"I wonder very much who our little boy will be like. You will understand how fervent are my prayers, and I am sure everybody's must be, to see him resemble his father in {348}_every, every_ respect,--both in body and mind! Oh, my dearest uncle, I am sure if you knew how happy, how blessed I feel, and how proud in possessing such a perfect being as my husband, and if you think you have been instrumental in bringing about this union it must gladden your heart!" [[A.D. 1842.]] King Frederick William of Prussia was invited to England to stand sponsor for the Prince of Wales. He arrived at Greenwich on the twenty-second of January, and was met by Prince Albert, who escorted him to Windsor Castle. There he was received by the queen with all the formalities of state. Three days later the baby-prince was christened at St. George's Chapel, Windsor. Besides the King of Prussia, the sponsors were the Duchess of Saxe-Coburg, represented by the Duchess of Kent, the Duke of Cambridge, the Duchess of Saxe-Gotha, represented by the Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Augusta of Cambridge, and Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg. The ceremony was performed with unusual splendor; the chapel was hung with banners, lights shone upon the altar, and the music was very fine. An anthem had been composed for the occasion; but the prince objected to anything new, saying: "We will have something we all know--something in which we can all join--something devotional," and so the Hallelujah Chorus was substituted. Shortly after the King of Prussia returned home Prince Albert received news of the approaching marriage of his brother Ernest with the Princess Alexandrine of Baden. He was urged to be present at the ceremony; but public affairs were in such a dreadful condition in England that he could not leave, though he was strongly inclined to do so. {349}Insurrections were from time to time breaking out in the iron and coal districts, where there was a great deal of suffering and want. Ireland was still excited by the Chartist agitators, and the horrible war with Afghanistan, where the British troops suffered so dreadfully, was still going on. These are some of the circumstances--but there were others besides--which called for an increase of soldiers and large sums of money; and the Melbourne administration, as we have seen, had left the country in debt two million five hundred thousand pounds.