the policy
of Prussia, both internal and foreign, and of the _duties_ of a
Constitutional King.
Lord Clarendon is not at all astonished, but very much pleased, to
find how appreciated and beloved Her Royal Highness is by all classes.
Every member of the Royal Family has spoken of her to Lord Clarendon
in terms of admiration, and through various channels he has had
opportunities of learning how strong the feeling of educated and
enlightened people is towards Her Royal Highness. All persons say
most truly that any one who saw Her Royal Highness yesterday can never
forget her.
Lord Clarendon is sorry to say that the Princess Royal has a feverish
cold to-day--nothing at all serious--and as Her Royal Highness stayed
in bed this afternoon, did not attend the great concert at the Palace
this evening, and, as Lord Clarendon hopes, will not go to Dantzic
to-morrow, Her Royal Highness will probably be quite fit for the many
fatiguing duties she will have to perform next week....
[Pageheading: THE EMPEROR NAPOLEON'S AIMS]
[Pageheading: AUSTRIA AND PRUSSIA]
_The Earl of Clarendon to Queen Victoria._
BERLIN, _20th October 1861_.
Lord Clarendon presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and humbly
begs to say that yesterday he had the honour of being sent for by the
Queen, with whom he had a long and interesting conversation....
The Queen expressed her deep regret at the tone of the English
newspapers, but admitted that the German Press repaid the English
insults with large interest. Her Majesty said, however, that she
and the King, and all sensible men with whom their Majesties hold
communication, were determined to disregard the attacks, and by every
possible means to draw nearer to England.
Lord Clarendon took the opportunity of warning the Queen respecting
the Emperor and his _idee fixe_, that his dynasty could only be
secured by the territorial aggrandisement of France. Lord Clarendon
expressed his conviction that if the King had resembled M. de Cavour,
some strong proposals would already have been made to them, but that
the Emperor's plans had been foiled by the honourable character of the
King. There ought, nevertheless, to be no delusion here, but on the
contrary, a careful avoidance of the traps which cajolery and flattery
were setting for Prussia, because at any moment the Emperor might
think it necessary for his own purposes in France to seize upon the
left bank of the Rhine, and that all classes in France, no matter
to what party belonging, would be delighted at his so doing, and his
popularity and power in France would be enormously increased by it.
The Queen agreed, but was under the notion, which Lord Clarendon
was able effectually to dispel, that the dilapidated state of French
finances would prevent the Emperor from undertaking a war upon a large
scale.
Lord Clarendon thinks that he strengthened the Queen's opinion
respecting "eventualities" and the necessity of making preparations
and evoking a national spirit against foreign aggression, such as that
recently manifested in England, and which had done so much in favour
of peace as far as we ourselves were concerned. Her Majesty, however,
said that Prussian policy towards Germany opened so large a chapter
that she wished to reserve the discussion of it for our next
conversation.
Lord Clarendon fears that Count Bernstorff is disposed to think that
Austria's difficulty is Prussia's opportunity, and to be exigent as
to the concessions upon which a better understanding between the two
countries must be based. Lord Clarendon was confidentially informed
yesterday that a Cabinet had just been held for the first time since
Count Bernstorff became a member of it, and that with respect to
internal affairs he had greatly alarmed and annoyed some of his
colleagues by his retrograde opinions. Lord Clarendon had the honour
of dining with the Crown Prince and Princess last night. The dinner
was perfect, and everything conducted in the most admirable manner;
there was afterwards a ball at "The Queen's" which was really a
splendid fete. The festivities and the visitings are so uninterrupted
that everybody is unwell and tired. The Duc de Magenta's grand fete
takes place on the 29th. The Austrian Minister gives a ball to-morrow
(_Sunday_), which day has unfortunately been fixed by the King, to the
annoyance of all the English; but Lord Clarendon has determined that
the Embassy shall attend, otherwise the King might consider that we
wished to give him a public lesson upon the observance of the Sabbath.
Lord Clarendon trusts that your Majesty will approve the decision.
Lord Granville's visit appears to be highly appreciated by the Court.
_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._
BALMORAL, _21st October 1861_.
MY DEAREST UNCLE,--You will excuse a long letter as this is our last
day, alas! Many, many thanks for your dear letters of the 17th and
18th, which I received yesterday. I am glad to see that my account of
our mountain expedition amused you, and that you remember all so well.
If it could amuse you later, I would send you my _Reisebeschreibung_
to read. I will have it copied and send it you later. We have had a
most beautiful week, which we have thoroughly enjoyed--I going out
every day about twelve or half-past, taking luncheon with us, carried
in a basket on the back of a Highlander, and served by an _invaluable_
Highland servant I have, who is _my factotum here_, and takes the most
wonderful care of me, combining the offices of groom, footman, page,
and _maid_, I might almost say, as he is so handy about cloaks and
shawls, etc. He always leads my pony, and always attends me out of
doors, and _such_ a good, handy, _faithful_, attached servant I have
nowhere; it is quite a sorrow for me to leave him behind. Now, with
Albert's affectionate love, ever your devoted Niece,
VICTORIA R.
[Pageheading: THE _TIMES_ AND PRUSSIA]
_Queen Victoria to Viscount Palmerston._
WINDSOR CASTLE, _25th October 1861_.
