not
only of his parents but of the King--and that finding Vicky _so
allerliebst_, he could delay _no_ longer in making this proposal. I
need _not_ tell you with _what_ joy _we_ accepted him _for_ our
part; but the child herself is to know nothing till _after_ her
confirmation, which is to take place next Easter, when he probably
will come over, and, as he wishes himself, make her the proposal,
which, however, I have little--indeed no--doubt she will gladly
_accept_. He is a dear, excellent, charming young man, whom we shall
give our dear child to with perfect confidence. What pleases us
greatly is to see that he is really delighted with Vicky.

Now, with Albert's affectionate love, and with the prayer that _you_
will give _your_ blessing to this alliance, as you have done to ours,
ever your devoted Niece and Child,

VICTORIA R.

_Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria._

PICCADILLY, _22nd September 1855_.

Viscount Palmerston presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and
begs, in the first place, to be allowed to offer to your Majesty his
most sincere congratulations upon the prospective arrangement which
His Royal Highness the Prince Albert announced in his letter to Lord
Clarendon, but which, for obvious reasons, should be left to public
conjecture for the present. Viscount Palmerston trusts that the event,
when, it takes place, will contribute as much to the happiness of
those more immediately concerned, and to the comfort of your Majesty
and of the Royal Family, as it undoubtedly will to the interests of
the two countries, and of Europe in general....

Viscount Palmerston begs to state that the Professorship of Greek
at the University of Oxford, which was held by the late Dean of
Christchurch,[86] is still vacant, Viscount Palmerston having
doubts as to the best person to be appointed. The present Dean of
Christchurch admitted that the Professorship ought to be separated
from the Deanery; he has now recommended for the Professorship the
Rev. B. Jowett, Fellow and Tutor of Balliol College, who is an
eminent Greek scholar and won the Hertford Scholarship; and Viscount
Palmerston submits, for your Majesty's gracious approval, that Mr
Jowett may be appointed.

[Footnote 86: The Very Rev. Thomas Gaisford, D.D., who was
appointed Regius Professor of Greek in 1811, and Dean of
Christchurch in 1831.]

[Pageheading: THE COLONIAL OFFICE]

_Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria._

PICCA