. Ever your devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

[Pageheading: THE PRINCE AND LORD MELBOURNE]

_Queen Victoria to the Prince Albert._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _30th December 1839._

... I here enclose Lord Melbourne's letter. I have read it, and _I
think that nothing could be better; it is just what I told you, and it
is the honest and impartial advice of a very clever, very honest,
and very impartial man, whose_ greatest wish is to secure your and
my happiness. Follow this advice and you may be sure of success. Lord
Melbourne told me that he had it written on purpose in a clear hand,
by one of his secretaries, as he thought and feared you would not be
able to read his own hand, which I daresay would have been the case,
as he writes a very peculiar hand; he has therefore only signed it.

I saw to-day the Duke of Cambridge, who has shown me your letter, with
which he is quite delighted--and, indeed, it is a very nice one. The
Duke told Lord Melbourne he had always greatly desired our marriage,
and never thought of George; but that _I_ do not believe.

I must conclude, my dearest, beloved Albert. Be careful as to your
valuable health, and be assured that no one loves you as much as your
faithful VICTORIA.

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

TO CHAPTER IX

The marriage of the Queen and Prince Albert took place amid great
splendour and general rejoicings on the 10th of February; the general
satisfaction being unaffected by the tactless conduct of Ministers
who, by not acting in conjunction with the Opposition, had been
defeated on the question of the amount of the Prince's annuity, the
House of Commons reducing it from L50,000 to L30,000.

At home, the Privilege Question aroused great interest, a point which
for months convulsed the Courts and Parliament being whether a report,
ordered by the House to be printed, of a Committee appointed by the
House, was protected by privilege against being the subject of an
action for libel. The Courts having decided that it was not, an
Act was passed to alter the rule for the future, but meanwhile the
sheriffs had been imprisoned by the House for executing the judgment
in the usual course.

The Ministry tottered on, getting a majority of nine only on their
China policy, and twenty-one on a direct vote of confidence. The
Bill for the union of the two Canadas was, however, passed without
difficulty.

An attempt by a barman named Oxford to assassinate the Queen on
Constitution Hill fortun