ommer
that poor Stockmar had had a relapse, but the illness is clearly of
a spasmodic nature and therefore _not_ at all dangerous, and the pain
had speedily left him, but of course left him again weaker, which is
most distressing.

Now with Albert's affectionate love and our reiterated _warmest_
thanks, in which Vicky is included, for your having so VERY kindly
come over for her Confirmation, believe me, ever, your devoted Niece
and Child,

VICTORIA R.

[Footnote 23: Prince William Nicholas, born 1840, elder son of
King William III. of Holland.]

[Footnote 24: The new Russian Ambassador was Count
Creptowitch.]

_Queen Victoria to the Emperor of the French._

PALAIS DE BUCKINGHAM, _le 3 Avril 1856_.

SIRE ET MON CHER FRERE,--V.M. me permettra de lui offrir toutes mes
felicitations a l'occasion de la paix qui a ete conclue sous vos
auspices, et peu de jours seulement apres l'heureux evenement qui vous
a donne un fils. Quoique partageant le sentiment de la pluspart de
mon peuple qui trouve que cette paix est peut-etre un peu precoce,
j'eprouve le besoin de vous dire que j'approuve hautement les termes
dans lesquels elle a ete concue, comme un resultat qui n'est pas
indigne des sacrifices que nous avons faits mutuellement pendant cette
juste guerre, et comme assurant autant que cela se peut, la stabilite
de l'equilibre Europeen....

Le Prince me charge de vous offrir ses hommages les plus affectueux,
et je me dis pour toujours, Sire et cher Frere, de V.M.I., la bien
affectionnee S[oe]ur et Amie,

VICTORIA R.

[Pageheading: HONOURS GRATEFULLY DECLINED]

_The Earl of Clarendon to Queen Victoria._

PARIS, _6th April 1856_.

Lord Clarendon presents his humble duty to your Majesty....

Lord Clarendon humbly begs in Lord Cowley's name and his own most
gratefully to acknowledge the kind and gracious intention of your
Majesty to raise each of them a step in the Peerage, and they venture
to hope that your Majesty will not have been displeased at their
having respectfully declined this great distinction. Lord Cowley's
reason was his extreme poverty, and the feeling that an accession of
rank would only aggravate the inconvenience he already experiences
from being a Peer....

Lord Clarendon felt that courtesy titles to his younger sons would be
a positive injury to them in working for their bread, and he relied
upon your Majesty's unvarying kindness for appreciating his reluctance
to