The Queen has long seen with deep regret the persevering efforts
made by the _Times_, which leads the rest of our Press, in attacking,
vilifying, and abusing everything German, and particularly everything
Prussian. That journal had since years shown the same bias, but it is
since the Macdonald affair of last year,[49] that it has assumed
that tone of virulence, which could not fail to produce the deepest
indignation amongst the people of Germany, and by degrees estrange the
feelings of the people of this country from Germany. Lord Palmerston,
probably not reading any German newspaper, nor having any personal
intercourse with that country, can hardly be aware to what extent the
mischief has already gone, though he will agree with the Queen that
national hatred between these two peoples is a real political calamity
for both. The Queen had often intended to write to Lord Palmerston
on the subject, and to ask him whether he would not be acting in the
spirit of public duty if he endeavoured, as far at least as might
be in his power, to point out to the managers of the _Times_ (which
derives some of its power from the belief abroad that it represents
more or less the feelings of the Government) how great the injury is
which it inflicts upon the best interests of this country. She has,
however, refrained from doing so, trusting in the chance of a change
in tone, and feeling that Lord Palmerston might not like to enter into
discussion with the Editors of the _Times_....
The Queen believes that Lord Palmerston is the only person who could
exercise any influence over Mr Delane, and even if this should not
be much, it will be important that that gentleman should know the
mischief his writings are doing, and that the Government sincerely
deplore it.
[Footnote 49: At Bonn, in September 1860, Captain Macdonald, a
railway passenger, had been ejected from his seat in the
train by the railway authorities, and committed to prison.
The incident became the subject of considerable diplomatic
correspondence, as well as of some fierce attacks on Prussia
in the _Times_.]
[Pageheading: THE ENGLISH PRESS]
_Mr Delane to Viscount Palmerston._[50]
16 SERJEANT'S INN, _28th October 1861_.
MY DEAR LORD,--I shall be very glad to give the Prussians a respite
from that most cruel of all inflictions--good advice.
Indeed, I would not have intruded anything so unwelcome during the
splendid solemnities of the Coronation had not the King uttered those
surprising anachronisms upon Divine Right.
Pray observe, too, in extenuation of my offence that I sent a faithful
chronicler to Koenigsberg, who has described all the splendours in a
proper and reverent spirit, and done what man can do to render such
ceremonies intelligible, and the recital of them not too wearisome to
those who believe in Divine Right as little as your Lordship's very
faithful Servant,
JOHN T. DELANE.
[Footnote 50: Enclosed in the following letter.]
[Pageheading: THE _TIMES_]
_Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria._
WINDSOR CASTLE, _30th October 1861_.
Viscount Palmerston presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and begs
to state that when he received a few days ago from Lord Russell the
Memorandum which your Majesty intended for him, and which he returned
to Lord Russell, he wrote to Mr Delane in accordance with your
Majesty's wishes, and he has this morning received the accompanying
answer.
Viscount Palmerston would, however, beg to submit that an erroneous
notion prevails on the Continent as to English newspapers.
The newspapers on the Continent are all more or less under a certain
degree of control, and the most prominent among them are the organs of
political parties, or of leading public men; and it is not unnatural
that Governments and Parties on the Continent should think that
English newspapers are published under similar conditions.
But in this country all thriving newspapers are commercial
undertakings, and are conducted on commercial principles, and none
others are able long to maintain an existence. Attempts have often
been made to establish newspapers to be directed by political men,
and to be guided by the same considerations by which those men would
govern their own conduct, but such papers have seldom succeeded.
The Peelite Party tried some years ago such an experiment with the
_Morning Chronicle_, but after spending a very large sum of money
on the undertaking they were obliged to give it up. The _Times_ is
carried on as a large commercial enterprise, though, of course, with
certain political tendencies and bias, but mainly with a view to
profit upon the large capital employed.
The actual price at which each copy of the newspaper is sold barely
pays the expense of paper, printing, and establishment; it is indeed
said that the price does not repay those expenses. The profit of
the newspaper arises from the price paid for advertisements, and
the greater the number of advertisements the greater the profit. But
advertisements are sent by preference to the newspaper which has the
greatest circulation; and that paper gets the widest circulation which
is the most amusing, the most interesting, and the most instructive.
A dull paper is soon left off. The proprietors and managers of the
_Times_ therefore go to great expense in sending correspondents to all
parts of the world where interesting events are taking place, and they
employ a great many able and clever men to write articles upon all
subjects which from time to time engage public attention; and as
mankind take more pleasure in reading criticism and fault-finding than
praise, because it is soothing to individual vanity and conceit to
fancy that the reader has become wiser than those about whom he reads,
so the _Times_, in order to maintain its circulation, criticises
freely everybody and everything; and especially events and persons,
and Governments abroad, because such strictures are less likely to
make enemies at home than violent attacks upon parties and persons in
this country. Foreign Governments and Parties ought therefore to look
upon English newspapers in the true point of view, and not to be too
sensitive as to attacks which those papers may contain.
[Pageheading: DEMOCRACY IN PRUSSIA]
_The Earl of Clarendon to Queen Victoria._
BERLIN, _5th November 1861_.
