The Letters of Queen Victoria/Volume 2/Chapter 13/From Viscount Melbourne 3 April 1844
Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.
Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty, with many thanks for your Majesty’s note of the 28th ult. Lord Melbourne believes that your Majesty is quite right in saying that Lord Melbourne has still some health left, if he will but take care of it. Lord Melbourne told Dr Holland, with- out mentioning your Majesty’s name, that this had been said to him by a friend, and Dr Holland immediately said that it was very just and true, and very well expressed, and quite what he should have said himself. At the same time, the change from strength to weakness and the evident progress of decadence is a very hard and disagreeable trial. Lord Melbourne has been reading Cicero on old age, a very pretty treatise, but he does not find much consolation after it; the principal practical resources and alleviations which he recommends are agriculture and gardening, to both of which, but more particularly to the latter, Lord Melbourne has already had recourse. It is certainly, as your Majesty says, wrong to be impatient and to repine at everything, but still it is difficult not to be so. Lady Uxbridge’s death[1] is a shocking event, a dreadful loss to him and to all. Lord Melbourne always liked her. Lord Melbourne is going down to Brocket Hall to-morrow, and will try to get Uxbridge and the girls to come over and dine.
Lord Melbourne has felt very much for the grief which your Majesty must feel at a separation, even short and temporary, from the Prince, and it is extremely amiable to feel comforted by the recollection of the extreme pleasure which his visit will give to his and your Majesty’s relations. It is, of course, impossible that your Majesty should in travelling divest yourself of your character and dignity.
Lord Melbourne has just driven round the Regent’s Park, where there are many almond trees in bloom, and looking beautiful.
- ↑ Henrietta Maria, daughter of Sir Charles Bagot, G.C.B.