iness to follow his advice, and her acceptance of
the resignation of Lord Palmerston. She will be prepared to see Lord
John after the Cabinet on Monday, as he proposes.

_Queen Victoria to Lord John Russell._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _20th December 1851._

With respect to a successor to Lord Palmerston, the Queen must
state, that after the sad experience which she has just had of the
difficulties, annoyances, and dangers to which the Sovereign may be
exposed by the personal character and qualities of the Secretary for
Foreign Affairs, she must reserve to herself the unfettered right to
approve or disapprove the choice of a Minister for this Office.

Lord Granville, whom Lord John Russell designates as the person best
calculated for that post, would meet with her entire approval. The
possible opinion of the Cabinet that more experience was required does
not weigh much with the Queen. From her knowledge of Lord Granville's
character, she is inclined to see no such disadvantage in the
circumstance that he has not yet had practice in managing Foreign
Affairs, as he will be the more ready to lean upon the advice and
judgment of the Prime Minister where he may have diffidence in his
own, and thereby will add strength to the Cabinet by maintaining unity
in thought and action. The Queen hopes Lord John Russell will not omit
to let her have copies of his correspondence with Lord Palmerston, as
he has promised her.[38]

[Footnote 38: On the same day the Prince wrote to the Premier
that the Queen was much relieved. She had contemplated
dismissing Lord Palmerston herself, but naturally shrank from
using the power of the Crown, as her action would have been
criticised without the possibility of making a public defence;
in his view the Cabinet was rather strengthened than otherwise
by Palmerston's departure, and public sympathy would not be
with him. The rest of the letter is published in _The Life of
the Prince Consort_.]

_Queen Victoria to Lord John Russell._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _21st December 1851._

The Queen has received Lord John Russell's letter of to-day. She is
not the least afraid of Lord Granville's not possessing sufficient
public confidence for him to undertake the Foreign Affairs. He is very
popular with the House of Lords, with the Free Traders, and the Peace
party, and all that the Continent knows of him is in his favour; he
had great success at Paris last summer, and