Lord Clarendon presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and humbly
begs to say that as he leaves Berlin to-morrow, the Princess Royal has
most kindly just given him an Audience of leave, although Her Royal
Highness was still suffering considerable pain in her ear, and was
quite unfit for any exertion. Her Royal Highness's countenance bears
traces of the severe illness of the last few days, but Lord Clarendon
trusts that the worst is now over, and that care alone is necessary
for her complete recovery. Her Royal Highness is still so weak that
she was obliged to desist from writing, which she attempted this
morning, and Lord Clarendon took the liberty of earnestly recommending
that the journey to Breslau, upon which Her Royal Highness appeared to
be bent, should be given up. Lord Clarendon intends to repeat the same
advice to the Queen, whom he is to see this evening, as there are to
be four days of rejoicings at Breslau, for the fatigue of which the
Crown Princess must be utterly unfit.
Her Royal Highness is much alarmed at the state of things here, and
Lord Clarendon thinks with great reason, for the King has quite made
up his mind as to the course that he will pursue. He sees democracy
and revolution in every symptom of opposition to his will. His
Ministers are mere clerks, who are quite content to register the
King's decrees, and there is no person from whom His Majesty seeks
advice, or indeed who is capable or would have the moral courage to
give it. The King will always religiously keep his word, and will
never overturn the institutions he has sworn to maintain, but they
are so distasteful to him, and so much at variance with his habit of
thought and settled opinions as to the rights of the Crown, that His
Majesty will never, if he can avoid it, accept the consequences
of representative Government, or allow it to be a reality. This is
generally known, and among the middle classes is producing an uneasy
and resentful feeling, but as far as Lord Clarendon is able to judge,
there is no fear of revolution--the Army is too strong, and the
recollection of 1848 is too fresh to allow of acts of violence.
Lord Clarendon had the honour of an Audience of the King on Sunday.
His Majesty was most friendly and kind, but evidently unwell and
irritable. Lord Clarendon therefore thought that it would be neither
prudent nor useful to say the many things that the Queen had wished
that the King should hear from Lord Clarendon. He touched upon the
subject of Constitutional Government, and His Majesty said: "I have
sworn to maintain our Institutions, and I declare to you, and I wish
you to inform your Government, that I will maintain them."
Lord Clarendon proposes to remain Friday at Brussels, and hopes to
have the honour of seeing the King.
[Pageheading: DEATH OF KING OF PORTUGAL]
_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._
WINDSOR CASTLE, _12th November 1861_.
MY BELOVED UNCLE,--I hardly know _how_ to _write_, for my head reels
and swims, and my heart is very sore![51] _What_ an awful misfortune
this is! How the hand of death seems bent on pursuing that poor,
dear family! once so prosperous. Poor Ferdinand so proud of his
children--of his five sons--now the eldest and _most_ distinguished,
the head of the family, _gone_, and also another of fifteen, and the
youngest _still_ ill! The two others at sea, and will land to-morrow
in utter ignorance of everything, and poor, dear, good Louis (whom I
thought dreadfully low when we saw him and Jean for an hour on Friday)
King! It is an almost incredible event! a terrible calamity for
Portugal, and a _real_ European loss! Dear Pedro was so good, so
clever, so distinguished! He was so attached to my beloved Albert, and
the characters and tastes suited so well, and he had such confidence
in Albert! _All, all gone!_ _He_ is happy now, united again to dear
Stephanie,[52] whose loss he never recovered.... Ever your devoted
Niece,
VICTORIA R.
[Footnote 51: King Pedro of Portugal died of typhoid fever on
the 11th of November; his brother Ferdinand had died on the
6th; and Prince John, Duke of Beja, succumbed in the following
December.]
[Footnote 52: The young Queen Stephanie of Portugal had died
in 1859.]
[Pageheading: THE AFFAIR OF THE _TRENT_]
_Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria._
DOWNING STREET, _13th November 1861_.
... Viscount Palmerston met yesterday at dinner at Baron Brunnow's
the Grand Duke Constantine and the Grand Duchess, and they were
overflowing with thankfulness for the kind and gracious reception they
had met with at Windsor Castle.
There was reason to suspect that an American federal steamer of war of
eight guns, which had lately arrived at Falmouth, and from thence at
Southampton, was intended to intercept the Mail Packet coming home
with the West Indian Mail, in order to take out of her Messrs Mason
and Slidell, the two Envoys from the Southern Confederacy, supposed to
be coming in her.[53]
Viscount Palmerston had on Monday a meeting at the Treasury of the
Chancellor, Doctor Lushington, the three Law Officers,[54] the Duke
of Somerset, Sir George Grey, and Mr Hammond.[55] The result of their
deliberation was that, according to the Law of Nations, as laid down
by Lord Stowell, and practised and enforced by England in the war
with France, the Northern Union being a belligerent is entitled by its
ships of war to stop and search any neutral Merchantmen, and the West
India Packet is such; to search her if there is reasonable suspicion
that she is carrying enemy's despatches, and if such are found on
board to take her to a port of the belligerent, and there to proceed
against her for condemnation. Such being ruled to be the law, the only
thing that could be done was to order the _Phaeton_ frigate to drop
down to Yarmouth Roads from Portsmouth, and to watch the American
steamer, and to see that she did not exercise this belligerent right
within the three-mile limit of British jurisdiction, and this was
done. But Viscount Palmerston sent yesterday for Mr Adams to ask him
about this matter, and to represent to him how unwise it would be to
create irritation in this country merely for the sake of preventing
the landing of Mr Slidell, whose presence here would have no more
effect on the policy of your Majesty with regard to America than the
presence of the three other Southern Deputies who have been here for
many months. Mr Adams assured Viscount Palmerston that the American
steamer had orders not to meddle with any vessel under any foreign
flag; that it came to intercept the _Nashville_, the Confederate ship
in which it was thought the Southern Envoys might be coming; and not
having met with her was going back to the American coast to watch some
Merchantmen supposed to be taking arms to the Southern ports.
