THE KING'S ILLNESS
16th June 1837.
My beloved Uncle,—... I cannot say how happy I am that theentrée publiqueinto Paris succeeded so well, and that the dear King was so well received; I trust he will now at last berewarded for all the troubles and anxiety he has had ever since 1830. Lord Palmerston said that the French say thatl'assassinat est hors de mode. I hope and trust in Heaven that this may be the case, andfor ever!
You know, of course, dear Uncle, howvery illthe King is; it mayall be overatany moment, and yetmaylast a few days. Consequently, we have not been out anywhere in public since Tuesday, 6th, and since Wednesday all my lessons are stopped, as the news may arrive very suddenly....
Laeken,17th June 1837.
My beloved Child,—... I shall to-day enter on the subject of what is to be done when the King ceases to live. The moment you get official communication of it, you will entrust Lord Melbourne with the office of retaining the present Administration as your Ministers. You will do this in that honest and kind way which is quite your own, and say some kind things on the subject. The fact is that the present Ministers are those who will serve you personally with the greatestsincerityand, I trust, attachment. For them, as well as for the Liberals at large, you are theonlySovereign that offers themdes chances d'existence et de durée. With the exception of the Duke of Sussex, there is noonein the family that offers them anything like what they can reasonably hope from you, and your immediate successor, with the mustaches,49is enough to frighten them into the most violent attachment for you.
... The irksome position in which you have lived will have the merit to have given you the habit ofdiscretionandprudence, as in your position you never can havetoo muchof either. Great measures of State I hope you will be able to avoid at first. I have already—if you would read it over, and perhaps let Stockmar see it—written to you some months ago on the subject of the necessity of maintaining the influence of conservative principles, and of protecting the Church. You will do well to keep both objects in view. You will do wisely by showing yourself attached to the English Protestant Church as it exists in the State; you are particularly where you are, because you are a Protestant. I know you are averse to persecution, and you are right; miss, however,no opportunityto show your sincere feeling for the existing Church; it isrightandmeetthat you should do so. I must repeat that you will do well as long as it will be possible to hurt no one's hopes or prospects. Thatthis will not always, or very long, be possible is the consequence of the state of parties; still, one may be frank and honest, and still kind to all. Concerning foreign policy I shall write on some future occasion. In the meantime I trust you will protect the two Queens in the Peninsula, who are miserably ill off. I am sure, with your good sense you will not find it difficult to judge questions yourself. I cannot too much recommend this, as it will then become a habit, and even an amusement to you. Cultivate always a genuine feeling of right and wrong, and be very true and honourable in your dealings; this gives great strength. I have taken into consideration the advantage or disadvantage of my coming over to youimmediately. The result of myexamenis that I think it better to visit you later. If, however, you wanted me at any time, I should come in a moment. People might fancy I came to enslave you, while I glory in the contrary; and, thirdly, that they might be jealous, oraffectit at least, of my coming, as if I thought of ruling the realm forpurposes of my own....
I am now at the end, I think, of what I had to say. May Heaven bless you and keep up your spirits. Ever, my beloved child, your faithful Uncle and Friend,
Leopold R.
Pardon the hurry in which this letter was written.
Footnote 49: The Duke of Cumberland.
THE KING'S CONDITION HOPELESS
19th June 1837.
My dearly beloved Uncle,—Yourkindanddearletter, containingmost wholesome,prudent,soundandexcellentadvice, was given me by ourgoodandinvaluable honestfriend, Stockmar, and I beg you to accept my best thanks for it. Before I say anything else, let me tell you how happy and thankful I am to have Stockmar here; he hasbeen, andis, of thegreatestpossible use, and be assured, dearest Uncle, that he possesses mymost entire confidence!
