The Letters of Queen Victoria Volume I Part 127

_The Earl of Aberdeen to Queen Victoria._

DRUMLANRIG, _27th October 1843._

Lord Aberdeen, with his humble duty, begs to lay before your Majesty another letter received last night from Lord Morton,[78] which gives an account of the visit of the Duc de Bordeaux, and of his further communication with the Duc de Levis on the projects and views of His Royal Highness.

Lord Aberdeen has ventured to submit this letter to your Majesty, although not intended for your Majesty's perusal, as it gives a pleasing and satisfactory description of the conduct and sentiments of this unfortunate Prince.

In order to explain to your Majesty how Lord Morton, who lives in a very retired manner, should have received a visit from the Duc de Bordeaux, Lord Aberdeen begs to mention that when the family of Charles X. resided at Edinburgh, after the Revolution of July 1830, they received information more than once, from the present Royal Family of France, that certain desperate characters had left Paris for Edinburgh, with the intention of a.s.sa.s.sinating the Duc de Bordeaux, in order to prevent all possibility of a Restoration. In consequence of this information, it was thought to be dangerous for the Prince to walk or to expose himself in the neighbourhood of Holyrood House. He was frequently driven in a carriage to Lord Morton's,[79] where he remained for a few hours, taking exercise in the park, and playing with Lord Morton's children. It is the recollection of this which has led the Prince to make his acknowledgments on the present occasion.

Lord Aberdeen also begs humbly to mention to your Majesty that on his arrival here he found the Duke and d.u.c.h.ess of Buccleuch in expectation of a visit from the Duc de Bordeaux, on his way from Glasgow to Carlisle. Lord Aberdeen informed the Duke and d.u.c.h.ess of the objections which might exist to this visit; but he believes that communications on the subject had already gone too far to render it possible to break it off with any degree of propriety. The great attentions paid by the Duke and his predecessors to the French Royal Family, both during the former and last emigration, sufficient account for this desire on the part of the Prince.

[Footnote 78: George Sholto, nineteenth Earl of Morton (1789-1858).]

[Footnote 79: Dalmahoy, Midlothian.]

[Pageheading: VISIT TO CAMBRIDGE]

[Pageheading: BETROTHAL OF THE DUC D'AUMALE]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _31st October 1843._

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--I had the pleasure of receiving your dear and kind letter of the 27th yesterday, by which I learn that you are all well and going on the 4th. Forgive me, dearest Uncle, if I say that I am glad that you are _at length_ going back to Belgium, as (though I fully understand from _personal_ experience how delightful it must be to be in the midst of that dear and perfect family) I think these long absences distress your faithful Belgians a little.

We returned on Sat.u.r.day, highly pleased and interested with our tour,[80] though a little _done up_. I seldom remember more enthusiasm than was shown at Cambridge, and in particular by the Undergraduates.

They received my dear Angel, too, with the greatest enthusiasm. This is useful, as these young people _will all, in time_, have a certain part to play; they are the rising generation, and an event of this kind makes a lasting impression on their minds.

You will have heard from Louise that there is no longer any impediment to the dear Nemours coming, which you may easily conceive gives me the greatest satisfaction. Since then, I have heard that Bordeaux does not intend visiting London till he sees by the papers that the Nemours are gone. I saw a letter from a gentleman, with whom he had been staying, and who says that he is very pleasing and unaffected, and very easily amused, and quite pleased "with missing a few pheasants, and dancing quadrilles in the evening to a pianoforte." Poor fellow! his fate certainly is a melancholy one. He should renounce, buy some property in Germany, and marry, and settle there.

I am glad to hear of Montpensier's arrival, and that my favourite Chica is in your good graces; she is a dear natural child. I am so impatient to see my dear Victoire and good Nemours--who was always a great ally of mine--again!

The Grand Duke came here last night, and goes away after luncheon, and leaves England on Thursday. He is charmed with all he has seen, and I must say is very amiable and civil. He has got a most charming large dog, called Dragon, like a Newfoundland, only brown and white, with the most expressive eyes imaginable and _si bien dresse_. Prince Alexander of the Netherlands is also coming down to take leave this week. We never had so many visitors.

I am beyond everything interested with that beautiful novel by Rellstab,[81] _1812_, which I know you admire so much. The description of the Russian Campaign is incomparable, and so beautifully written.

You quite _see_ everything before you. Have you read his other, _Paris und Algier_? By the by, have you read Custine's[82] book on Russia?

They say it is very severe on Russia, and full of hatred to the English.

We found the children very well, and Bertie quite recovered, but poor fat Alice (who, I _must_ say, is becoming _very_ pretty) has had the earache.

Mamma with Feo and Ernest are with the Queen Dowager at Witley Court since Thursday last, and only return next Thursday (the day after to-morrow). Clem seems very happy, and writes that she is happiest when she is _tete-a-tete_ with poor Gusti, which _I_ should _not_ fancy. Ever, dearest Uncle, your devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

I open my letter, dearest Uncle, to say that I have _just_ seen in a confidential despatch from Lord Cowley that Aumale is authorised to ask for the hand of the daughter of the Prince de Salerno[83] (a singular coincidence after what I wrote to you in _utter ignorance_ of this report), and that he was also to find out what the opinions of the Neapolitan Royal Family were respecting an alliance with the Queen of Spain. But tell me, dearest Uncle, if these reports are true? You may _rely_ on my discretion, and I shall not breathe a word of what you may answer me, if you wish the secret to be kept.

