The Letters of Queen Victoria Volume I Part 46

Poor Ernest has been suffering since Wednesday last with the jaundice, which is very distressing and troublesome, though not alarming.... I love him dearly too, and look upon him quite as a brother.

What you say about Lord Melbourne has given me great pleasure; it is very just and very true. There are not many _such_ honest kind friends to be found in this world. He desires me to say that he is deeply sensible of your good opinion, and that he can have no other object than that which he considers best to secure my happiness, which is closely connected with the well-being of the country.

I am glad you saw Prince Metternich, and that you were satisfied with the interview.

I hope and trust you may derive much benefit from your stay at Wiesbaden. Pray name me to good Stockmar, and believe me, always, your most devoted Niece and Child,

VICTORIA R.

[Pageheading: CONGRATULATIONS]

_The Queen of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._

LAEKEN, _9th November 1839._

MY MOST BELOVED VICTORIA,--Your Uncle has already told you, I trust, with what feelings of deep affection and grat.i.tude I received the so _interesting_ and _important_ communication which you permitted him to make to me; but I was longing for an opportunity to speak to you myself of the great subject which fills now our hearts, and to tell you how very grateful I have been, I am, and will ever be, for the confidence and trust which you so kindly placed in me. All I can say is that you did full justice to my feelings, for _nothing_ could interest _more_ my heart than _your_ marriage, my most dearly loved Victoria, and I could not have heard even of that of Clementine with _more_ anxious affection and sisterly love. I cannot really tell you _with words_ how deeply and strongly I was moved and affected by the great news itself, and by your dear, unaffected, confiding, happy letter. When I received it I could do nothing but cry, and say internally, "May G.o.d bless her now and ever!" Ah! may G.o.d bless you, my most beloved Victoria! may He shower on you His best blessings, fulfil _all_ your heart's wishes and hopes, and let you enjoy for _many, many years_ the happiness which the dearest ties of affection _alone_ can give, and which is the only _real_ one, the only worthy of the name in this uncertain and transitory world!

I have seen much of dear Albert two years ago, I have watched him, as you may well think, with particular care, attention, and interest, and although he was very young then, I am well convinced that he is not only fit for the situation which he is now called to fulfil, but, what is still more important in my eyes, that he has _all those qualities_ of the heart and the mind which can give and ensure happiness. I think even that his disposition is particularly well calculated to suit yours, and I am fully confident that you will be both happy together.

What you tell me of your fear of not being worthy of him, and able to make him sufficiently happy, is for me but a proof more of it. Deep affection makes us always diffident and _very humble_. Those that we love stand so high in our own esteem, and are in our opinion so much above us and all others that we naturally feel unworthy of them and unequal to the task of making them happy: but there is, I think, a mingled charm in this feeling, for although we regret not to be what we should wish to be for them, feeling and acknowledging the superiority of those we love and must always love and respect, is a great satisfaction, and an increasing and everlasting one. You will feel it, I am sure, as well as I do....

You will excuse my blots and hurried scribbling when I will tell you that in order to profit of the private messenger which goes to-morrow morning I write to you at ten in the evening, a thing quite unusual for me, and even rather forbidden: but after having been deprived of expending my heart for so many days, I could not _not_ avail myself of the present opportunity. When I write to you by the ordinary messenger I will continue to be _silent_; but I trust you will permit me to say some time a word, when a safe opportunity presents itself, for my heart is with you more than I can tell. I would that I could see you, when it could be, for an hour. I remain, my most beloved Victoria, ever and ever your most affectionate

LOUISE.

[Pageheading: THE ANNOUNCEMENT]

_Queen Victoria to the Duke of Suss.e.x._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _11th November 1839._

MY DEAR UNCLE,--The affection which you have shown me makes me feel certain that you will take interest in an event which so nearly concerns the future happiness of my life; I cannot, therefore, delay any longer to inform you of my intended marriage with my Cousin Albert, the merits of whose character are so well known by all who are acquainted with him, that I need say no more than that I feel as a.s.sured of my own happiness as I can be of anything in this world.

As it is not to be publicly known, I beg you not to mention it except to our own Family.

I hope you are well and enjoying yourself. Believe me, always, your affectionate Niece,

VICTORIA R.[64]

[Footnote 64: Similar letters with slight variations were written to the Duke of Cambridge, the Princess Augusta, the Princess Sophia, the d.u.c.h.ess of Gloucester, the Princess Sophia Matilda, the King of Hanover, and the Princess Elizabeth (Landgravine of Hesse-Homburg).]

_Queen Victoria to Queen Adelaide._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _14th November 1839._

MY DEAR AUNT,--Your constant kindness and the affection you have ever shown me make me certain that you will take much interest in an event which so nearly concerns the future happiness of my life; I cannot, therefore, any longer delay to inform you of my intended marriage with my Cousin Albert. The merits of his character are so well known to all who are acquainted with him, that I need say no more than that I feel as a.s.sured of my own happiness as I can be of anything here below, and only hope that I may be able to make him as happy as he deserves to be. It was both my duty and my inclination to tell you of this as soon as it was determined upon; but, as it is not to be yet publicly announced I beg you not to mention it except to our own Family. I thank you much for your kind letter, and rejoice to hear you have enjoyed yourself so much. Believe me, always, your very affectionate Niece,

VICTORIA R.

_Queen Victoria to Viscount Melbourne._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _18th November 1839._

The Queen just writes two lines to send Lord Melbourne the accompanying civil letter from the Queen Dowager, and to give him an account of the visit of the Cambridges. They were all very kind and civil, George grown but not embellished, and much less reserved with the Queen, and evidently happy to be _clear_ of me. He gave a very indifferent account of the King of Greece, but a favourable one of the Queen.

The d.u.c.h.ess said she had expected the Queen would marry Albert, and was not surprised at the event. They were very discreet and asked no questions, but described the d.u.c.h.ess of Gloucester to be _suffering_ much from the necessity of keeping the secret.

The weather cleared up, and the Queen has just returned from a walk.

She hopes Lord Melbourne got safe to London in spite of the wet and the water on the road; and she hopes he will take great care of himself. She would be thankful if he would let her know to-morrow if he will dine with her also on Thursday or not.

[Pageheading: LETTERS TO PRINCE ALBERT]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _19th November 1839_.

MY DEAR UNCLE,--Many thanks for your kind letter of the 5th, received last week. I am in a great hurry, and therefore have only time to write to you a line to tell you, first, that on the 15th I wrote to all the Royal Family announcing the event to them, and that they answered all very kindly and civilly; the d.u.c.h.ess of Cambridge and Augusta, with the Duke and George, came over on purpose to congratulate me yesterday; secondly, that the marriage is to be _publicly announced_ in an Open Council on the 23rd, at Buckingham Palace, where I am going to-morrow. I return here _after_ the Council on the 23rd. I am so happy to think I need not then conceal my feelings any longer. I have also written to the King of Hanover and the Landgravine,[65] and to all our relations abroad. I hope, dear Uncle, you will not have _ill-treated_ my dearest Albert! I am very anxious to hear from him from Wiesbaden. Ever your devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

[Footnote 65: Princess Elizabeth (1770-1840), daughter of George III. and widow of the Landgrave Frederick Joseph Louis of Hesse-Homburg.]

[The following extracts of letters from the Queen to Prince Albert were written partly in English and partly in German. The English portions are printed in italics, the German, translated, in ordinary type. These letters are all written in terms of profound affection, which deepened very shortly into complete and absolute devotion to the Prince.]

_Queen Victoria to Prince Albert._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _21st November 1839._