Viscount Palmerston heard from a source likely to be well informed
that at the interview between the Emperor and the King of Prussia
at Compiegne, the Emperor, among other things, said to the King that
there were three systems of alliance between which France and Prussia
might choose: an alliance of France with England, an alliance of
Prussia with England, an alliance of France with Prussia. The first
the Emperor said now to a certain degree exists, but is precarious and
not likely to last long, because England is too exacting; the second
would not be useful to Prussia, but might be dangerous, inasmuch as it
would look like hostility to France, and England would not be likely
to back Prussia effectually if a rupture took place between Prussia
and France. The last was the system best for Prussia, and was
calculated to promote her interests; at all events, the Emperor hoped
that if at any time there should be a rupture between France and
England, Prussia would remain neutral. The King of Prussia said he was
not come to discuss matters of that kind with the Emperor, but only
to pay him a visit of compliment. Your Majesty will be able to compare
this statement with the accounts your Majesty may have received of
what passed at that visit....
The Chancellor[56] told the Cabinet as he was going away that he would
soon have to shut up the Court of Chancery in consequence of having
disposed of all the suits before it; and that in future the progress
of a Chancery suit will be the emblem of rapidity, and not as formerly
synonymous with endless delay.
[Footnote 53: See _ante_, Introductory Note to Chapter XXX.]
[Footnote 54: Sir William Atherton, Attorney-General, Sir
Roundell Palmer, Solicitor-General, and Dr Phillimore, Counsel
to the Admiralty.]
[Footnote 55: Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs, afterwards Lord Hammond.]
[Footnote 56: Lord Westbury.]
_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._
WINDSOR CASTLE, _26th November 1861_.
MY BELOVED UNCLE,--... Albert is a little rheumatic, which is a
plague--but it is very difficult not to have something or other of
this kind in this season, with these rapid changes of temperature;
_unberufen, unberufen_, he is much better this winter than he was the
preceding years.[57] ...
[Footnote 57: The Prince had been unwell, even before the
receipt of the distressing news from Portugal, and began to
suffer from a somewhat continuous insomnia. On the 22nd of
November, he drove to Sandhurst to inspect the new buildings
in progress there. The day was very wet, and, though he
returned in the middle of the day to Windsor, the exertion
proved too severe for him; on the 24th he complained of
rheumatic pains, and of prolonged sleeplessness.]
[Pageheading: REDRESS DEMANDED]
_Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria._
DOWNING STREET, _29th November 1861_.
Viscount Palmerston presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and begs
to state that the Cabinet at its meeting this afternoon resumed the
consideration of the forcible capture of the Southern Envoys from on
board the _Trent_ steamer upon which the law officers had yesterday
given the opinion contained in the accompanying report. The law
officers and Doctor Phillimore, Counsel to the Admiralty, were in
attendance. The result was that it appeared to the Cabinet that a
gross outrage and violation of international law has been committed,
and that your Majesty should be advised to demand reparation and
redress. The Cabinet is to meet again to-morrow at two, by which time
Lord Russell will have prepared an instruction to Lord Lyons for the
consideration of the Cabinet, and for submission afterwards to your
Majesty. The general outline and tenor which appeared to meet the
opinions of the Cabinet would be, that the Washington Government
should be told that what has been done is a violation of international
law, and of the rights of Great Britain, and that your Majesty's
Government trust that the act will be disavowed and the prisoners set
free and restored to British Protection; and that Lord Lyons should
be instructed that if this demand is refused he should retire from the
United States.
It is stated by Mrs and Miss Slidell, who are now in London, that the
Northern officer who came on board the _Trent_ said that they
were acting on their own responsibility without instructions from
Washington; that very possibly their act might be disavowed and the
prisoners set free on their arrival at Washington. But it was known
that the _San Jacinto_, though come from the African station, had
arrived from thence several weeks before, and had been at St Thomas,
and had there received communications from New York; and it is also
said that General Scott, who has recently arrived in France, has
said to Americans in Paris that he has come not on an excursion of
pleasure, but on diplomatic business; that the seizure of these envoys
was discussed in Cabinet at Washington, he being present, and was
deliberately determined upon and ordered; that the Washington Cabinet
fully foresaw it might lead to war with England; and that he was
commissioned to propose to France in that case to join the Northern
States in war against England, and to offer France in that case the
restoration of the French Province of Canada.
General Scott will probably find himself much mistaken as to the
success of his overtures; for the French Government is more disposed
towards the South than the North, and is probably thinking more about
Cotton than about Canada....
[Pageheading: AN ULTIMATUM]
_Earl Russell to Queen Victoria._
FOREIGN OFFICE, _29th November 1861_.
Lord Russell presents his humble duty to your Majesty; Mr Gladstone
has undertaken to explain to your Majesty what has taken place at the
Cabinet to-day.
Lord Russell proposes to frame a draft for to-morrow's Cabinet of a
despatch to Lord Lyons, directing him to ask for the release of Messrs
Mason and Slidell and their two companions, and an apology. In case
these requirements should be refused, Lord Lyons should ask for his
passports.
