for the _Play_ which we have
to-morrow. We had a very successful one last week. The Persignys come
to-day.

Now I must end. With Albert's love, ever your devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

[Footnote 3: The Queen, later in the year, lent Bagshot Park
temporarily to Sir James Clark.]

[Pageheading: ANNEXATION OF SAVOY]

[Pageheading: VICTOR EMMANUEL]

_Queen Victoria to Lord John Russell._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _21st January 1860_.

The Queen returns the enclosed important letter from Lord Cowley,
and Lord John Russell's answers--documents which she trusts will
be communicated to the Cabinet. The Emperor shows unwillingness to
evacuate Rome and Lombardy, disinclination to admit of the annexation
of the Duchies to Sardinia, a feeling that he could not do so without
appearing dishonourable in the eyes of Austria, and a determination
to rob Sardinia of Savoy in order to repay the French Nation for the
rupture with the Pope, and the abandonment of a protective tariff by
the reconquest of at least a portion of the "_frontieres naturelles de
la France_."[4] Lord Cowley's letter proves clearly that it is (as the
Queen all along felt and often said) most dangerous for us to offer
to bind ourselves to a common action with the Emperor with regard to
Italy, whilst he has entered into a variety of engagements with the
different parties engaged in the dispute, of which we know nothing,
and has objects in view which we can only guess at, and which have not
the good of Italy in view, but his own aggrandisement to the serious
detriment of Europe.

With regard to Lord John Russell's answer, the Queen will only say
that our proposal having been made by us after serious reflection and
the anxious discussion of the Cabinet and the Queen, no deviation from
it ought to take place without affording them ample opportunity to
consider the bearings and probable results of such alteration.

[Footnote 4: The cession by King Victor Emmanuel of Savoy
(the cradle of his race) and of Nice to France was the
consideration offered at Plombieres for obtaining French
support to the movement for freeing Italy "from the Alps to
the Adriatic"; that result not having been achieved, a like
price was now offered for French assistance in effecting the
annexation of the Central Italian provinces.]

_Queen Victoria to Viscount Palmerston._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _22nd January 1860_.

The Queen has received Lord Palme