ighly
desirable that they should. Your Majesty should desire Sir Robert
Peel to give notice to all those who have insignia of office, such
as Seals, Wands, to give up, to attend at Claremont on Friday; but of
course he will do this of himself. Your Majesty will have much to go
through upon that day and much that is painful. Your Majesty should
spare yourself and be spared as much as possible. It will not be
necessary for Lord Melbourne to go down. He may be considered as
having resigned at the Audience which he had of your Majesty at
Windsor, and Lord Melbourne has ventured to tell Lord Lansdowne that
he thinks he need not do so either, and that your Majesty will excuse
his attendance. Lord Melbourne need say nothing about the Secretaries
of State, with all of whom your Majesty is so well acquainted; but
perhaps your Majesty will not omit to thank Mr Baring[83] cordially
for his services. He is a thoroughly honest man and an able public
servant. If your Majesty could say to the Lord Chancellor,[84] "that
you part with him with much sorrow; that you are sensible that much of
the strength of the late Administration was derived from the manner
in which he discharged the duties of his office, and that you consider
his retirement a great and serious loss to the country," it would
certainly be no more than he deserves.

It is thought by some who know him here that the Duke of Rutland will
be so extremely pleased with the offer being made, and that by your
Majesty yourself, that he will accept it; but he is a year older than
Lord Melbourne, and therefore hardly fit for any very active duty....

The appointment of Colonel Arbuthnot will of course be very agreeable
to the Duke of Wellington. The Arbuthnots are quiet, demure people
before others; but they are not without depth of purpose, and they are
very bitter at bottom.

Your Majesty will not forget the two Knights for Mr de la Beche[85]
and Major Monro.

Lord Melbourne begins to hope that this affair will be got through
more satisfactorily and with less annoyance than your Majesty
anticipated. As long as your Majesty is desirous of receiving his
communications, he will be always most careful to give your Majesty
his impartial opinion and the best advice which he has to offer. His
most fervent prayer will always be for your Majesty's welfare and
happiness.

[Footnote 83: The retiring Chancellor of the Exchequer.]

[Footnote 84: Lord Cottenham.]

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