The Lord Chancellor and the law officers of the Crown are clear upon
the law of the case.
Lord Russell will be glad to have your Majesty's opinion on the draft
which will go to your Majesty about four o'clock to-morrow, without
loss of time, as the packet goes to-morrow evening.[58]
[Footnote 58: The draft of the despatch to Lord Lyons reached
Windsor on the evening of the 30th, and, in spite of his weak
and suffering state, the Prince prepared the draft of the
Queen's letter early the following morning. The letter has
been printed in _facsimile_ by Sir Theodore Martin, who
adds that it has a special value as "representing the last
political Memorandum written by the Prince, while it was at
the same time inferior to none of them, as will presently be
seen, in the importance of its results. It shows, like most of
his Memorandums, by the corrections in the Queen's hand, how
the minds of both were continually brought to bear upon the
subjects with which they dealt."]
[Pageheading: THE PRINCE'S LAST LETTER]
_Queen Victoria to Earl Russell._
WINDSOR CASTLE, _1st December 1861_.
_Note in the Queen's handwriting._
[This draft was the last the beloved Prince ever wrote; he was very
unwell at the time, and when he brought it in to the Queen, he said:
"I could hardly hold my pen."
VICTORIA R.]
The Queen returns these important drafts, which upon the whole she
approves, but she cannot help feeling that the main draft, that for
communication to the American Government, is somewhat meagre. She
should have liked to have seen the expression of a hope that the
American captain did not act under instructions, or, if he did, that
he misapprehended them--that the United States Government must be
fully aware that the British Government could not allow its flag to be
insulted, and the security of her mail communications to be placed to
jeopardy, and Her Majesty's Government are unwilling to believe that
the United States Government intended wantonly to put an insult upon
this country, and to add to their many distressing complications by
forcing a question of dispute upon us, and that we are therefore glad
to believe that upon a full consideration of the circumstances, and
of the undoubted breach of international law committed, they would
spontaneously offer such redress as alone could satisfy this country,
viz. the restoration of the unfortunate passengers and a suitable
apology.
_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._
WINDSOR CASTLE, _4th December 1861_.
MY DEAREST UNCLE,--I have many excuses to make for not writing
yesterday, but I had a good deal to do, as my poor dear Albert's
rheumatism has turned out to be a regular influenza, which has pulled
and lowered him very much. Since Monday he has been confined to his
room. It affects his appetite and sleep, which is very disagreeable,
and you know he is always _so_ depressed when anything is the matter
with him. However, he is decidedly better to-day, and I hope in two or
three days he will be quite himself again. It is extremely vexatious,
as he was so particularly well till he caught these colds, which came
upon worries of various kinds.... Ever your devoted Niece,
VICTORIA R.
[Pageheading: ILLNESS OF THE PRINCE]
_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._
WINDSOR CASTLE, _6th December 1861_.
MY BELOVED UNCLE,--I am thankful to report decidedly better of my
beloved Albert. He has had much more sleep, and has taken much more
nourishment since yesterday evening. Altogether, this nasty, feverish
sort of influenza and deranged stomach is _on_ the mend, but it will
be slow and tedious, and though there has _not_ been one alarming
symptom, there has been such restlessness, such sleeplessness, and
such (till to-day) _total_ refusal of all food, that it made one
_very, very_ anxious, and I can't describe the _anxiety_ I have gone
through! I feel to-day a good deal shaken, for for four nights I got
only two or three hours' sleep. We have, however, every reason to hope
the recovery, though it may be _somewhat_ tedious, will not be _very_
slow. You shall hear again to-morrow. Ever your devoted Niece,
VICTORIA R.
[Pageheading: HOPE NOT ABANDONED]
_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._
WINDSOR CASTLE, _9th December 1861_.
MY BELOVED UNCLE,--I enclose you Clark's report, which I think you
may like to hear. Our beloved invalid goes on well--but it _must_ be
tedious, and I need not tell you _what_ a trial it is to me. Every
day, however, is bringing us nearer the end of this tiresome illness,
which is much what I had at Ramsgate, only that I was much worse, and
not at first well attended to. You shall hear daily.
You will, I know, feel for me! The night was excellent; the first good
one he had. Ever your devoted Niece,
VICTORIA R.
The Americans _may_ possibly get out of it.
_The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._
LAEKEN, _11th December 1861_.
MY BELOVED VICTORIA,--_How I do feel for you from the bottom of my
heart_; that you should have this totally unexpected tribulation of
having dear Albert unwell, when not long ago we rejoiced that he was
bearing this time of the year so well. Now we must be very patient,
as an indisposition of this description at this time of the year is
generally mending slowly. The great object must be to arrange all the
little details exactly as the patient may wish them; that everything
of that description may move very smoothly is highly beneficial.
Patients are very different in their likings; to the great horror
of angelic Louise, the moment I am ill I become almost invisible,
disliking to see anybody. Other people are fond of company, and wish
to be surrounded. The medical advisors are, thank God! excellent, and
Clark knows Albert so well. Albert will wish you not to interrupt your
usual airings; you want air, and to be deprived of it would do you
harm. The temperature here at least has been extremely mild--this
ought to be favourable. I trust that every day will now show
some small improvement, and it will be very kind of you to let me
frequently know how dear Albert is going on. Believe me ever, my
beloved Victoria, your devoted Uncle,
LEOPOLD R.
