Volume I Part 26 (1/2)
Lady Louisa Jenkinson.
[Footnote 15: John, sixteenth Earl of Shrewsbury (1791-1852).]
_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._
_17th May 1838._
Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and thinks that your Majesty had better direct Lord Conyngham to ask the Archbishop, before the Audience, who has generally been there and how it ought to be conducted.
Your Majesty had better read the Answer and not give it to the Archbishop, as Lord Melbourne apprehends the Archbishop does not give your Majesty the Address.
Your Majesty had better say something kind to each of the Bishops as they are presented. They are presented to your Majesty in this manner as a sort of privilege, instead of being presented at the Drawing-Room with others, and your Majesty should conduct yourself towards them exactly as if they had been presented in the usual circle. The time is about half-past one, and your Majesty had better be punctual so as not to delay the Drawing-Room.
[Pageheading: THE SLAVE TRADE]
_In the same letter is enclosed a draft of a letter which it was suggested by Lord Melbourne that the Queen should write to the King of Portugal, with regard to the suppression of the Slave Trade._
[Draft enclosed]
That you hope that the King and Queen of Portugal will not consider the strong representations made by your Government on the subject of the Slave Trade as arising from any desire to embarra.s.s them. That there is every disposition to make allowance for the difficulties of Portugal, but allowance must also be made for the feelings of the people of England; that those feelings on the Slave Trade are as strong as they are just. That England has made great sacrifices for the suppression of that crime, that she has made sacrifices to Portugal, and that she has been extremely indignant at finding that traffic so obstinately continued to be sheltered and protected under the flag of Portugal. That Portugal must not expect that England will much longer refrain from taking effectual measures for preventing these practices. That you have spoken thus openly because you wish them to be aware of the truth, and that you entreat both the Queen and the King to use their power and influence in procuring such a treaty to be concluded without delay, as will satisfy England and exonerate Portugal from the reproach under which she now labours.
This is the substance of what might be written. It is perhaps a little harshly worded, but your Majesty may soften it.
_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._
BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _25th May 1838._
MY DEAREST UNCLE,--I am most thankful for your very kind letter, and for the beautiful little sword, which delights me.
I have been dancing till past four o'clock this morning; we have had a charming ball, and I have spent the happiest birthday that I have had for many years; oh, _how_ different to last year! Everybody was so kind and so friendly to me.
We have got a number of Austrians and Milanese here, among whom are a Prince Odescalchi, and a Count Eugene Zichy, renowned for his magnificent _turquoises_ and his famous valzing, a good-natured _elegant_; we have also Esterhazy's daughter Marie--now Countess Chorinsky--a Count and Countess Grippa, and a Marquis and Marchioness of Trivalzi, etc.
Old Talleyrand[16] is at last dead. I hear he showed wonderful composure and firmness to the last. He was one of those people who I thought never would die. Did you know what Pozzo said to somebody here about him? He said he (Talleyrand) would not die yet, ”_parce que le Diable ne voulait pas l'avoir_.”
[Footnote 16: Died 17th May, aged eighty-four.]
[Pageheading: INDEPENDENCE OF BELGIUM]
_The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._
LAEKEN, _2nd June 1838._