en Adelaide to Queen Victoria._

CANFORD HOUSE, _Friday, 13th January 1843._

MY DEAREST NIECE,--... As you take so kind an interest in our
dear Thesy,[5] I send you a letter which I have received from her
mother-in-law, with an excellent account of her and her infant. Her
happiness is a great blessing, and I thank God that she is so well
this time. Can you imagine her with _two boys_? It seems so odd, for
it is but a short time since she was here with us. How time flies
rapidly. I own I was not a little surprised to find that you are
probably the godmother; or is the little boy only to be named after
you? I remember well what you said to me when I was asked to be the
godmother of the first boy, "_that I could not accept it_," as I
must not take the responsibilities attached to a sponsor with a Roman
Catholic child. On that ground alone, and having learned your opinion
which sanctioned my own, I refused it then at the risk of offending
the dear parents. Now, after all that was said on the subject, if _you
have accepted_ the offer of becoming sponsor to this little _Victor_,
YOU, as the Head of the English Church, give to understand that _I_
was wrong in my notions of the duties which our Church imposes upon
sponsors, having refused what you accepted. I tell you fairly
and openly that it has vexed me, but of course I say this only to
_yourself_, dearest Victoria, and not to any one else, for it does not
become me to find fault with what you please to do. But I could not
entirely pass it over in silence, and regret that my former refusal
must now become doubly annoying to my relations. I beg your pardon for
thus frankly stating my feelings to you on a subject which I shall
now despatch from my mind, and I trust you will not take it ill,
and excuse me for having mentioned it to you _alone_.... Your most
attached and devoted Aunt,

ADELAIDE.

[Footnote 5: Princess Therese, daughter of the Prince of
Hohenlohe-Schillingsfurst, and wife of Prince Frederick
Charles of Hohenlohe-Waldenburg.]

_Queen Victoria to Queen Adelaide._

CLAREMONT, _15th January 1843._

I am at a loss to comprehend, my dear Aunt, what you mean by saying
that you refused being godmother to Thesy's first child, as _I_ had
sanctioned your doing so. I never remember even _talking_ to _you_ on
the subject, but only heard from Mamma that _you_ had refused doing
so--which I was surprised at. I therefore felt no hesitation in
acceptin