The King's state, I may fairly say, ishopeless; he mayperhapslinger a few days, but he cannot recoverultimately. Yesterday the physicians declared he could not live till the morning, but to-day he is a little better; the great fear is hisexcessiveweakness and nopulseat all. Poor old man! I feel sorry for him; he was always personally kind to me, and I should be ungrateful and devoid of feeling if I did not remember this.
I look forward to the event which it seems is likely to occur soon, with calmness and quietness; I am not alarmed at it, and yet I do not suppose myself quite equal to all; I trust, however,that withgood-will,honesty, andcourageI shall not, at all events,fail. Your advice is most excellent, and you may depend upon it I shall make use of it, and follow it, as also what Stockmar says. Inever showedmyself,openly, to belong toany party, and Ido notbelong to any party. The Administration will undoubtedly be well received by me, the more so as I haverealconfidence in them, and in particular in Lord Melbourne, who is a straightforward, honest, clever and good man.
I need not add much more, dearest Uncle, but that I trust that the all-powerful Being who has so long watched over my destinies will guide and support me, in whatever situation and station it may please Him to place me!...
THE ACCESSION
South Street,20th June 1837.
Viscount Melbourne50presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and being aware that your Majesty has already received the melancholy intelligence of the death of his late Majesty, will do himself the honour of waiting upon your Majesty a little before nine this morning. Viscount Melbourne has requested the Marquis of Lansdowne51to name eleven as the hour for the meeting of the Council at Kensington Palace.
Footnote 50: Lord Melbourne, so far as can be augured from his handwriting, which is extremely difficult to decipher, appears always to have written his own nameMelburne. But it is not the correct spelling, and no one else seems to have employed it.
Footnote 51: Lord President of the Council; formerly for a brief period (1806-7) Chancellor of the Exchequer.
20th June 1837(half-past eighta.m.).
Dearest, most beloved Uncle,—Two words only, to tell you that my poor Uncle, the King, expired this morning at twelve minutes past two. The melancholy news were brought to me by Lord Conyngham52and the Archbishop of Canterbury53at six. I expect Lord Melbourne almost immediately, and hold a Council at eleven. Ever, my beloved Uncle, your devoted and attached Niece,
Victoria R.
Footnote 52: Francis Nathaniel, second Marquis of Conyngham, had been M.P. for Westbury and Donegal, and was now Lord Chamberlain.
Footnote 53: William Howley (1766-1848), Bishop of London 1813-1828, Primate 1828-1848.
Windsor Castle,20th June 1837.
My dearest Niece... I feel most grateful for your kind letterfull of sympathy with my irreparable loss, and thank you with all my heart for your feeling expressions on this melancholy occasion. I am, as you may suppose, deeply affected by all the sad scenes I have gone through lately; but I have the great comfort to dwell upon the recollection of the perfect resignation, piety, and patience with which the dear King bore his trials and sufferings, and the truly Christian-like manner of his death.
Excuse my writing more at present, my heart is overwhelmed and my head aches very much. Accept the assurance of my most affectionate devotion, and allow me to consider myself always as your Majesty's most affectionate Friend, Aunt, and Subject,
Adelaide.
THE QUEEN'S JOURNAL
Tuesday, 20th June 1837.
I was awoke at 6 o'clock by Mamma, who told me that the Archbishop of Canterbury and Lord Conyngham were here, and wished to see me. I got out of bed and went into my sitting-room (only in my dressing-gown) andalone, and saw them. Lord Conyngham (the Lord Chamberlain) then acquainted me that my poor Uncle, the King, was no more, and had expired at 12 minutes past 2 this morning, and consequently that I amQueen. Lord Conyngham knelt down and kissed my hand, at the same time delivering to me the official announcement of the poor King's demise. The Archbishop then told me that the Queen was desirous that he should come and tell me the details of the last moments of my poor good Uncle; he said that he had directed his mind to religion, and had died in a perfectly happy, quiet state of mind, and was quite prepared for his death. He added that the King's sufferings at the last were not very great but that there was a good deal of uneasiness. Lord Conyngham, whom I charged to express my feelings of condolence and sorrow to the poor Queen, returned directly to Windsor. I then went to my room and dressed.
