The Letters of Queen Victoria Volume Ii Part 9

[Pageheading: THE PRINCESS CHARLOTTE]

_The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._

LAEKEN, _21st May 1845._

MY DEAREST AND MOST BELOVED VICTORIA,--Receive my sincerest and most heartfelt good wishes on the happy reappearance of your birthday. I need not dwell on my sentiments of devotion to you; they began with _your life, and will only end with mine_. The only claim I make is to be remembered with some little affection. Thank heaven, I have little to wish you, than that your present happiness may not be disturbed, and that those who are dear to you may be preserved for your happiness.

My gift is Charlotte's portrait. The face is extremely like, and the likest that exists; the hair is a little too fair, it had become also darker. I take this opportunity to repeat that Charlotte was a n.o.ble-minded and highly gifted creature. She was nervous, as all the family have been; she could be violent, but then she was full of repentance for it, and her disposition _highly generous_ and _susceptible_ of _great devotion_.

I am the more bound to say this, as I understood that you had some notion that she had been _very imperious_, and not mistress of her temper. Before her marriage some people by dint of flattery had tried to give her masculine tastes; and in short had pushed her to become one day a sort of Queen Elizabeth. These sentiments were already a little modified before her marriage. But she was particularly determined to be a _good_ and _obedient_ wife; some of her friends were anxious she should _not_; amongst these Madame de Flahaut must be mentioned _en premiere ligne_.

This became even a subject which severed the intimacy between them.

Madame de Flahaut, much older than Charlotte, and of a sour and determined character, had gained an influence which partook on Charlotte's part a little of fear. She was afraid of her, but when once supported took courage.

People were much struck on the 2nd of May 1816 at Carlton House with the clearness and firmness with which she p.r.o.nounced "_and obey_,"

etc., as there had been a _general belief_ that it would be _for the husband_ to give _these promises_. The Regent put me particularly on my guard, and said, "If you don't resist she will govern you with a high hand." Your own experience has convinced you that real affection changes many sentiments that may have been implanted into the mind of a young girl. With Charlotte it was the more meritorious, as from a very early period of her life she was considered as the heiress of the Crown; the Whigs flattered her extremely, and later, when she got by my intervention reconciled to the Tories, they also made great efforts to please her.

Her understanding was extremely good; she knew everybody, and I even afterwards found her judgment generally extremely correct. _She had read a great deal and knew well what she had read._ Generous she was almost _too much_, and her _devotion_ was quite affecting, from a character so much pushed to be selfish and imperious.

I will here end my souvenir of poor dear Charlotte, but I thought that the subject could not but be interesting to you. Her constancy in wis.h.i.+ng to marry me, which she maintained under difficulties of every description, has been the foundation of all that touched the family afterwards. You know, I believe, that your poor father was the chief promoter, though also the Yorks were; but our correspondence from 1814 till 1816 was entirely carried on through his kind intervention; it would otherwise have been impossible, as she was really treated as a sort of prisoner. Grant always to that good and generous Charlotte, who sleeps already with her beautiful little boy so long, where all will go to, an affectionate remembrance, and believe me she deserves it.

Forgive my long letter, and see in it, what it really is, a token of the great affection I have for you. Ever, my dearest Victoria, your devoted Uncle.

LEOPOLD R.

_Queen Victoria to Sir Robert Peel._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _12th June 1845._

The Queen understands that the Deanery of Worcester has become vacant by some new arrangement. Believing that Sir Robert's brother, Mr John Peel, has a fair claim to such preferment, but being afraid that Sir Robert would perhaps hesitate to recommend him on account of his near relations.h.i.+p to him, the Queen wishes to offer herself this Deanery through Sir Robert to his brother.

_Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _12th June 1845._

Sir Robert Peel, with his humble duty to your Majesty, hastens to acknowledge your Majesty's most kind and considerate communication, and to express his grateful acknowledgments for it.

He must, in justice to his brother, a.s.sure your Majesty that he never has expressed, and probably never would express, a wish to Sir Robert Peel on the subject of preferment in the Church.

