Produced by Paul Murray, Lesley Halamek and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net [Illustration: H.M. QUEEN VICTORIA, 1843 From the picture by F. Winterhalter at Windsor Castle _Frontispiece, Vol. II._] THE LETTERS OF QUEEN VICTORIA A SELECTION FROM HER MAJESTY'S CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN THE YEARS 1837 AND 1861 PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY OF HIS MAJESTY THE KING EDITED BY ARTHUR CHRISTOPHER BENSON, M.A. AND VISCOUNT ESHER, G.C.V.O., K.C.B. IN THREE VOLUMES VOL. II.--1844-1853 LONDON JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET, W. 1908 _Copyright in Great Britain and Dependencies, 1907, by_ H.M. THE KING. _In the United States by_ Messrs LONGMANS, GREEN & CO. _All rights reserved_. TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER XIII 1844 PAGES Duc de Bordeaux--Hanoverian Orders--Domestic happiness--Death of the Duke of Coburg--Lord Melbourne on old age--Recall of Lord Ellenborough--Uncle and niece--Lord Ellenborough's honours--Prince de Joinville's _brochure_--The Emperor Nicholas--A great review--At the Opera--The Emperor's character--The Emperor and Belgium--Crisis in Parliament--The King of Saxony--Lord Ellenborough and India--England, France, and Russia--France and Tahiti--King Louis Philippe expected--Arrangements for the visit--Queen Louise's solicitude--Arrival of King Louis Philippe--A successful visit--The King's departure--Opening of the Royal Exchange--Gift to the Prince of Wales--Education in India 1-29 CHAPTER XIV 1845 The Spanish marriages--Position of the Prince--Title of King Consort--Purchase of Osborne--Maynooth grant--Religious bigotry--Public executions--Birthday letter--Princess Charlotte--Vacant Deanery--Wine from Australia--King of Holland--Projected visit to Germany--Question of Lords Justices--Visit to the Chateau d'Eu--Spanish marriages--The Prince criticised--Governor-Generalship of Canada--Corn Laws--Cabinet dissensions--Interview with Sir Robert Peel--Lord John Russell suggested--Attitude of Lord Melbourne--The Queen's embarrassment--Attitude of Sir Robert Peel--Lord Stanley resigns--The Commandership-in-Chief--Duke of Wellington-- King Louis Philippe--Anxiety for the future--Insuperable difficulties--Lord Grey and Lord Palmerston--Lord John Russell fails--Chivalry of Sir Robert Peel--He resumes office--Cordial support--The Queen's estimate of Sir Robert Peel--Lord Stanley--The Prince's Memorandum--Comprehensive scheme--The unemployed--Lord Palmerston's justification--France and the Syrian War--Letter to King Louis Philippe--Ministry reinstated 30-70 CHAPTER XV 1846