Since it has pleased Providence to place me in this station, I shall do my utmost to fulfil my duty towards my country; I am very young and perhaps in many, though not in all things, inexperienced, but I am sure that very few have more real goodwill and more real desire to do what is fit and right than I have.
THE QUEEN'S FIRST COUNCIL
Breakfasted, during which time good, faithful Stockmar came and talked to me. Wrote a letter to dear Uncle Leopold and a few words to dear good Feodore. Received a letter fromLord Melbourne in which he said he would wait upon me at a little before 9. At 9 came Lord Melbourne, whom I saw in my room, and ofcourse quite alone, as I shallalwaysdo all my Ministers. He kissed my hand, and I then acquainted him that it had long been my intention to retain him and the rest of the present Ministry at the head of affairs, and that it could not be in better hands than his. He again then kissed my hand. He then read to me the Declaration which I was to read to the Council, which he wrote himself, and which is a very fine one. I then talked with him some little time longer, after which he left me. He was in full dress. I like him very much, and feel confidence in him. He is a very straightforward, honest, clever and good man. I then wrote a letter to the Queen. At about 11 Lord Melbourne came again to me, and spoke to me upon various subjects. At about half-past 11 I went downstairs and held a Council in the red saloon.
I went in of course quite alone and remained seated the whole time. My two Uncles, the Dukes of Cumberland and Sussex, and Lord Melbourne conducted me. The Declaration, the various forms, the swearing in of the Privy Councillors, of which there were a great number present, and the reception of some of the Lords of the Council, previous to the Council, in an adjacent room (likewise alone) I subjoin here. I wasnotat all nervous and had the satisfaction of hearing that people were satisfied with what I had done and how I had done it. Received after this, audiences of Lord Melbourne, Lord John Russell, Lord Albemarle (Master of the Horse), and the Archbishop of Canterbury, all in my room and alone. Saw Stockmar. Saw Clark, whom I named my physician. Saw Mary. Wrote to Uncle Ernest. Saw Ernest Hohenlohe, who brought me a kind and very feeling letter from the poor Queen. I feel very much for her, and really feel that the poor good King was always so kind personally to me, that I should be ungrateful were I not to recollect it and feel grieved at his death. The poor Queen is wonderfully composed now, I hear.
Wrote my journal. Took my dinner upstairs alone. Went downstairs. Saw Stockmar. At about twenty minutes to 9 came Lord Melbourne and remained till near 10. I had a very important and a verycomfortableconversation with him. Each time I see him I feel more confidence in him; I find him very kind in his manner too. Saw Stockmar. Went down and said good-night to Mamma, etc. MydearLehzen willalwaysremain with me as my friend, but will take no situation about me, and I think she is right.
THE HOUSE OF COMMONS
Wilton Crescent,22nd June 1837.
Lord John Russell54presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and has the honour to report that he presented to the House of Commons this day your Majesty's gracious Message.
He then moved an Address of Condolence and Congratulation, which was seconded by Sir Robert Peel. Sir Robert Peel very properly took occasion to speak in terms of high admiration of the deportment of your Majesty before the Privy Council on Tuesday. The Address was agreed to without a dissentient voice, and your Majesty may rest assured that the House of Commons is animated by a feeling of loyalty to the Throne, and of devotion to your Majesty.
Footnote 54: Writing as Leader of the House of Commons.
(Undated—22nd or 23rd June 1837.)
My dearest Niece,—I am most grateful for your amiable letter and truly kind offer to come and see me next week. Any day convenient to your Majesty will be agreeable to me, the sooner the better, for I am equally anxious to see you again, and to express to you in person all that I feel for you at this trying moment. If Monday will suit you I shall be ready to receive you and your dear Mother on that day. My prayers are with you and my blessing follows you in all you have to go through. My health is as well as it can be after the great exertions I have suffered, and I try to keep up under my heavy trial and deep affliction.
