vernement." Early in February the pamphlet _Napoleon
et l'Italie_, nominally written by M. de la Gueronniere, but
inspired by the Emperor, foreshadowed the war in Italy, and
attempted to justify it.]

[Pageheading: LORD CANNING]

_Queen Victoria to Lord Stanley._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _25th January 1859_.

The Queen thinks that the time is come when the bestowal of some
honour or reward on Lord Canning ought no longer to be delayed. He has
now nearly arrived at the end of his tremendous task of quelling the
Rebellion, and has triumphed over all his many difficulties. If any
man deserves an acknowledgment of his services at the hands of the
Crown, it is surely he, and the Queen would be sorry that the grace
of it should be taken away from her by questions being asked in
Parliament when it is assembled again, which will now be the case very
soon.

A step in the Peerage and the G.C.B. appear to the Queen an
appropriate reward. Perhaps a pension should be awarded to him? Lord
Elphinstone also ought not to be left unrewarded, and a step in the
Peerage with the G.C.B. does not appear too high an honour for him,
for he also has greatly contributed to the saving to the Indian
Empire.[8]

[Footnote 8: Lord Canning was made an Earl and Lord
Elphinstone (who had been Governor of Bombay during the
Mutiny) a Peer of the United Kingdom, and both received the
G.C.B.]

[Pageheading: THE QUEEN'S FIRST GRANDCHILD]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _2nd February 1859_.

MY DEAREST, KINDEST UNCLE,--Accept my warmest thanks for your most
kind letter of the 28th. I know how pleased you would be at the
safety of our dear Vicky, and at the birth of our first grandson![9]
Everything goes on so beautifully, Vicky recovering as fast and well
as I did, and the dear little boy improving so much and thriving in
every way.... The joy and interest taken _here_ is as great almost as
in Prussia, which is _very_ gratifying.

I _think_ that _the Speech_ will do good, but it has not been easy
to frame it, as the feeling _against_ the _Emperor here_ is _very
strong_. I think _yet_ that if _Austria_ is _strong_ and _well
prepared,_ and _Germany strong_ and _well inclined_ towards _us_ (as
_Prussia certainly_ is), France will _not_ be so eager to attempt
what I _firmly_ believe would _end_ in the _Emperor's_ downfall! Old
Malakhoff _himself_ said to the Duchess of Wellingt