anby
against it, but greatly modified; Lord John for, Lord Palmerston for,
Lord Clarendon for, Lord Morpeth for, Lord Lansdowne for, Labouchere
for, Hobhouse for, Duncannon[39] for, Baring for, Macaulay for; and
under those circumstances of course I felt I could not but go with
them.[40] Lord Melbourne was much affected in saying all this. 'So we
shall go on, bring on the Sugar Duties, and then, if things are in a
pretty good state, dissolve. I hope you approve?' I said I did highly
... and that I felt so happy to keep him longer. 'You are aware we may
have a majority against us?' he said; he means in our election. The
Sugar Duties would probably take a fortnight or three weeks to pass,
and they would dissolve in June and meet again in October. He thought
they must."

[Footnote 38: Lord Minto was First Lord of the Admiralty.]

[Footnote 39: Then First Commissioner of Land Revenue.]

[Footnote 40: See Sir John Hobhouse's account of this Cabinet
meeting, _Edinburgh Review_, vol. 133, p. 336.]

[Pageheading: THE QUEEN AND THE CHURCH]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

_21st May 1841._

Lord Melbourne thinks that what your Majesty proposes to say will do
very well, but it is thought best to say "Church as Reformed" at the
Reformation.

If your Majesty could say this, it would be well:

"I am very grateful for your congratulations on the return of this
day. I am happy to take this opportunity of again expressing to you my
firm determination to maintain the Church of England as settled at
the Reformation, and my firm belief in her Articles and Creeds, as
hitherto understood and interpreted by her soundest divines."

Nothing could go off better than the dinner. Everybody was much
pleased with the Prince.

Lord Melbourne is not conscious of having slept.[41]

[Footnote 41: It seems that some one had told the Queen that
Lord Melbourne had fallen asleep at dinner.]

[Pageheading: FEELING IN FRANCE]

_The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._

BRUSSELS, _20th May 1841._

MY DEAREST VICTORIA,--I receive this very moment your dear letter of
the 18th, and without loss of time I begin my answer here, though the
messenger can only go to-morrow. I cannot _sufficiently_ express to
you my _gratitude_ for the frankness with which you have written
to me--and let me entreat you, whenever you have anything _sur
le c[oe]ur_, to _do the same_. I shall begin with your postscr