My best wishes attend you, my dearest Niece, and I am for ever your Majesty's most affectionate and faithful Friend, Aunt and Subject,
Adelaide.
CONGRATULATIONS
Paris,le 23 Juin 1837.
Madame ma Sœur,—J'ai appris avec une vive peine la perte que votre Majesté vient de faire dans la personne de son très cher et bien aimé Oncle le Roi Guillaume IV. d'auguste et vénérable mémoire. La vive et sincère amitié que je porte à votre Majesté, et à ceux qui lui sont chers, les liens de parentéqui rapprochent nos deux familles par l'alliance de ma fille chérie avec le Roi des Belges votre Oncle bien aimé, et enfin le souvenir qui m'est toujours bien cher de la tendre amitié qui m'attachait au feu Prince votre Père, depuis que nous nous étions vus en Amérique, il y a déjà trente-huit ans,55me déterminent à ne pas attendre les formalités d'usage, pour offrir à votre Majesté mes félicitations sur son avènement au Trône de la Grande-Bretagne. Il m'est doux de penser que l'heureuse direction que la Princesse votre excellente et bien aimée Mère a si sagement donnée à votre jeune âge, vous met à portée de supporter dignement le grand fardeau qui vous est échu. Je fais les vœux les plus sincères pour que la Providence bénisse votre Règne, et qu'il soit une époque de bonheur et de prospérité pour les peuples que vous êtes appelée a gouverner. Puissiez-vous aussi jouir longtemps de tout le bonheur personnel que je vous souhaite du fond de mon cœur. Je serai toujours bien empressé de manifester à votre Majesté tous les sentiments d'attachement et d'affection que je lui porte. Qu'elle me permette d'y ajouter l'expression de la haute estime et de l'inviolable amitié avec lesquelles je ne cesserai d'être, Madame ma Sœur, de votre Majesté Le Bon Frère,
Louis Philippe R.
Footnote 55: In 1799 the Duke of Kent was Commander-in-Chief in British North America.
Laeken,23rd June 1837.
My beloved Child,—Your new dignities will not change or increase my old affection for you; may Heaven assist you, and may I have thehappiness of being able to be of use to you, and to contribute to those successes in your new career for which I am so anxious. Your letter of the 19th, written very shortly before the important event took place, gave megreat satisfaction; it showed me a temper of mind well calculated for the occasion. To see the difficulties of the task without shrinking from them or feeling alarm, and to meet them with courage, is the way to succeed. I have often seen that theconfidenceof success has been thecause of the success itself, and you will do well topreservethat sentiment.
I have been most happy to learn that the swearing in of the Council passed so well. The Declaration in the newspapers I find simple and appropriate. The translation in the papers says, "J'ai été élevés en Angleterre." 1. I should advise to say as often as possible that you arebornin England. George III.gloriedin this, and asnoneof your cousins are born in England, it is your interestde faire reporter cela fortement. 2. You never can say too much in praise of your country and its inhabitants. Two nations in Europe are really almost ridiculous in their own exaggerated praises of themselves; these are the English and the French. Your being very national is highly important, and as you happen to be born in England and never to have left it a moment,56it would be odd enough if people tried to make out the contrary. 3. The Established Church I also recommend strongly; you cannot, withoutpledgingyourself to anythingparticular,say too much on the subject. 4. Before you decide on anything important I should be glad if you would consult me; this would also have the advantage of giving you time. In politics most measures will come in time within a certain number of days; to retrace or back out of a measure is on the contrary extremelydifficult, and almost alwaysinjuriousto the highest authority.
Footnote 56: The Duke and Duchess of Kent were settled at Amorbach, in Leiningen, till a short time before the birth of their child, when they came to Kensington.
THE MINISTERS
25th June 1837.
