The Letters of Queen Victoria Volume I Part 55

_The King of the French to Queen Victoria._

_11 Juin 1840._

MADAME MA S[OE]UR,--C'est avec une profonde indignation que je viens d'apprendre l'horrible attentat qui a menace les precieux jours de votre Majeste. Je rends grace du fond de mon c[oe]ur a la Divine Providence qui les a miraculeus.e.m.e.nt conserves, et qui semble n'avoir permis qu'ils fussent exposes a un si grand danger, que pour faire briller aux yeux de tous, votre courage, votre sang-froid, et toutes les qualites qui vous distinguent.

J'ose esperer que votre Majeste me permettra de recourir a son entremise pour offrir a S.A.R. le Prince Albert, l'expression de tous les sentiments dont je suis penetre, et qu'elle voudra bien recevoir l'a.s.surance de tous ceux que je lui porte, ainsi que celle de ma haute estime, de mon inalterable attachement et de mon inviolable amitie. Je suis, Madame ma S[oe]ur, de votre Majeste, le bon Frere,

LOUIS PHILIPPE R.

[Pageheading: A PROVIDENTIAL ESCAPE]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

_11th June 1840._

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and returns your Majesty many, many thanks for your letter. Lord Melbourne was indeed most anxious to learn that your Majesty was well this morning.

It was indeed a most awful and providential escape. It is impossible not to shudder at the thought of it.

Lord Melbourne thinks that it will be necessary to have an examination of this man before such of your Majesty's confidential servants as are of the Privy Council;[25] it should take place this morning.

Addresses will be moved in both Houses immediately upon their meeting.

[Footnote 25: _I.e._, the Cabinet.]

_The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._

LAEKEN, _13th June 1840._

MY DEAREST AND MOST BELOVED VICTORIA,--I cannot find words _strong enough_ to express to you my horror at what happened on the 10th, and my happiness and delight to see your escape from a danger which was really very great. In your good little heart I hope that it made you feel grateful to G.o.d for a protection which was very signal. It does good and is a consolation to think that matters are not _quite_ left to take care of _themselves_, but that an all-powerful Hand guides them.

Louise I told the affair mildly, as it might have made too great an impression on her otherwise. She always feels so much for you and loves you so much, that she was rejoiced beyond measure that you escaped so well and took the thing with so much _courage_. That you have shown _great fort.i.tude_ is not to be doubted, and will make a very great and good impression. I see that the general feeling is excellent, but what a melancholy thing to see a young man, without provocation, capable of such a diabolical act! That attempts of that sort took place against George III., and even George IV., one can comprehend; but you have not only been extremely liberal, but in no instance have you hitherto come into contact with any popular feeling or prejudice; besides, one should think that your being a lady would alone prevent such unmanly conduct. It shows what an effect bad example and the bad press have. I am sure that this act is _une singerie_ of what pa.s.ses in France, that it is a fancy of some of those societies _de Mort aux Rois et Souverains_, without knowing wherefore, merely as a sort of fashion....

[Pageheading: EGYPT AND THE POWERS]

_The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._

ST CLOUD, _26th July 1840._

MY DEAREST VICTORIA,--Your dear letter of the 19th greatly delighted me....

Let me now add a few words on politics. The _secret_ way in which the arrangement about the arbitration of the Turco-Egyptian affairs has been signed, the keeping out of France in an affair so _near_ it and touching its interests in various ways, has had here a very _disastrous_ effect.[26] I cannot disguise from you that the consequences may be very serious, and the more so as the Thiers Ministry is supported by the movement party, and as _reckless of consequences_ as your own Minister for Foreign Affairs, even much more so, as Thiers himself would not be sorry to see everything existing upset. He is strongly impregnated with all the notions of fame and glory which belonged to part of the Republican and the Imperial times; he would not even be much alarmed at the idea of a Convention ruling again France, as he thinks that _he_ would be the _man to rule_ the a.s.sembly, and has told me last year that he thinks it for France perhaps the _most powerful_ form of Government.[27]

The mode in this affair ought to have been, as soon as the Four Powers had agreed on a proposition, to communicate it officially to France, to join it. France had but two ways, either to join or to refuse its adhesion. If it had chosen the last, it would have been a free decision on her part, and a secession which had nothing offensive in the eyes of the nation.

