Majesty has determined yourself upon
the relative position of the two names, but _Edward_ is a good English
appellation, and has a certain degree of popularity attached to
it from ancient recollections. Albert is also an old Anglo-Saxon
name--the same, Lord Melbourne believes, as Ethelred--but it has not
been so common nor so much in use since the Conquest. However, your
Majesty's feelings, which Lord Melbourne perfectly understands, must
determine this point. The notion of the King of Prussia[159] gives
great satisfaction here, and will do so with all but Puseyites and
Newmanites and those who lean to the Roman Catholic faith. His strong
Protestant feelings, and his acting with us in the matter of the
Syrian Bishop, have made the King of Prussia highly popular in
this country, and particularly with the more religious part of the
community.

Your Majesty cannot offer up for the young Prince a more safe and
judicious prayer than that he may resemble his father. The character,
in Lord Melbourne's opinion, depends much upon the race, and on both
sides he has a good chance. Be not over solicitous about education. It
may be able to do much, but it does not do so much as is expected from
it. It may mould and direct the character, but it rarely alters it.
George IV. and the Duke of York were educated quite like English boys,
by English schoolmasters, and in the manner and upon the system of
English schools. The consequence was that, whatever were their faults,
they were quite Englishmen. The others, who were sent earlier abroad,
and more to foreign universities, were not quite so much so. The late
king was educated as a sailor, and was a complete sailor....

Lord Melbourne will tell your Majesty exactly what he thinks of John
Russell's reply to the Plymouth address. It is very angry and very
bitter, and anger and bitterness are never very dignified. Lord
Melbourne certainly would not have put in those sarcasms upon the Duke
of Wellington and Sir Robert Peel, for their change of opinion and
conduct upon the Roman Catholic question. But the tone of the rest
of the answer is, in Lord Melbourne's opinion, just and right. We
certainly delivered the affairs of the country into their hands in a
good state, both at home and abroad, and we should be acting unfairly
by ourselves if we did not maintain and assert this upon every
occasion. Lord Melbourne's notion of the conduct which he has to
pursue is, that it should not be aggressive