My beloved Uncle,—Though I have animmensedeal ofbusinessto do, I shall write you a few lines to thank you for your kind and useful letter of the 23rd, which I have just received.Youradvice is always of thegreatest importanceto me.
Respecting Claremont, Stockmar will be able to explain to you thetotalimpossibility of my being out of London, as I must see my Ministerseveryday. I amverywell, sleep well, and drive every evening in the country; it is so hot that walking is out of the question. Before I go further let me pause to tell you how fortunate I am to have at the head of the Government a man like Lord Melbourne. I have seen him now every day, with the exception of Friday, and the more I see him, the more confidence I have in him; he is not only a clever statesman and an honest man, but a good and a kind-hearted man, whose aim is to do his duty for his country and not for aparty. He is of the greatest use to me both politically and privately.
I have seen almost all my other Ministers, and do regular, hard, but tome delightful, work with them. It is to me thegreatest pleasureto do my duty for my country and my people, and no fatigue, however great, will be burdensome to me if it is for the welfare of the nation. Stockmar will tell you all these things. I have reason to be highly pleased with all my Ministers,and hope to God that the Elections57may be favourable, as I well know that the present Ministry is the best and most moderate we can have.
Do not, my dearly beloved Uncle, fear for my health; I shall takegoodcare of it. I beg your advice on the enclosed paper.
Ever your devoted and grateful Niece and affectionateChild,
Victoria R.
Footnote 57: At that time rendered necessary by the demise of the Crown.
DELIBERATION ADVISED
Laeken,27th June 1837.
My dear Child,—... Now I must touch on another subject which is of vital importance for you and your comfort, viz. the habits of business which you will contract now. The best plan is to devote certain hours to it; if you do that, you will get through it with great ease. I think you would do well to tell your Ministers that for the present you would be ready to receive those who should wish to see you between the hours of eleven and half-past one. This will not plague you much, and will be sufficient in most cases for the usual business that is to be transacted.
I shall add to this a piece of advice. Whenever a question is of some importance, it should not be decided on the day when it is submitted to you. Whenever it is not an urgent one, I make it a rule not to let any question be forced upon myimmediatedecision; it is really not doing oneself justicede décider des questions sur le pouce. And even when in my mind I am disposed to accede, still I always keep the papers with me some little time before I return them. The best mode for you will be, that each Minister should bring his box with him, and when he submits to you the papers,explain them to you. Then you will keep the papers, either to think yourself upon it or to consult somebody, and either return them the next time you see the Minister to whom they belong, or send them to him. Good habits formednowmay for ever afterwards be kept up, and will become so natural to you that you will not find them at all fatiguing.
Kensington Palace,29th June 1837.
The Queen has received Lord Melbourne's communication, and thinks, as Prince Ernest of Hesse goes to the funeral, itwould be proper the Prince of Leiningen should do just the same. The Queen requests that Lord Melbourne will be so good as to take care that the Prince of Leiningen is informed as to the proper dress he ought to wear on the occasion.
Lord Albemarle mentioned yesterday to the Queen, that all the ladies' saddle-horses, including the Queen-Dowager's own favourite horses, belonged to the Queen; but it strikes her that it would be well if the Queen was to give the Queen-Dowager the choice of two or three of her own horses, and that she might keep them. The Queen would wish Lord Melbourne to give her his opinion on this subject....
STOCKMAR
Laeken,30th June 1837.
My dearest Child,—... I am glad to see that you are so much pleased with Lord Melbourne. I believe him to be as you think him. His character is a guarantee which is valuable, and remember thatclevernessandtalent,without an honest heart and character,will never do for your Minister. I shall name nobody, but what I said just now applies to some people you have recently seen.
I am so happy that you enter into the important affairs which Providence has entrusted to you with so much interest and spirit; if you continue you will besure of success, and your own conscience will give you the most delightful and satisfactory feelings. To beNationalis thegreat thing, and I was sure you would agree with what I said repeatedly to you on thisvital subject, and you will be certain in this way of theloveof the nation you govern.