Sir Robert Peel might have hesitated to bring the name of one so nearly connected with him under the notice of your Majesty, but as his brother was highly distinguished in his academical career at Oxford, and is greatly respected for the discharge of every professional duty, Sir Robert Peel could not feel himself justified in offering an impediment to the fulfilment of your Majesty's gracious intentions in his favour, if, when the vacancy shall have actually occurred in the Deanery of Worcester, no superior claim should be preferred.[17]

[Footnote 17: Dean Peel lived till 1875.]

[Pageheading: AUSTRALIAN WINE]

_Lord Stanley to Queen Victoria._

DOWNING STREET, _10th July 1845._

Lord Stanley, with his humble duty, submits to your Majesty a despatch just received from the Governor of South Australia, enclosing the letter of a settler in the province, Mr Walter Duffield, who is anxious to be allowed the honour of offering for your Majesty's acceptance a case of the first wine which has been made in the colony.

Lord Stanley will not venture to answer for the quality of the vintage; but as the wine has been sent over with a loyal and dutiful feeling, and the importer, as well as the colonists in general, might feel hurt by a refusal of his humble offering, he ventures to hope that he may be permitted to signify, through the Governor, your Majesty's gracious acceptance of the first sample of a manufacture which, if successful, may add greatly to the resources of this young but now thriving colony.

The above is humbly submitted by your Majesty's most dutiful Servant and Subject,

STANLEY.

[Pageheading: THE KING OF HOLLAND]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

OSBORNE, _29th July 1845._

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--Accept my best thanks for your very kind little note of the 26th. As Albert writes to you about the King of Holland's visit[18] I will say but little, except that it really went off wonderfully well in our little house. We took him a sail in the _Victoria and Albert_ on Sat.u.r.day, which he admired amazingly, and after luncheon he went away, Albert taking him over to Gosport. He intends, I believe, to come here one morning for luncheon to take leave. He is grown old, and has lost all his front teeth, but he is as talkative and lively as he used to be, and seems very happy to be in England again. He was very anxious that we should pay him a visit this year, but was quite satisfied when we told him that this year it was impossible, but that we hoped some other time to do so. He was much struck at seeing me now independent and unembarra.s.sed, and talking; as when he was here in 1836[19] I was extremely crushed and kept under and hardly dared say a word, so that he was quite astonished.

He thought me grown. Believe me, always, dearest Uncle, your devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

[Footnote 18: This visit lasted ten days, and included a visit to Goodwood races and a review of the Household troops in Hyde Park. His Majesty was also appointed a Field-Marshal.]

[Footnote 19: _Ante_, vol. i. p. 47. He was then Prince of Orange, and succeeded his father, who abdicated in his favour in 1840.]

_Queen Victoria to Viscount Melbourne._

OSBORNE, _31st July 1845._

The Queen thanks Lord Melbourne very much for his last kind letter of the 11th, by which she was truly rejoiced to see he was better. We are comfortably and peacefully established here since the 19th, and derive the greatest benefit, pleasure, and satisfaction from our little possession here. The dear Prince is constantly occupied in directing the many necessary improvements which are to be made, and in watching our new house, which is a constant interest and amus.e.m.e.nt. We are most anxiously waiting for the conclusion of the Session that we may set off on our much-wished-for journey to Germany. The Queen is extremely sorry to leave England without seeing Lord Melbourne, and without having seen him all this season; but something or other always prevented us from seeing Lord Melbourne each time we hoped to do so.

We only return the night before the Prorogation and embark that same day. We have the children here. We went to the Undercliff--Ventnor, Bonchurch, etc.--on Monday, and were much delighted with all we saw.

We had a visit from the King of Holland last week, who is grown old, but otherwise just the same as he used to be.

The Queen joins with Lord Melbourne in unfeigned satisfaction at the success of the Irish measures, after so much factious opposition. Lord Grey's death[20] will have shocked Lord Melbourne, as it has us. Poor Lord Dunmore's death is a very shocking event. The Prince wishes to be most kindly remembered to Lord Melbourne.