The Letters of Queen Victoria Volume I Part 18

MY DEAREST NIECE,--I must, before I leave this dear Castle, once more express to you the grateful sense I entertain for the kind treatment I have experienced from you since it has pleased our heavenly Father to put you in possession of it. You have contributed much to my comfort under all the painful and distressing circ.u.mstances of this time of woe, and I a.s.sure you that I ever shall remember it with sincere grat.i.tude.

I hope that you continue quite well and do not suffer from the exertions and duties of your new position. My best wishes and prayers attend you on all occasions, for I shall be for the rest of my life devoted and attached to you as your most affectionate Aunt and Subject,

ADELAIDE.

_Queen Victoria to Viscount Melbourne._

KENSINGTON PALACE, _10th July 1837._

The Queen regrets very much to hear of Lord Melbourne's indisposition, and trusts it will be of no duration.

The Queen has just seen the Lord Chamberlain and has given him all her orders. The Lord Chamberlain says that he will do everything in his power to facilitate the Queen's going into Buckingham Palace on Thursday.

The Queen fears that there may have been some mistake with respect to the Chapter of the Garter, for Lord Conyngham,[60] as well as several others, imagined it would be held on _Wednesday_ instead of _Friday_.

The Queen requests Lord Melbourne to rectify this mistake, as it is the Queen's intention to hold the Chapter on _Friday_.

[Footnote 60: The Lord Chamberlain.]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

_11th July 1837._

MY DEAREST, BEST UNCLE,--... I have got very little time and very little to say. I _really_ and _truly_ go into Buckingham Palace the day after to-morrow, but I must say, though I am very glad to do so, I feel sorry to leave for _ever_ my poor old birthplace....

_25th._--I shall not go out of town, I think, before the 20th or thereabouts of next month. Windsor requires thorough cleaning, and I must say I could not think of going in sooner after the poor King's death. Windsor always appears very melancholy to me, and there are so many sad a.s.sociations with it. These will vanish, I daresay, if I see you there soon after my arrival there.

I have very pleasant large dinners every day. I invite my Premier generally once a week to dinner as I think it right to show publicly that I esteem him and have confidence in him, as he has behaved so well. Stockmar is of this opinion and is his great admirer....

[Pageheading: MADAME DE LIEVEN]

_The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._

NEUILLY, _12th July 1837._

... Having still a few moments before a special messenger sets off, I take advantage of it to add a few words. By all I can hear, there are many intrigues on foot in England at this moment. Princess Lieven[61]

and another individual recently imported from her country seem to be very active in what concerns them not; beware of them. A rule which I cannot sufficiently recommend is, _never to permit_ people to speak on subjects concerning yourself or your affairs, without your having yourself desired them to do so. The moment a person behaves improperly on this subject, change the conversation, and make the individual feel that he has made a mistake.... People will certainly try to speak to you on your _own personal_ affairs; decline it boldly, and they will leave you alone....

Now I conclude with my warmest wishes for your happiness. Ever, my dear Victoria, your faithfully attached Uncle and Friend,

LEOPOLD R.

[Footnote 61: The Princess Dorothea de Benckendorff married the Count de Lieven at fifteen; in 1812, he became Russian Minister (and later Amba.s.sador) in London, whither she accompanied him. She was a woman of extraordinary cleverness, enjoying the confidence of George IV., Liverpool, Canning, Castlereagh, and Wellington. Inspiring the efforts, and even composing the despatches of her husband, she became herself the confidential correspondent of Nesselrode, Esterhazy, Posso di Borgo, Guizot, and Lord Aberdeen. In 1834, the Lievens returned to St Petersburg, where the Emperor Nicholas, though indifferent to the society of women of talent, showed her special marks of regard. Her husband died at Rome, in January 1838, and she established herself in Paris, afterwards seeking a home in England during the troubles of 1848. Returning to Paris, her _salon_ became again the resort of diplomatists, politicians, and men of the world. She died in January 1857.

Madame de Lieven about this time told Greville that she had had an audience of the Queen, "who was very civil and gracious, but timid and embarra.s.sed, and talked of nothing but commonplaces"; and Greville adds that the Queen "had probably been told that the Princess was an _intrigante_, and was afraid of committing herself."

Madame de Lieven wrote to Lord Aberdeen on the 30th July 1837:--

J'ai vu la Reine deux fois, je l'ai vue seule, et je l'ai vue dans la societe du soir, et avec son Premier Ministre. Elle a un aplomb, un air de commandement, de dignite, qui avec son visage enfantin, sa pet.i.te taille, et son joli sourire, forment certainement le spectacle le plus extraordinaire qu'il soit possible de se figurer. Elle est d'une extreme reserve dans son discours. On croit que la prudence est une de ses premieres qualites. Lord Melbourne a aupres d'elle un air d'amour, de contentement, de vanite meme, et tout cela mele avec beaucoup de respect, des att.i.tudes tres a son aise, une habitude de premiere place dans son salon, de la reverie, de la gaiete, vous voyez tout cela. La Reine est pleine d'aimables sourires pour lui.

La societe le soir n'etait composee que du household de la Reine, de tout le household de la d.u.c.h.esse de Kent (moins la famille Conroy, qui n'approche pas du Palais), et de quelques etrangers. La d.u.c.h.esse de Kent est parfaitement mecontente,--elle m'en a meme parle. Je doute que la mere et la fllle habitent longtemps sous le meme toit. Quant a Lord Melbourne, il me semble que la d.u.c.h.esse le deteste. Il est evident qu'il est dans la possession entiere et exclusive de la confiance de la Reine, et que ses ressentiments, comme ses peines pa.s.sees, sont confies sans reserve a son Premier Ministre....]

[Pageheading: PARLIAMENT PROROGUED]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

_18th July 1837._

MY BELOVED UNCLE,--... I have been so busy, I can say but two words more, which are that I prorogued Parliament yesterday in person, was very well received, and am not at all tired to-day, but quite frisky.

There is to be no review _this year_, as I was determined to have it only if I _could ride_, and as I have not ridden for two years, it was better not. Believe me, always, your devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

_Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria._

STANHOPE STREET, _22nd July 1837._

... With regard to Count Orloff,[62] your Majesty will probably renew to him, on his taking leave, the a.s.surances which your Majesty has already given, of your desire to cement and maintain the friendly alliance which subsists between the two Crowns; and an expression might be repeated of the pleasure which your Majesty has derived from the selection of a person who possesses the confidence and esteem of the Emperor so fully as Count Orloff is known to do.

It might, perhaps, be as well to avoid any allusion to your Majesty's not being personally acquainted with the Emperor, or anything that might be construed into an invitation to that Sovereign to come to England, because Viscount Palmerston has reason to believe that any such hint would be eagerly caught at, while at the same time such a visit does not, under all circ.u.mstances, seem to be a thing particularly to be desired....

[Footnote 62: The Russian Amba.s.sador.]

[Pageheading: DISCRETION ADVISED]

_The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._

LAEKEN, _24th July 1837._