I recommend to your kind attention what Stockmar will think it his duty to tell you; he will never press anything, never plague you with anything, without the thorough conviction that it is indispensable for your welfare. I can guarantee his independence of mind and disinterestedness; nothing makes an impression upon him but what his experience makes him feel to be of importance for you. I am delighted with your plan. You will recollect that I pressed upon you repeatedly how necessary it was for you to continue your studies on a moreextendedscale, more appropriate to the station you were destined once to fill. No one is better qualified to direct those studies for the next few years than Stockmar, few people possess more general information, and very, very few have been like him educated, as it were, by fate itself since 1816. There is no branch of information in which he may not prove useful—
SUBJECTS FOR STUDY
(1) History, considered in a practical and philosophical way; (2) International Law and everything connected with it; (3) Political Economy, an important branch nowadays; (4) Classic studies; (5)belles lettresin general; (6) Physical Science in all its branches, etc., etc.—the list would be very long if I were to enumerate it all. Thesooneryou do this the better; in all countries and at all times men like Stockmar have filled similar situations, even in the most bigoted and jealous countries, such as Spain, Austria, etc. You will have him in this caseconstantly near you withoutanybody having the right of finding fault with it, and to be useful to you he should be near you. Stockmar would have theimmenseadvantage, for so young a Queen, to be alivingdictionary of all matters scientific and politic that happened these thirty years, which to you is of the greatest importance, because youmust studythe political history of at least the last thirty-seven yearsmore particularly. I had begun something of the sort with you, even so far back as George II.; you will do well to go through the reign of George III., and to follow the various circumstances which brought on finally the present state of affairs....
My letter grows too long, and you will not have time to read it; I will therefore come to an end, remaining ever, my beloved Victoria, your faithfully attached Uncle and Friend,
Leopold R.
SPANISH AFFAIRS
3rd July 1837.
My dearest Uncle,—I had the happiness of receiving your kind letter of 30th June yesterday, and hasten to thank you for it. Your dear and kind letters, full of kind and excellent advice, will always be of the greatest use to me, and will always be my delight. You may depend upon it that I shall profit by your advice, as I have already so often done.
I was sure you would be of my opinion relative to Lord Melbourne. Indeed, dearest Uncle, nothing is to be done without a good heart and an honest mind; I have, alas! seen so much of bad hearts and dishonest anddoubleminds, that I know how to value and appreciatereal worth.
All is going on well at present, and the elections promise to be favourable. God grant they may be so! I had a very long and highly interesting conversation with Palmerston on Saturday, about Turkey, Russia, etc., etc. I trust something may be done for my sister Queens. They have got a Constitutionin Spain at length, and the Cortes have done very well. We hope also to conclude a treaty of commerce with the Spaniards shortly, which would be an immense thing.
If you could get my kind and dear friend Louis Philippe, whom I do so respect, and for whom I have a great affection, to do something for poor Spain, it would be of great use.
I am quitepenetratedby the King's kindness in sending good old General Baudrand58and the Duc d'Elchingen59over to compliment me; Baudrand did it very well, and with much good feeling. In Portugal, affairs look very black, I grieve to say. They have no money, and theChartistswant to bring about another counter-revolution, which would be fatal to the poor Queen's interests, I fear.
That you approve my plan about Stockmar I am delighted to hear.
I hope to go into Buckingham Palace very shortly after the funeral.
Now, dearest Uncle, I must invite youen forme. I should be mostdelightedif you, dearest Aunt Louise, and Leopold (j'insiste) could come about themiddleorendofAugust. Then I should beg you would stay a little longer than usual, a fortnight atleast. You could bring as many gentlemen, ladies,bonnes, etc., etc., as you pleased, and I should betoohappy and proud to have you undermy ownroof....
