The Letters of Queen Victoria Volume Ii Part 2

_Queen Victoria to Sir Robert Peel._

Buckingham Palace, _23rd April 1844._

The Queen has heard with the greatest regret from Sir R. Peel that the Court of Directors, after all, mean to recall Lord Ellenborough. She cannot but consider this _very_ unwise at this critical moment, and a very ungrateful return for the eminent services Lord Ellenborough has rendered to the Company in India. They ought not to forget so soon in what state Lord Ellenborough found affairs in 1842. The Queen would not be sorry if these gentlemen knew that this is her opinion.

_The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._

Laeken, _3rd May 1844._

MY DEAREST VICTORIA,--Whenever you wish to make me _truly happy_, you will have the power of doing so by repeating expressions as kind and affectionate as those contained in your dear little letter of the 30th. I have ever had the care and affection of a _real father_ for you, and it has perhaps even been freer from many drawbacks which occasionally will exist betwixt parents and children, be they ever so well and affectionately together. With me, even from the moment in January 1820, when I was called by a messenger to Sidmouth, my care for you has been unremitting, and never has there been a cloud between us.... A thing which often strikes me, in a very satisfactory manner, is that we never had any bitter words, a thing which happens even with people who are very lovingly together; and the little row which we had in 1838 you remember well, and do not now think that _I_ was wrong.[11] _De pareilles relations sont rares; may they ever continue!_

I cannot leave this more serious topic without adding that though you were always warm-hearted and right-minded, it must strike yourself how matured every kind and good feeling is in your generous heart. _The heart, and not the head, is the safest guide in positions like yours_, and this not only for this earthly and very short life, but for that which we must hope for hereafter. When a life draws nearer its close, how many earthly concerns are there that appear _still in the same light_? and how clearly the mind is struck that nothing has been and is still of _real_ value, than the n.o.bler and better feelings of the heart; the only good we can hope to keep as a precious store for the future. What do we keep of youth, beauty, richness, power, and even the greatest extent of earthly possessions? NOTHING! ... Your truly devoted Uncle,

LEOPOLD R.

[Footnote 11: _See_ Letters of Queen Victoria and the King of the Belgians, _ante_, vol. i. pp. 116-120.]

[Pageheading: HONOURS FOR LORD ELLENBOROUGH]

_Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria._

WHITEHALL, _5th May 1844._

Sir Robert Peel, with his humble duty to your Majesty, and believing that he is acting in accordance with your Majesty's own opinion, begs leave to submit to your Majesty that it may be advisable that he should by the present mail inform Lord Ellenborough that it is your Majesty's intention to confer on him, at a very early period, as a mark of your Majesty's approval of Lord Ellenborough's conduct and services in India, the rank of an Earl and the Grand Cross of the Bath.

Lord Ellenborough may be at liberty (should your Majesty approve) to notify this publicly in India--and thus make it known that the general line of policy recently pursued has had the full sanction of your Majesty, and will not be departed from.

These were the honours conferred upon Lord Auckland.

If they were conferred _on the instant_, it might rather seem a rebuke to the East India Company than a deliberate approval of the conduct of Lord Ellenborough, but these honours might shortly follow the conclusion of the affair respecting the selection of Lord Ellenborough's successor, and any discussion that may arise in Parliament.

[Pageheading: THE PRINCE DE JOINVILLE'S _BROCHURE_]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

CLAREMONT, _24th May 1844._

DEAREST UNCLE,--Though _not_ my day I must write you a line to say _how vexed_ we are at this _most unfortunate_ and _most imprudent brochure_ of Joinville's;[12] it has made a _very bad_ effect here, and will rouse all the envy and hatred between the _two Navies_ again, which it was our great effort to subdue--and this _all_ for _nothing!_ I can't tell you how angry people are, and how poor Hadjy will get abused. And this _all_ after our having been on such intimate terms with him and having _sailed_ with him! If he comes here, _what_ shall we do? Receive with open arms one who has talked of ravaging our coasts and burning our towns? Indeed it is most lamentable; you know how we like him, and that therefore it must be very annoying to us to see him get himself into such a sc.r.a.pe. _We_ shall overlook it, but the people _here_ won't! It _will_ blow over, but it will do immense harm. We who wish to become more and more closely united with the French family are, of course, much put out by this return. We shall forgive and forget, and feel it was _not_ intended to be published--but the public _here_ will _not_ so easily, and will put the worst construction on it all.

