st passionate,
giddy, imprudent and dangerous woman? I am sure beforehand that
your loyalty and devotion has nothing to oppose to the force of my
exposition. There are, however, some other and minor reasons which
ought likewise to be considered before you come to the determination
of trusting entirely to possibilities and chance. For the results of
your deliberation you will have to come to will in their working and
effects go beyond yourself, and must affect two other persons. These
will have a right to expect that your decision will not be taken
regardless of that position, which accidental circumstances have
assigned to them, in an affair the fate of which is placed entirely
within your discretion. This is an additional argument why you should
deliberate very conscientiously. A mistake of yours in this respect
might by itself produce fresh difficulties and have a complicating and
perplexing retro effect upon the existing ones; because both, seeing
that they must be sufferers in the end, may begin to look only to
their own safety, and become inclined to refuse that passive obedience
which till now constitutes the vehicle of your hazardous enterprize.

Approaching the conclusion of this letter, I beg to remind you of a
conversation I had with you on the same subject in South Street, the
25th of last month.[157] Though you did not avow it then in direct
words, I could read from your countenance and manner that you assented
in your head and heart to all I had said, and in particular to the
advice I volunteered at the end of my speech. At that time I pointed
out to you a period when I thought a decisive step ought to be
taken on your part. This period seems to me to have arrived. Placing
unreserved confidence into your candour and manliness, I remain, for
ever, very faithfully yours,

STOCKMAR.

[Footnote 156: Librarian and German Secretary to Prince
Albert.]

[Footnote 157: _Ante_, pp. 352-3. (Ch. X, 'Stockmar and Melbourne')]

[Pageheading: MELBOURNE'S REPLY]

_Viscount Melbourne to Baron Stockmar._

_24th November 1841._

(_Half-past 10_ P.M.)

MY DEAR BARON,--I have just received your letter; I think it
unnecessary to detain your messenger. I will write to you upon the
subject and send it through Anson. Yours faithfully,

MELBOURNE.

[Pageheading: THE HEIR APPARENT]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _29th November 1841._

MY DEAREST UNCLE