_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._
WINDSOR CASTLE, _11th December 1861_.
DEAREST UNCLE,--I can report another good night, and _no_ loss of
strength, and continued satisfactory symptoms. But more we dare _not_
expect for some days; _not_ losing ground is a _gain, now_, of _every_
day.
It is very sad and trying for me, but I am well, and I think really
_very_ courageous; for it is the first time that _I_ ever witnessed
anything of this kind though _I_ suffered from the same at Ramsgate,
and was much worse. The trial in every way is so very trying, for I
have lost my guide, my support, my all, _for a time_--as we can't
ask or tell him anything. Many thanks for your kind letter received
yesterday. We have been and are reading Von Ense's book[59] to Albert;
but it is _not_ worth much. He likes very much being read to as
it soothes him. W. Scott is also read to him. You shall hear again
to-morrow, dearest Uncle, and, please God! each day will be more
cheering. Ever your devoted Niece,
VICTORIA R.
[Footnote 59: The _Memoirs_ of Varnhagen von Ense (1785-1858),
who served for some years in the Austrian and the Russian
Armies, and was later in the Prussian Diplomatic Service.]
_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._
WINDSOR CASTLE, _12th December 1861_.
MY BELOVED UNCLE,--I can again report favourably of our _most_
precious invalid. He maintains his ground well--had another very good
night--takes plenty of nourishment, and shows surprising strength.
I am constantly in and out of his room, but since the _first four
dreadful_ nights, _last_ week, _before_ they had declared it to be
_gastric fever_--I do not sit up with him at night as I could be of
no use; and there is nothing to cause alarm. I go out twice a day
for about an hour. It is a very trying time, for a fever with its
despondency, weakness, and occasional and _invariable_ wandering, is
most painful to witness--but we have _never_ had _one unfavourable_
symptom; to-morrow, reckoning from the 22nd, when dear Albert first
fell ill--after going on a wet day to look at some buildings--having
likewise been unusually depressed with worries of different kinds--is
the _end_ of the _third week_; we _may_ hope for improvement _after_
that, but the Doctors say they should _not_ be _at all disappointed
if_ this did _not_ take place till the _end_ of the _fourth week_. I
cannot sufficiently praise the skill, attention, and devotion of
Dr Jenner,[60] who is the _first fever_ Doctor in Europe, one may
say--and good old Clark is here every day; good Brown is also _most_
useful.... We have got Dr Watson[61] (who succeeded Dr Chambers[62])
and Sir H. Holland[63] has also been here. But I have kept clear of
these two. Albert sleeps a good deal in the day. He is moved every day
into the next room on a sofa which is made up as a bed. He has only
_kept_ his bed entirely since Monday. Many, many thanks for your dear,
kind letter of the 11th. I knew how _you_ would _feel_ for and think
of me. I am very wonderfully supported, and, excepting on three
occasions, have borne up very well. I am sure Clark will tell you so.
Ever your most devoted Niece,
VICTORIA R.
[Footnote 60: Dr (afterwards Sir) William Jenner, K.C.B.
(1815-1898), was at this time Physician-Extraordinary to the
Queen.]
[Footnote 61: Afterwards Sir Thomas Watson (1792-1882),
F.R.S.]
[Footnote 62: Dr. William Frederick Chambers (1786-1855) was
well known as a consulting physician.]
[Footnote 63: Sir Henry Holland (1788-1873) was
Physician-in-Ordinary to the Queen and the Prince Consort.]
_General Grey to Sir Charles Wood._
WINDSOR CASTLE, _13th December 1861_.
MY DEAR WOOD,--The Queen desires me to acknowledge the receipt of
your letter, and to say that she quite approves of the purport of your
despatch to the Governor-General, understanding it to be, not that
there is to be any reduction of the Artillery force which it had been
determined to leave permanent in India as the proper establishment
for that country, but simply that some batteries which it had been
resolved to bring home, at all events, are to return somewhat sooner
than had been intended, etc., etc., etc.,
GREY.
[Pageheading: DEATH OF THE PRINCE]
_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._
OSBORNE, _20th December 1861_.
MY _OWN_ DEAREST, KINDEST _FATHER_,--For as such have I _ever_ loved
you! The poor fatherless baby of eight months is now the utterly
broken-hearted and crushed widow of forty-two! My _life_ as a _happy_
one is _ended!_ the world is gone for _me!_ If I _must live_ on (and I
will do nothing to make me worse than I am), it is henceforth for our
poor fatherless children--for my unhappy country, which has lost _all_
in losing him--and in _only_ doing what I know and _feel_ he would
wish, for he _is_ near me--his spirit will guide and inspire me! But
oh! to be cut off in the prime of life--to see our pure, happy, quiet,
domestic life, which _alone_ enabled me to bear my _much_ disliked
position, CUT OFF at forty-two--when I _had_ hoped with such
instinctive certainty that God never _would_ part us, and would let
us grow old together (though _he_ always talked of the shortness of
life)--is _too awful_, too cruel! And yet it _must_ be for _his_ good,
his happiness! His purity was too great, his aspiration _too high_ for
this poor, _miserable_ world! His great soul is _now only_ enjoying
_that_ for which it _was_ worthy! And I will _not_ envy him--only pray
that _mine_ may be perfected by it and fit to be with him eternally,
for which blessed moment I earnestly long. Dearest, dearest Uncle,
_how_ kind of you to come! It will be an unspeakable _comfort_, and
you _can do_ much to tell people to do what they ought to do. As for
my _own good, personal_ servants--poor Phipps in particular--nothing
can be more devoted, heartbroken as they are, and anxious only to live
as _he_ wished!
