subject, was now arrested in the State of New York, on a charge of
having been concerned in the affray. He was acquitted, reprisals were
made by Canadians, and international feeling was for a time highly
acute.

Much interest naturally attaches to Lord Melbourne's continued
correspondence with the Queen, after the change of Government. Baron
Stockmar's remonstrance on the subject shows that he misunderstood the
character of the correspondence, and over-estimated its momentousness.

These letters dealt chiefly with social and personal matters, and
although full of interest from the light which they throw on Lord
Melbourne's relations with the Queen, they show him to have behaved
with scrupulous honour and delicacy, and to have tried to augment,
rather than undermine, Peel's growing influence with the Queen
and Prince. There are comparatively few of Peel's letters in the
collection. He wrote rarely at first, and only on strictly official
matters. But before long his great natural reserve was broken through,
and his intercourse with the Prince, to whom his character was
particularly sympathetic, became very close and intimate.

Of all the English Ministers with whom the Prince was brought in
contact, it is known that he preferred the stately and upright
Commoner, who certainly, of all English Ministers, estimated and
appreciated the Prince's character most truly and clearly.

CHAPTER X

1841

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

_5th January 1841._

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--I have to thank you for two very kind letters, of
the 26th December and 1st January, and for all your very kind and good
wishes. I am sorry to hear you have all been plagued with colds; we
have as yet escaped them, and I trust will continue to do so. I think,
dearest Uncle, you cannot _really_ wish me to be the "Mamma d'une
_nombreuse_ famille," for I think you will see with me the great
inconvenience a _large_ family would be to us all, and particularly to
the country, independent of the hardship and inconvenience to myself;
men never think, at least seldom think, what a hard task it is for us
women to go through this _very often_. God's will be done, and if He
decrees that we are to have a great number of children, why we must
try to bring them up as useful and exemplary members of society. Our
young lady flourishes exceedingly, and I hope the Van de Weyers (who
have been here for three days), who have seen her twice, will give