ed, and the season-ticket bearers
admitted at eleven o'clock.

I did not give him any positive opinion on the subject. But the
account he gave me of the route which the Queen will follow in going
to the Exhibition takes away the main objection which I felt to the
admission of visitors before one o'clock. It appears there cannot well
be any interruption to Her Majesty's progress to and from the Crystal
Palace on the 1st of May.

I conclude that Her Majesty will not go in the State Coach, but in the
same manner that Her Majesty goes in state to the theatres....

I feel assured there will be no undue and inconvenient pressure of the
crowd in the part of the building in which Her Majesty may be. Colonel
Wemyss and Colonel Bouverie might easily be in attendance to request
the visitors not to crowd where the Queen is. At the same time, I am
ready to abide by the existing order, if Her Majesty wishes it to be
enforced.

I have the honour to submit two private letters sent by Lord
Palmerston. I have the honour to be, Sir, your Royal Highness's most
dutiful Servant,

J. RUSSELL.

[Pageheading: THE OPENING CEREMONY]

_The Duchess of Gloucester to Queen Victoria._

GLOUCESTER HOUSE, _2nd May 1851._

MY DEAREST VICTORIA,--It is impossible to tell you how warmly I do
participate in all you must have felt yesterday, as well as dear
Albert, at everything having gone off so beautifully. After so much
anxiety and the trouble he has had, the joy _must_ be the greater.[13]

The sight from my window was the gayest and the most gratifying to
witness, and to me who loves you so dearly as _I do_, made it the more
delightful. The good humour of all around, the fineness of the
day, the manner you were received in both going and coming from the
Exhibition, was quite perfect. Therefore what must it have been in the
inside of the building!

Mary and George came away in perfect _enchantment_, and every soul I
have seen describes it as the fairest sight that ever was seen and the
best-conducted _fete!_Why, G. Bathurst told me it far surpassed the
_Coronation_ as to magnificence, and we all agreed in rejoicing that
the _Foreigners should_ have witnessed the affection of the _People_
to _you_ and _your Family_, and how the _English people_ do _love_ and
respect the _Crown_. As to Mary, she was in _perfect enchantment_, and
full of how pretty your dear little Victoria looked, and how nicely
she was dressed, and so grateful to you