Good Alice has been and is wonderful.[64]
The 26th will suit me perfectly. Ever your devoted, wretched Child,
VICTORIA R.
[Footnote 64: By a singular coincidence, the Princess was to
pass away on the anniversary of the Prince's death. She died
on the 14th of December 1878.]
[Pageheading: DEATH OF LADY CANNING]
_Sir Charles Wood to Queen Victoria._
_22nd December 1861._
Sir Charles Wood, with his humble duty, begs to enclose to your
Majesty two letters from India, one giving an account of Lord
Canning's investing the Indian Chiefs with the Star of India; and the
other an account of poor Lady Canning's illness and death, which, even
at this sad moment, may not be without interest for your Majesty.
Sir Charles Wood hopes that he may be forgiven if, when having to
address your Majesty, he ventures to lay before your Majesty the
expression of his heartfelt sympathy in the sorrow under which your
Majesty is now suffering, and his deep sense of the irreparable
calamity which has befallen your Majesty and the country.
Though it cannot be any consolation, it must be gratifying to your
Majesty to learn the deep and universal feeling of regret and sorrow
which prevails amongst all classes of your Majesty's subjects, and
in none so strongly as in those who have had the most opportunity of
appreciating the inestimable value of those services, of which by this
awful dispensation of Providence the country has been deprived.
[Pageheading: DEATH OF LADY CANNING]
_Earl Canning to Queen Victoria._
BARRACKPORE, _22nd November 1861_.[65]
Lord Canning presents his humble duty to your Majesty. Your Majesty
will have heard by the last mail of the heavy blow which has fallen
upon Lord Canning. The kindness of your Majesty to Lady Canning has
been so invariable and so great that he feels it to be right that
your Majesty should receive a sure account of her last illness with as
little delay as possible.
The funeral is over. It took place quite privately at sunrise on the
19th. There is no burial-place for the Governor-General or his family,
and the cemeteries at Calcutta are odious in many ways: Lord Canning
has therefore set a portion of the garden at Barrackpore (fifteen
miles from Calcutta) apart for the purpose. It is a beautiful
spot--looking upon that reach of the grand river which she was so
fond of drawing--shaded from the glare of the sun by high trees--and
amongst the bright shrubs and flowers in which she had so much
pleasure.
Your Majesty will be glad, but not surprised, to know of the deep
respect which has been paid to her memory, not only by the familiar
members of the household and intimate friends, who refused to let any
hired hands perform the last offices, but by the Civil and Military
bodies, and by the community at large. The coffin was conveyed to
Barrackpore by the Artillery, and was borne through the Garden by
English soldiers.
Lord Canning feels sure that your Majesty will not consider these
details as an intrusion. He feels sure of your Majesty's kind
sympathy. She loved your Majesty dearly, and Lord Canning is certain
that he is doing what would have been her wish in thus venturing to
write to your Majesty. In the last connected conversation which he had
with her, just before the illness became really threatening, she said
that she must write again to the Queen, "for I don't want her to think
that it was out of laziness that I was not at Allahabad." The fact is,
that she had always intended to be present at the Investiture, and had
made all her arrangements to go from Darjeeling to Allahabad for the
purpose; but Lord Canning, hearing of the bad state of the roads,
owing to the heavy and unseasonable rains, and knowing how fatiguing
an additional journey of nearly 900 miles would be, had entreated her
to abandon the intention, and to stay longer in the Hills, and then go
straight to Calcutta. Whether all might have gone differently if the
first plan had been held to, God alone knows. His will has been done.
[Footnote 65: Received on the 22nd of December, or
thereabouts.]
[Pageheading: A NOBLE RESOLVE]
_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._
OSBORNE, _24th December 1861_.
MY BELOVED UNCLE,--Though, please God! I am to see you so soon, I must
write these few lines to prepare you for the trying, sad existence you
will find it with your poor forlorn, desolate child--who drags on
a weary, pleasureless existence! I am also anxious to repeat _one_
thing, and _that one_ is _my firm_ resolve, my _irrevocable decision_,
viz. that _his_ wishes--_his_ plans--about everything, _his_ views
about _every_ thing are to be _my law!_ And _no human power_ will make
me swerve from _what he_ decided and wished--and I look to _you_ to
_support_ and _help_ me in this. I apply this particularly as regards
our children--Bertie, etc.--for whose future he had traced everything
_so_ carefully. I am _also determined_ that _no one_ person, may _he_
be ever so good, ever so devoted among my servants--is to lead or
guide or dictate _to me_. I know _how he_ would disapprove it. And I
live _on_ with him, for him; in fact _I_ am only _outwardly_ separated
from him, and _only_ for _a time_.
_No one_ can tell you more of my feelings, and can put you more in
possession of many touching facts than our excellent Dr Jenner, who
has been and is my great comfort, and whom I would _entreat_ you to
_see and hear_ before you see _any one else_. Pray do this, for _I
fear much_ others trying to see you first and say things and wish for
things which I _should not_ consent to.
