PALACE, _25th April 1838._

MY BELOVED UNCLE,--... With respect to the happiness of seeing you and
my dearest Aunt, I shall now respectfully state my feelings. It would
have made me very happy to see you both at the Coronation, but I think
upon the whole it is perhaps better you should not do so. Then, with
respect to your coming for my _old_ birthday, I must observe that I
could not enjoy you or my Aunt at all _a mon aise_. First of all, I
could not lodge you, and if one is not in the same house together,
there is _no real_ seeing one another; secondly, the town will be so
full of all sorts of foreigners that I should have _no peace_ to see
you and Aunt quietly. If therefore, dearest Uncle, it suits you and
Aunt Louise, would you come about the end of August, and stay with me
as long as you can? I trust, dearest Uncle, _que vous me comprendrez
bien_, and that you are assured of the great happiness it is for me to
see you at any time.

Since I have written to you we have received from Lord Granville the
news of Marshal Soult's appointment as Ambassador for the Coronation,
and of the Duc de Nemours' intention of coming here as a spectator.
You may be assured that I shall be delighted to see the Duke, as I
always am any of the dear French family. With regard to Soult, I
am sure you are aware that whoever the King chose to send would be
equally well received by me and the Government.

[Pageheading: THE TRAIN-BEARERS]

_Queen Victoria to Viscount Melbourne._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _5th May 1838._

The Queen sends the papers relating to the Coronation as Lord
Melbourne wished. The Queen also transmits the names of the young
ladies who she proposes should carry her train. If Lord Melbourne sees
any objection to any of these she hopes he will say so.

The Queen has put down Lady Mary Talbot, as being the daughter of the
oldest Earl in the Kingdom[15] and a Roman Catholic; and Lady Anne
Fitzwilliam, as she is anxious to show civility to Lord Fitzwilliam,
who has been very kind to the Queen.

Perhaps, when the names are agreed to, Lord Melbourne would kindly
undertake to speak or write to the parents of the young ladies
proposing it to them.

Lady Caroline Lennox.
Lady Adelaide Paget.
Lady Fanny Cowper.
Lady Wilhelmina Stanhope.
Lady Mary Talbot.
Lady Anne Fitzwilliam.
Lady Mary Grimston.
Lady Louisa Jenkinson.

[Footnote 15: John, sixteenth Earl of Shrewsbury (1791-1852).]

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