ry,
and in general not very cold, though we had one or two very cold days.
There is a deer forest--many roe deer, and on the opposite hill (which
does not belong to us) grouse. There is also black cock and ptarmigan.
Albert has, however, no luck this year, and has in vain been after the
deer, though they are continually seen, and often quite close by the
house. The children are very well, and enjoying themselves much. The
boys always wear their Highland dress.

I must now wish you good-bye, and repeat how much delighted we are
that everything goes on so well in Belgium. Ever your devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

[Footnote 42: The incorporation of Schleswig had been forcibly
resisted, and Sweden determined on armed intervention; but a
temporary armistice was arranged in August. This the National
Assembly attempted to disavow, but a few days after this
letter was written it was ratified.]

[Pageheading: THE QUEEN AND PALMERSTON]

_Memorandum by Queen Victoria._

BALMORAL, _19th September 1848._

I said to Lord John Russell, that I must mention to him a subject,
which was a serious one, one which I had delayed mentioning for some
time, but which I felt I must speak quite openly to him upon now,
namely about Lord Palmerston; that I felt really I could hardly go
on with him, that I had no confidence in him, and that it made me
seriously anxious and uneasy for the welfare of the country and for
the peace of Europe in general, and that I felt very uneasy from one
day to another as to what might happen. Lord John replied that he was
aware of it; that he had considered the matter already, having heard
from his brother (the Duke of Bedford) how strongly I felt about it;
that he felt the truth of all that I had said, but that, on the other
hand, Lord Palmerston was a very able man, entirely master of his
office and affairs, and a very good colleague, never making any
difficulties about other questions, but (certainly _unreasonably_)
complaining of other people mixing with and interfering in the affairs
of his office. I said that ... I fully believed that that Spanish
marriage question, which had been the original cause of so many
present misfortunes, would never have become so _embrouille_ had it
not been for Lord Palmerston. This led Lord John to say, that though
he disapproved the length of Lord Palmerston's correspondence, still
that we could not have done otherwise than object to the marriage.