Pray, dearest Uncle, tell me what _could_ possess Joinville to write it, and still more to have it printed? Won't it annoy the King and Nemours very much? _Enfin c'est malheureux, c'est indiscret au plus haut degre_--and it provokes and vexes us sadly. Tell me _all_ you _know_ and think about it; for you _can_ do so with perfect safety by our courier.

I have written dearest Louise an account of my _old_ birthday, which will please you, I think. The weather is very fine. Ever your _truly_ devoted Niece and Child,

VICTORIA R.

[Footnote 12: The _brochure_ was ent.i.tled, _Notes sur les forces navales de la France_. The Prince de Joinville wrote as follows to the Queen: "Le malheureux eclat de ma brochure, le tracas que cela donne au Pere et a la Reine, me font regretter vivement de l'avoir faite.

Comme je l'ecris a ton Roi, je ne renvoie que mepris a toutes les interpretations qu'on y donne; ce que peuvent dire ministre et journaux ne me touche en rien, mais il n'y a pas de sacrifices que je ne suis dispose a faire pour l'interieur de la Famille."]

[Pageheading: THE CZAR NICHOLAS]

_Queen Victoria to the Earl of Aberdeen._

_29th May 1844._

If Lord Aberdeen should not have read the Prince de Joinville's pamphlet, the Queen recommends him to do so, as one cannot judge fairly by the extracts in the newspapers. Though it does not lessen the extreme imprudence of the Prince's publishing what must do harm to the various French Governments, it certainly is _not_ intentionally written to offend England, and on the contrary frankly proves _us_ to be immensely superior to the French Navy in every way.

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _4th June 1844._

MY BELOVED UNCLE,--I gave Louise a long and detailed description of the Emperor,[13] etc. The papers are full of the details. A great event and a great compliment _his_ visit certainly is, and the people _here_ are extremely flattered at it. He is certainly a _very striking_ man; still very handsome; his profile is _beautiful_, and his manners _most_ dignified and graceful; extremely civil--quite alarmingly so, as he is so full of attentions and _politesses_. But the expression of the _eyes_ is _formidable_, and unlike anything I ever saw before. He gives me and Albert the impression of a man who is _not_ happy, and on whom the weight of his immense power and position weighs heavily and painfully; he seldom smiles, and when he does the expression is _not_ a happy one. He is very easy to get on with.

Really, it seems like a dream when I think that we breakfast and walk out with _this_ greatest of all earthly Potentates as quietly as if we walked, etc., with Charles or any one. We took him, with the dear good King of Saxony,[14] who is a great contrast to the _Czar_ (and with whom I am _quite_ at my ease), to Adelaide Cottage after breakfast.

The gra.s.s here is just as if it had been burned with fire. _How_ many different Princes have we not gone the same round with!! The children are much admired by the _Sovereigns_--(how _grand_ this sounds!)--and Alice allowed the Emperor to take her in his arms, and kissed him _de son propre accord_. We are always so thankful that they are _not_ shy.

Both the Emperor and the King are _quite_ enchanted with Windsor. The Emperor said very _poliment_: "C'est digne de vous, Madame." I must say the Waterloo Room lit up with that entire service of gold looks splendid; and the Reception Room, beautiful to sit in afterwards. The Emperor praised _my_ Angel very much, saying: "C'est impossible de voir un plus joli garcon; il a l'air si n.o.ble et si bon"; which I must say _is very_ true. The Emperor amused the King and me by saying he was so _embarra.s.se_ when people were presented to him, and that he felt so "_gauche_" _en frac_, which certainly he is quite _unaccustomed_ to wear. If we can do anything to get him to do what is right by you, we shall be most happy, and Peel and Aberdeen are very anxious for it. I believe he leaves on Sunday again. To-morrow there is to be a great review, and on Thursday _I_ shall probably go with them to the races; _they_ are gone there with Albert to-day, but I have remained at home.

I think it is time to conclude my long letter.

If the French are angry at this visit, let their dear King and their Princes come; _they_ will be sure of a _truly affectionate_ reception on our part. The one which Emperor Nicholas has received is cordial and civil, _mais ne vient pas du c[oe]ur_.

I humbly beg that any remarks which may _not_ be favourable to our great visitor may _not_ go _beyond_ you and Louise, and _not_ to _Paris_. Ever your devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

[Footnote 13: The Emperor Nicholas of Russia had just arrived on a visit to England.]

[Footnote 14: Frederick Augustus II.]