[Footnote 80: The Royal party went by road from Paddington to Cambridge, and stayed at the Lodge at Trinity; on the following day Prince Albert was made LL.D. The party then went to Wimpole, and visited Bourn (Lord Delawarr's). At the ball which was given at Wimpole, there was a sofa, covered with a piece of drapery given by Louis XIV. to the poet Prior and by him to Lord Oxford, the owner of Wimpole, before its purchase by Lord Chancellor Hardwicke. _See_ Lord Melbourne's letter of 7th November, _post_, p. 503. (Ch. XII, 7th November, 1843)]

[Footnote 81: Louis Rellstab (1799-1860), a prolific German writer of novels, whose thinly-veiled attacks on public men earned him at one time a sentence of imprisonment.]

[Footnote 82: The Marquis Astolphe de Custine (1790-1857), author of _La Russie en 1839_, at this time recently published.]

[Footnote 83: The Due d'Aumale married in November 1844, Caroline, daughter of the Prince and Princess of Salerno.]

[Pageheading: INDIAN AFFAIRS]

_Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria._

DRAYTON MANOR, _31st October 1843._

Sir Robert Peel presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and begs leave to return to your Majesty the accompanying communication from Lord Ellenborough, and a letter which your Majesty proposes to send to Lord Ellenborough.

In compliance with your Majesty's desire that Sir Robert Peel should inform your Majesty whether he sees anything objectionable in that letter, Sir Robert Peel humbly represents to your Majesty that he does not think it would be advisable for your Majesty personally to express to the Governor-General of India your Majesty's opinion with regard either to the policy of retaining Scinde,[84] as being of the greatest importance to the security of the Indian Empire, or as to the completeness of the defence of Sir Charles Napier from the accusations brought against him.

He humbly and most respectfully takes the liberty of submitting to your Majesty, that these being matters of important public concern, the regular and const.i.tutional channel for conveying the opinion of your Majesty with respect to them would be through your Majesty's servants.

In the particular case, indeed, of India, instructions do not proceed from your Majesty's servants, directly signifying your Majesty's pleasure, but are conveyed in despatches to the Governor-General, signed by the three members of the Secret Committee of the Court of Directors.

The Secret Court of Directors--that is, the whole Court acting in secret--have come to a Resolution (in Sir Robert Peel's opinion very unwisely and precipitately) expressing the gravest doubt, on their part, as to the policy and justice of the recent transactions in Scinde.[85]

The Court is aware that your Majesty's servants disapprove of this proceeding on their part, and that they have declined to transmit officially to Lord Ellenborough, through the Secret Committee, the condemnatory Resolution of the Court. One of the grounds on which they deprecated the Resolution was the pa.s.sing of it in the absence of full and complete information from India, in respect to the policy and to the events which led to the occupation of Scinde.

Under these circ.u.mstances, as well on the general Const.i.tutional ground, as with reference to the present state of the public correspondence in regard to Scinde, and the particular relation of the Governor-General to the East India Company, and the Court of Directors, Sir Robert Peel humbly advises your Majesty to forbear from expressing an opinion, in a private communication to the Governor-General, with regard to events in Scinde or to the policy hereafter to be pursued in respect to that country. Sir Robert Peel begs to add that in a private letter by the last mail to Lord Ripon, Lord Ellenborough observes that he is going on very harmoniously with the Members of Council at Calcutta.

[Footnote 84: Earlier in the year Lord Ellenborough had appointed Sir Charles Napier Governor of Scinde, and had by Proclamation applied the Slave Trade and Slavery Abolition Acts to Scinde.]

[Footnote 85: See Parker's _Sir Robert Peel_, vol. iii. chap. 1.]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

MELBOURNE, _7th November 1843._

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and thanks your Majesty much for the letter of the 4th inst., which he has received this morning with great satisfaction. Lord Melbourne hears with great pleasure of the gratification which your Majesty and the Prince received in your visit to Cambridge. Lord Melbourne collects from all the accounts that the proceedings in the Senate House were not only full of loyalty, enthusiasm, and grat.i.tude, but also perfectly decorous, respectful, academic, and free from all those political cries which have recently prevailed so much in the theatre at Oxford on similar occasions.[86] Lord Melbourne hopes he is within [the mark]; if he is it forms a remarkable and advantageous contrast.

Lord Melbourne does not know anywhere a better account of Cambridge, its foundations, and the historical recollections of its founders, than is given in Mr. Gray's ode on the installation of the Duke of Grafton, which it would not be amiss to read with the large explanatory notes that are given in the editions of Mason and Mathias.[87]

Lord Melbourne is very partial to Lord Hardwicke, who always is and has been very civil and good-natured to Lord Melbourne, and these are qualities to which Lord Melbourne is not at all indifferent. Wimpole is a curious place. Lord Melbourne is not exactly aware how the Yorkes got hold of it.[88] There is much history and more poetry connected with it. Prior[89] mentions it repeatedly, and always calls the first Lady Harley, the daughter of the Duke of Newcastle, Belphebe.[90] If Hardwicke should have a daughter, he should christen her Belphebe. The Lady Belphebe Yorke would not sound ill....

[Footnote 86: See _ante_, p. 292. (Ch. X, 17th June, 1841)]