clus of your dear life. I was shooting at the
late Lord Craven's in Berkshire, when I received the messenger who
brought me the horrifying news of your poor father's deadly illness. I
hastened in bitter cold weather to Sidmouth, about two days before his
death. His affairs were so much deranged that your Mother would have
had no means even of leaving Sidmouth if I had not taken all this
under my care and management. That dreary journey, undertaken, I
think, on the 26th of January, in bitter cold and damp weather, I
shall not easily forget. I looked very sharp after the poor little
baby, then about eight months old. Arrived in London we were very
unkindly treated by George IV., _whose great wish was to get you and
your Mamma out of the country_, and I must say without my assistance
you could _not_ have remained.... I state these facts, because it is
useful to remember through what _difficulties_ and _hardships_ one
had to struggle. You will also remember that though there existed
the _possibility_ of your eventually succeeding to the Crown, that
possibility was very doubtful, the then Duchess of Clarence having
been confined after your Mother, and there being every reason to think
that, though poor little Princess Elizabeth did not live more than
some months, other children might appear.[2]

It was a long time from 1820 to 1837! We got over it, however, and, as
far as you are concerned, God be praised! safely and happily. You are
married, with every prospect of many happy years to come, and your
happiness is _crowned_, and _consolidated_, as it were, by the birth
of the dear little lady. Having from motives of discretion, perhaps
_carried even too far_, not assisted at your coming to the throne,
nor at your Coronation, nor afterwards at your marriage, I wished to
assist at the christening of the little Princess, an event which is of
great importance....

[Footnote 2: Two children were born to the Duke and Duchess of
Clarence--Charlotte Augusta Louisa, born and died 29th March
1819, and Elizabeth Georgina Adelaide, born 10th December
1820, and died 4th March 1821.]

_Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria._

CARLTON TERRACE, _1st February 1841._

Viscount Palmerston presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and in
submitting this letter from Earl Granville, which coupled with the
despatches from Sir Robert Stopford virtually show that the Turkish
Question is brought to a close, begs most humbly