The Letters of Queen Victoria Volume I Part 120

All consider the restoration of the gates to be a national, not a religious, triumph. At no place has more satisfaction been expressed than at Paniput, a town almost exclusively Mussulman, where there exist the remains of the first mosque built by Sultan Mahmood after he had destroyed the city and temples of the Hindoos....

[Footnote 32: See _ante_, p. 445. (Ch. XI, 'The Gates of Somnauth')]

[Pageheading: DEATH OF THE DUKE OF SUSs.e.x]

_Extract from the Will of his late Royal Highness the Duke of Suss.e.x, dated the 11th August 1840[33] (sent at the Queen's request by Sir Robert Peel to the Duke of Wellington for his advice.)_

"I desire that on my death my body may be opened, and should the examination present anything useful or interesting to science, I empower my executors to make it public. And I desire to be buried in the public cemetery at Kensal Green in the Parish of Harrow, in the County of Middles.e.x, and not at Windsor."

[Footnote 33: The Duke of Suss.e.x died on 21st April of erysipelas. His first marriage in 1793 to Lady Augusta Murray, daughter of the fourth Earl of Dunmore, was declared void under the Royal Marriage Act. Lady Augusta died in 1830; her daughter married Sir Thomas Wilde, afterwards Lord Truro. The Duke contracted a second marriage with Lady Cecilia Underwood, daughter of the Earl of Arran and widow of Sir George Buggin: she was created d.u.c.h.ess of Inverness in 1840, with remainder to her heirs-male.]

_The Duke of Wellington to Sir Robert Peel._

STRATHFIELDSAYE, _21st April 1843._

MY DEAR PEEL,--I have just now received your letter of this day, and I return the enclosure in the box. It appears to me that the whole case must be considered as hanging together; that is, the desire to be buried at Kensal Green, that of Freemasons to pay Masonic Honours,[34]

that the body of the d.u.c.h.ess of Inverness should be interred near to his when she dies.

Parties still alive have an interest in the attainment of the two last objects, which are quite incompatible with the interment of a Prince of the Blood, a Knight of the Garter, in St George's Chapel at Windsor.

The Queen's Royal Command might overrule the Duke's desire to be buried at Kensal Green.[35] n.o.body would complain of or contend against it.

But there will be no end of the complaints of interference by authority on the part of Freemasons, and of those who will take part with the d.u.c.h.ess of Inverness: and it is a curious fact that there are persons in Society who are interested in making out that she was really married to the Duke.[36] Against this we must observe that it will be urged that the omission to insist that the interment should take place in the Collegiate Chapel of St George's, Windsor, and thus to set aside the will, lowers the Royal Family in the opinion of the public, and is a concession to Radicalism. But it is my opinion that the reasons will justify that which will be done in conformity with the will.

I confess that I don't like to decide upon cases in such haste; and I cannot consider it necessary that a decision should be made on the course to be taken in respect to the Duke's funeral, on the morrow of the day on which he died.

It would be desirable to know the opinion of the Lord Chancellor, the Archbishop, and others.

I can't think of anything likely to occur, which might alter me: and I'll abide by that which I have above given.

It will be absolutely necessary to take effective measures for the preservation of the peace at this funeral at Kensal Green: and even that the magistrates should superintend the procession of the Freemasons. Believe me, ever yours most sincerely,

WELLINGTON.

[Footnote 34: The Duke of Suss.e.x being Grand Master of England, and Master of the Lodge of Antiquity.]

[Footnote 35: The body lay in state at Kensington, and was eventually buried, as the Duke had desired, in the Kensal Green Cemetery.]

[Footnote 36: See _ante_, p. 478, note 33 (this Ch., above). The marriage took place, by special licence, at Lady Cecilia's house in Great c.u.mberland Place.]

_Queen Adelaide to Queen Victoria._

_22nd April 1843._

MY DEAREST NIECE,--I am just come back and feel very anxious to know how you are, and beg at the same time to offer to you my most affectionate condolence on the melancholy event which has taken again another member of our family from us. Pray do not trouble _yourself_ with answering this note, but let me hear how you feel, and whether you will like to see me to-morrow or at any time most convenient to you.

I feel deeply our new loss, which recalls all the previous sad losses which we have had so forcibly, and I pray that it may not affect you too much, dearest Victoria, and that you will not suffer from the shock it must have been to you. I was not in the least aware of the danger and near approach of the fatal end, and only yesterday began to feel alarmed by the accounts which I had received.

I have been with the poor d.u.c.h.ess of Inverness on my way to town, and found her as composed as possible under the sad circ.u.mstances, and full of grat.i.tude to you and all the family for all the kindness which she had received. I pity her very much. It must be her comfort to have made the last years of the Duke's life happy, and to have been his comfort to the last moment.

I wish you good-night, dearest Niece, and beg you to give my best love to dear Albert, and to believe me most devotedly your most affectionate Aunt,

ADELAIDE.

[Pageheading: BIRTH OF PRINCESS ALICE]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _16th May 1843._

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--Your kind and dear letter of the 12th has given me great pleasure. I am happy to give you still better accounts of myself.[37] I have been out every day since Sat.u.r.day, and have resumed all my usual habits almost (of course resting often on the sofa, and not having appeared in Society yet), and feel so strong and well; much better (independent of the nerves) than I have been either time. We are most thankful for it. The King of Hanover has never said _when_ he will come, even _now_, but always threatens that he will....

Our little baby, who I really am proud of, for she is so very forward for her age, is to be called _Alice_, an old English name, and the other names are to be _Maud_ (another old English name and the same as Matilda) and _Mary_, as she was born on Aunt Gloucester's birthday.

The Sponsors are to be: The King of Hanover,--Ernestus the Pious; poor Princess Sophia Matilda,[38] and Feodore, and the christening to be on the 2nd of June. It will be delightful to see you and dearest Louise on the 19th of June, G.o.d willing.

Are there any news of Joinville's proceedings at Rio?[39] Ever your devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

[Footnote 37: Princess Alice was born on 25th April.]

[Footnote 38: Princess Sophia Matilda of Gloucester.]

[Footnote 39: He married Princess Francesca, sister of the Emperor of the Brazils and of Queen Donna Maria.]

[Pageheading: CHRISTENING OF PRINCESS ALICE]

_The Earl of Ripon to Queen Victoria._

INDIA BOARD, _5th June 1843._