Though miserably weak and utterly shattered, my spirit rises when I
think _any_ wish or plan of his is to be touched or changed, or I
am to be _made to do_ anything. I know you will help me in my utter
darkness. It is but for a short time, and _then_ I go--_never, never_
to part! Oh! that blessed, blessed thought! He seems so _near_ to
_me_, so _quite my own_ now, my precious darling! God bless and
preserve you. Ever your wretched but devoted Child,
VICTORIA R.
What a Xmas! I won't think of it.
[Pageheading: BUSINESS STILL TRANSACTED]
_Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria._
PICCADILLY, _30th December 1861_.
Viscount Palmerston presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and has
read with deep emotion your Majesty's letter of the 26th, every
word of which went straight to the heart. Viscount Palmerston would,
however, humbly express a hope that the intensity of your Majesty's
grief may not lead your Majesty to neglect your health, the
preservation of which is so important for the welfare of your
Majesty's children, and for that of your Majesty's devotedly attached
and affectionate subjects; and which is so essentially necessary
to enable your Majesty to perform those duties which it will be the
object of your Majesty's life to fulfil.
Lord Granville has communicated to Viscount Palmerston your Majesty's
wish that Mr Dilke[66] should be made a Baronet, and that Mr
Bowring[67] should be made a Companion of the Bath, and both of these
things will be done accordingly. But there are three other persons
whose names Viscount Palmerston has for some time wished to submit to
your Majesty for the dignity of Baronet, and if your Majesty should
be graciously pleased to approve of them, the list would stand as
follows:
Mr Dilke.
Mr William Brown,[68] of Liverpool, a very wealthy and
distinguished merchant, who lately made a magnificent
present of a public library to his fellow-citizens.
Mr Thomas Davies Lloyd, a rich and highly respectable
gentleman of the county of Carnarvon.
Mr Rich, to whom the Government is under great obligation,
for having of his own accord and without any condition
vacated last year his seat for Richmond in Yorkshire,
and having thus enabled the Government to obtain the
valuable services of Mr Roundell Palmer as your Majesty's
Solicitor-General.
Viscount Palmerston has put into this box some private letters which
Lord Russell thinks your Majesty might perhaps like to look at.
[Footnote 66: Sir Charles Wentworth Dilke was on the Executive
Committee of the Exhibition of 1851, and on the Royal
Commission for the Exhibition of 1862. He died in 1869.]
[Footnote 67: Mr Edgar Bowring's Companionship was conferred
on him for services in connection with the earlier Exhibition.
He was afterwards M.P. for Exeter, 1868-1874.]
[Footnote 68: Mr Brown became a baronet in 1863.]
[Pageheading: COMFORT AND HOPE]
_Queen Victoria to Earl Canning._
OSBORNE, _10th January 1862_.
Lord Canning little thought when he wrote his kind and touching letter
of the 22nd November, that it would only reach the Queen when _she_
was _smitten_ and _bowed_ down to the earth by an event similar to
the one which he describes--and, strange to say, by a disease greatly
analogous to the one which took from him _all_ that he loved best. In
the case of her adored, precious, perfect, and great husband, her dear
lord and master, to whom this Nation owed more than it ever can truly
know, however, the fever went on most favourably till the day previous
to the awful calamity, and then it was congestion of the lungs and
want of strength of circulation (the beloved Prince had always a weak
and feeble pulse), which at the critical moment, indeed only two hours
before God took him, caused this awful result. To lose one's partner
in life is, as Lord Canning knows, like losing _half_ of one's _body_
and _soul_, torn forcibly away--and dear Lady Canning was such a dear,
worthy, devoted wife! But to the Queen--to a poor helpless woman--it
is not that only--it is the stay, support and comfort which is lost!
To the Queen it is like _death_ in life! Great and small--_nothing_
was done without his loving advice and help--and she feels _alone_
in the wide world, with many helpless children (except the Princess
Royal) to look to her--and the whole nation to look to her--_now_ when
she can barely struggle with her wretched existence! Her misery--her
utter despair--she _cannot_ describe! Her _only_ support--the _only_
ray of comfort she gets for _a moment_, is in the _firm conviction_
and certainty of his nearness, his undying love, and of their eternal
reunion! Only she prays always, and pines for the latter with an
anxiety she cannot describe. Like dear Lady Canning, the Queen's
darling is to rest in a garden--at Frogmore, in a Mausoleum the Queen
is going to build for him and herself.
Though ill, the Queen was able to tell her precious angel of Lord
Canning's bereavement, and he was deeply grieved, recurring to it
several times, and saying, "What a loss! She was such a distinguished
person!"
May God comfort and support Lord Canning, and may he think in his
sorrow of his widowed and broken-hearted Sovereign--bowed to the earth
with the greatest of human sufferings and misfortunes! She lived but
_for_ her husband!
The sympathy of the many thousands of her subjects, but above all
their sorrow and their admiration for him, are soothing to her
bleeding, pierced heart!
The Queen's precious husband, though wandering occasionally, was
conscious till nearly the last, and knew her and kissed her an hour
before his pure spirit fled to its worthy and fit eternal Home!
INDEX
_(The page references in italics refer to Introductory Notes or
footnotes.)_
Abd-el-Kader, i, _43_, _57_; ii. _31_, 146
Abercorn, Marchioness of, i. 310
Abercrombie, Dr, physician, i. 448
Abercromby, James, _see_ Dunfermline, Lord
Abercromby, Sir Ralph, iii. 111