The Letters of Queen Victoria Volume I Part 71

We are, and so is _everybody here_, so charmed with Mme. Rachel;[50]

she is perfect, _et puis_, such a nice modest girl; she is going to declaim at Windsor Castle on Monday evening.

Now adieu in haste. Believe me, always, your very devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

Really Leopold _must_ come, or I shall _never_ forgive you.

[Footnote 50: The young French actress, who made her _debut_ in England on 4th May as Hermione in Racine's _Andromaque._ She was received with great enthusiasm.]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _8th June 1841._

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty. He is quite well, and has nothing particular to relate to your Majesty, at least nothing that presses; except that he is commissioned by Lord John Russell respectfully to acquaint your Majesty that his marriage is settled, and will take place shortly.

_Queen Victoria to Viscount Melbourne._

Does Lord Melbourne _really_ mean J. Russell's _marriage_? and to whom?

[Pageheading: VISIT TO NUNEHAM]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

The Lady f.a.n.n.y Eliot.[51] Lord Melbourne did not name her before, nor does not now, because he did not remember her Christian name.

[Footnote 51: Daughter of Lord Minto. Lord Melbourne originally wrote _The Lady ---- Eliot_ at the head of his letter (spelling the surname wrong, which should be Elliot).

The word "f.a.n.n.y" is written in subsequently to the completion of the letter.]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

NUNEHAM,[52] _15th June 1841._

Affairs go on, and all will take some shape or other, but it keeps one in hot water all the time. In the meantime, however, the people are in the best possible humour, and I never was better received at Ascot, which is a great test, and also along the roads yesterday. This is a most lovely place; pleasure grounds in the style of Claremont, only much larger, and with the river Thames winding along beneath them, and Oxford in the distance; a beautiful flower and kitchen garden, and all kept up in perfect order. I followed Albert here, faithful to my word, and he is gone to Oxford[53] for the whole day, to my great grief.

And here I am all alone in a strange house, with not even Lehzen as a companion, in Albert's absence, but I thought she and also Lord Gardner,[54] and some gentlemen should remain with little Victoria for the first time. But it is rather a trial for me.

I must take leave, and beg you to believe me always, your most devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

[Footnote 52: The house of Edward Vernon Harcourt, Archbishop of York.]

[Footnote 53: To receive an address at Commemoration.]

[Footnote 54: Alan Legge, third and last Lord Gardner (1810-1883) was one of the Queen's first Lords-in-Waiting.]

[Pageheading: THE PRINCE VISITS OXFORD]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

SOUTH STREET, _16th June 1841._

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty. He has just received your Majesty's letter, and will wait upon your Majesty at half-past five. Lord Melbourne is sorry to hear that your Majesty has been at all indisposed. It will suit him much better to wait upon your Majesty at dinner to-morrow than to-day, as his hand shows some disposition to gather, and it may be well to take care of it.

Lord Melbourne is very glad to learn that everything went off well at Oxford. Lord Melbourne expected that the Duke of Sutherland[55] would not entirely escape a little public animadversion. Nothing can be more violent or outrageous than the conduct of the students of both Universities upon such occasions; the worst and lowest mobs of Westminster and London are very superior to them in decency and forbearance.

The Archbishop[56] is a very agreeable man; but he is not without cunning, and Lord Melbourne can easily understand his eagerness that the Queen should not prorogue Parliament in person. He knows that it will greatly a.s.sist the Tories. It is not true that it is universal for the Sovereign to go down upon such occasions. George III. went himself in 1784; he did not go in 1807, because he had been prevented from doing so by his infirmities for three years before. William IV.

went down himself in 1830.[57]

Lord Melbourne sends a note which he has received from Lord Normanby upon this and another subject.

[Footnote 55: Who was, of course, a.s.sociated with the Whig Ministry.]

[Footnote 56: Archbishop Vernon Harcourt, of York, the Queen's host.]

[Footnote 57: The Queen prorogued Parliament in person on 22nd June.]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _17th June 1841._

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--A few lines I must write to you to express to you my _very great_ delight at the certainty, G.o.d willing, of seeing you all _three_ next week, and to express a hope, and a _great hope_, that you will try and arrive a little earlier on Wednesday.... I must again repeat I am so sorry you should come when Society is dispersed and at sixes and sevens, and in such a state that naturally I cannot at the moment of the elections invite many Tories, as that _tells_ so at the elections. But we shall try and do our best to make it as little dull as we can, and you will kindly take the will for the deed.

We came back from Nuneham yesterday afternoon. Albert came back at half-past five on Tuesday from Oxford, where he had been enthusiastically received, but the students ... had the bad taste to show their party feeling in groans and hisses when the name of a Whig was mentioned, which they ought not to have done in my husband's presence.

I must now conclude, begging you ever to believe me, your devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.