Footnote 58: General Comte Baudrand (1774-1848).
Footnote 59: Son of Marshal Ney.
5th July 1837.
Went about half-past ten o'clock to Apsley House, and told the Duke of Wellington the whole of my communication with the Queen, Duchess of Kent, and Sir John Conroy on 15th June, also of my communication subsequently with Lord Melbourne, all of which he very much approved of. He said that he was quite sure that the Queen would find Lord Melbourne an honourable man, and one in whom Her Majesty might put confidence; that he was a man apt to treat matters too lightly, or, as he expressed it, apoco curante, but in the main an honest and an honourable man. Upon my speaking to him of the kind and paternal conduct of King Leopold towards his Niece, he said that he was fully persuaded of this, and should at all and any time be ready to uphold it by his approbation, but that he had no immediate connection with the Press, whose attacksindeed he held very cheap, though they were frequently very offensive. He then asked me whether it was not true that the Queen had thought of some reviews at which she would appear on horseback. I said there had been some talk of it. He desired me to say that he thought this would be very dangerous, that she had much better do this in an open carriage, as no one except such as himself knew how difficult it was to get steady riding horses, and besides that, she could not be attended by any female, and that this would appear indelicate.
QUEEN ADELAIDE
Windsor Castle,7th July 1837.
My dearest Niece,—I must, before I leave this dear Castle, once more express to you the grateful sense I entertain for the kind treatment I have experienced from you since it has pleased our heavenly Father to put you in possession of it. You have contributed much to my comfort under all the painful and distressing circumstances of this time of woe, and I assure you that I ever shall remember it with sincere gratitude.
I hope that you continue quite well and do not suffer from the exertions and duties of your new position. My best wishes and prayers attend you on all occasions, for I shall be for the rest of my life devoted and attached to you as your most affectionate Aunt and Subject,
Adelaide.
Kensington Palace,10th July 1837.
The Queen regrets very much to hear of Lord Melbourne's indisposition, and trusts it will be of no duration.
The Queen has just seen the Lord Chamberlain and has given him all her orders. The Lord Chamberlain says that he will do everything in his power to facilitate the Queen's going into Buckingham Palace on Thursday.
The Queen fears that there may have been some mistake with respect to the Chapter of the Garter, for Lord Conyngham,60as well as several others, imagined it would be held onWednesdayinstead ofFriday. The Queen requests Lord Melbourne to rectify this mistake, as it is the Queen's intention to hold the Chapter onFriday.
Footnote 60: The Lord Chamberlain.
11th July 1837.
My dearest, best Uncle,—... I have got very little time and very little to say. Ireallyandtrulygo into BuckinghamPalace the day after to-morrow, but I must say, though I am very glad to do so, I feel sorry to leave forevermy poor old birthplace....
25th.—I shall not go out of town, I think, before the 20th or thereabouts of next month. Windsor requires thorough cleaning, and I must say I could not think of going in sooner after the poor King's death. Windsor always appears very melancholy to me, and there are so many sad associations with it. These will vanish, I daresay, if I see you there soon after my arrival there.
I have very pleasant large dinners every day. I invite my Premier generally once a week to dinner as I think it right to show publicly that I esteem him and have confidence in him, as he has behaved so well. Stockmar is of this opinion and is his great admirer....
MADAME DE LIEVEN
Neuilly,12th July 1837.
... Having still a few moments before a special messenger sets off, I take advantage of it to add a few words. By all I can hear, there are many intrigues on foot in England at this moment. Princess Lieven61and another individual recentlyimported from her country seem to be very active in what concerns them not; beware of them. A rule which I cannot sufficiently recommend is,never to permitpeople to speak on subjects concerning yourself or your affairs, without your having yourself desired them to do so. The moment a person behaves improperly on this subject, change the conversation, and make the individual feel that he has made a mistake.... People will certainly try to speak to you on yourown personalaffairs; decline it boldly, and they will leave you alone....