But there is a material difference between leaving a company from motives of one's own, or being _kicked out_ of it. I must beg you to speak seriously to Lord Melbourne, who is the head of your Government, on these important affairs; they may upset everything in Europe if the mistake is not corrected and moderated.

I shall write again to you next Friday from hence, and on Sat.u.r.day, 1st August, we set off. Ever, my dearest Victoria, your devoted Uncle,

LEOPOLD R.

[Footnote 26: On the 15th of July a convention was signed in London by representatives of England, Russia, Austria, and Prussia, offering an ultimatum to the Viceroy of Egypt. The exclusion of France was hotly resented in Paris. Guizot, then Amba.s.sador in London, had been kept in ignorance of the project, but the Foreign Secretary, Lord Palmerston, denied that there had been any discourtesy intended, or want of consideration shown.]

[Footnote 27: Louis Adolphe Thiers (1797-1877), who through the Press had contributed to the downfall of the Bourbons, had held various Cabinet offices under Louis Philippe, and, from March to October 1840, was for the second time Premier.]

[Pageheading: PRINCE LOUIS NAPOLEON]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

_7th August 1840._ (10 P.M.)

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty. The House of Lords lasted until eight, and Lord Melbourne might by an exertion have got to the Palace to dinner, but as he had the Speech, by no means an easy one, to prepare for the consideration of the Cabinet to-morrow, he thought it better to take this evening for that purpose, and he hopes therefore that your Majesty will excuse his not coming, which is to him a great sacrifice to have made.

Your Majesty will have probably seen by this time the report from your Majesty's Consul at Boulogne of the mad attempt of Louis Bonaparte.[28] It is rather unfortunate that it should have taken place at this moment, as the violent and excited temper of the French nation will certainly lead them to attribute it to England. It will also be highly embarra.s.sing to the King of the French to have in his possession a member of the family of Bonaparte and so many Bonapartists who have certainly deserved death but whom it may not be prudent or politic to execute.

[Footnote 28: The Prince, afterwards the Emperor Napoleon III., descended on Boulogne with fifty-three persons, and a tame eagle which had been intended, with stage effect, to alight on the Colonne de Napoleon. He was captured, tried for high treason, and sentenced to perpetual imprisonment. He effected his escape, which was undoubtedly connived at by the authorities, in 1846.]

[Pageheading: THE CONVENTION OF 1828]

_The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._

WIESBADEN, _22nd September 1840._

MY DEAREST VICTORIA,--I was most happy in receiving this morning per messenger your dear little letter of the 15th, though it is grown a little elderly. The life one leads here is not favourable to writing, which, besides, is prohibited, and easily gives me palpitation enough to sing "_di tanti palpiti!_" I get up at half after six and begin to drink this hot water; what with drinking and walking one comes to ten o'clock or half after ten for breakfast. Then I read papers and such like things. At one o'clock I have been generally bored with some visit or other till two o'clock. I try to finish some writing, and then I walk and ride out till dinner-time, generally at seven. In the evening I have written sometimes, but it certainly does one harm. You see that there remains but little time for writing.

I am most happy to find that you are well; the papers, which don't know what to invent to lower the Funds, said that you had been unwell on the 10th, which, G.o.d be praised! is not at all true.

I pity poor Princess Augusta[29] from all my heart. I am sure that if she had in proper time taken care of herself she might have lived to a great age. I have not time to-day to write at any length on the politics of the day, but I am _far from thinking_ that the French _acted wisely_ in the Oriental affair. I must say that I think the King _meant well_, but I should not have _abstained_ from the Conference as he did, though, in France, interference with Mehemet Ali was certainly not popular. In England much of the _fond_ is logical, but the form towards France was, and is still, harsh and insulting. I don't think France, which these ten years behaved well, and the poor King, who was nearly murdered I don't remember how often, deserved to be treated so unkindly, and all that seemingly to please the great Autocrat. We must not forget what were the fruits of the _first_ Convention of July 1828--I think the 16th or 26th of that month; I ought to remember it, as I took its name in vain often enough in the Greek affair.