Sir James Mansfield conducted the trial. Many
thought that he ought to have given more time, which was asked for
on the part of the prisoner, in order to search for evidence at
Liverpool. But the law which he laid down in his charge is certainly
sound, correct, and reasonable. Lord Melbourne is very glad to think
that your Majesty has not to go to the House of Lords to-day.

[Footnote 9: This Duke died unmarried in 1765, and his nephew,
the fourth son of Frederick, Prince of Wales, was created Duke
of Cumberland in 1766. He in his turn died without issue, in
1790, and in 1799 the fifth son of George III. (afterwards
King of Hanover) received the same title.]

[Pageheading: THE AMERICAN TREATY]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

BROCKET HALL, _3rd February 1843._

... Lord Melbourne thinks that the Speech was very well and
judiciously drawn; the only paragraph which he does not like is that
about the American treaty.[10] It betrays too great an anxiety for
peace, and too much fear of war.[11]

[Footnote 10: See _ante_, pp. 368, 370 (Ch. X, 'The United States').
The treaty had been negotiated by Lord Ashburton.]

[Footnote 11: "By the treaty which Her Majesty has concluded
with the United States of America, and by the adjustment of
those differences which, from their long continuance, had
endangered the preservation of peace, Her Majesty trusts
that the amicable relations of the two countries have been
confirmed."]

_The Queen of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._

LAEKEN, _6th February 1843._

MY BELOVED VICTORIA,--I am quite of your opinion about balls.
_Nothing_ can change what _cannot change_, and I consider all these
things, which have always been _a bore_ to me, as a matter _of duty_
and not otherwise. The duties of station are to be fulfilled like the
others, and my _first_ and _most pleasant_ duty is to do _all_ that
your Uncle may command or wish. Your Uncle was much _shocked_ by
your answer about _Miss Meyer_,[12] whom he considered of _uncommon
beauty_. He is quite in love with her picture, and is very anxious
to discover who she is. The other pictures of the _book of beauty_
he abandons to you, and they are certainly worthy of a _book of
ugliness_.... Yours most devotedly,

LOUISE.

[Footnote 12: Eugenie Meyer, step-daughter of Colonel Gurwood,
C.B., married the first Viscount Esher, Master of the Rolls.
The Qu