Now I conclude with my warmest wishes for your happiness. Ever, my dear Victoria, your faithfully attached Uncle and Friend,
Leopold R.
Footnote 61: The Princess Dorothea de Benckendorff married the Count de Lieven at fifteen; in 1812, he became Russian Minister (and later Ambassador) in London, whither she accompanied him. She was a woman of extraordinary cleverness, enjoying the confidence of George IV., Liverpool, Canning, Castlereagh, and Wellington. Inspiring the efforts, and even composing the despatches of her husband, she became herself the confidential correspondent of Nesselrode, Esterhazy, Posso di Borgo, Guizot, and Lord Aberdeen. In 1834, the Lievens returned to St Petersburg, where the Emperor Nicholas, though indifferent to the society of women of talent, showed her special marks of regard. Her husband died at Rome, in January 1838, and she established herself in Paris, afterwards seeking a home in England during the troubles of 1848. Returning to Paris, hersalonbecame again the resort of diplomatists, politicians, and men of the world. She died in January 1857.
Madame de Lieven about this time told Greville that she had had an audience of the Queen, "who was very civil and gracious, but timid and embarrassed, and talked of nothing but commonplaces"; and Greville adds that the Queen "had probably been told that the Princess was anintrigante, and was afraid of committing herself."
Madame de Lieven wrote to Lord Aberdeen on the 30th July 1837:—
J'ai vu la Reine deux fois, je l'ai vue seule, et je l'ai vue dans la société du soir, et avec son Premier Ministre. Elle a un aplomb, un air de commandement, de dignité, qui avec son visage enfantin, sa petite taille, et son joli sourire, forment certainement le spectacle le plus extraordinaire qu'il soit possible de se figurer. Elle est d'une extrême réserve dans son discours. On croit que la prudence est une de ses premières qualités. Lord Melbourne a auprès d'elle un air d'amour, de contentement, de vanité même, et tout cela mêlé avec beaucoup de respect, des attitudes très à son aise, une habitude de première place dans son salon, de la rêverie, de la gaieté, vous voyez tout cela. La Reine est pleine d'aimables sourires pour lui.
La société le soir n'était composée que du household de la Reine, de tout le household de la Duchesse de Kent (moins la famille Conroy, qui n'approche pas du Palais), et de quelques étrangers. La Duchesse de Kent est parfaitement mécontente,—elle m'en a même parlé. Je doute que la mère et la fllle habitent longtemps sous le même toit. Quant à Lord Melbourne, il me semble que la Duchesse le déteste. Il est évident qu'il est dans la possession entière et exclusive de la confiance de la Reine, et que ses ressentiments, comme ses peines passées, sont confiés sans réserve à son Premier Ministre....
PARLIAMENT PROROGUED
18th July 1837.
My beloved Uncle,—... I have been so busy, I can say but two words more, which are that I prorogued Parliament yesterday in person, was very well received, and am not at all tired to-day, but quite frisky. There is to be no reviewthis year, as I was determined to have it only if Icould ride, and as I have not ridden for two years, it was better not. Believe me, always, your devoted Niece,
Victoria R.
Stanhope Street,22nd July 1837.
... With regard to Count Orloff,62your Majesty will probably renew to him, on his taking leave, the assurances which your Majesty has already given, of your desire to cement and maintain the friendly alliance which subsists between the two Crowns; and an expression might be repeated of the pleasure which your Majesty has derived from the selection of a person who possesses the confidence and esteem of the Emperor so fully as Count Orloff is known to do.
It might, perhaps, be as well to avoid any allusion to your Majesty's not being personally acquainted with the Emperor, or anything that might be construed into an invitation to that Sovereign to come to England, because Viscount Palmerston has reason to believe that any such hint would be eagerly caught at, while at the same time such a visit does not, under all circumstances, seem to be a thing particularly to be desired....
Footnote 62: The Russian Ambassador.