as ministers, the course he intended to pursue with respect to the
household. He had little considered the subject; and with regard to the
female part of it, he scarcely knew of whom it consisted. He took the
red book in his hand, however, and there saw the different appointments.
He then stated that with reference to all the subordinate appointments
below the rank of a lady of the bedchamber, he should propose no change
to her majesty; and that with respect to the superior class he took
for granted they would relieve him from any difficulty, by at once
relinquishing their offices. If such offices, however, should not be
voluntarily relinquished, he gave it as his opinion that they should be
subject to some change, although in some instances the absence of all
political feeling might render any such change unnecessary. On the
Thursday he saw her majesty, when he made a verbal communication to
such an effect. He would not enter into the precise nature of this
communication, but simply read two letters which had subsequently
passed: one, conveying her majesty's impressions, and the other his own.
These letters read thus:--

"_Buckingham Palace, May 10th_, 1839.

"The queen having considered the proposal made to her yesterday by Sir
Robert Peel, to remove the ladies of her bedchamber, cannot consent to
adopt a course which she conceives to be contrary to usage, and which is
repugnant to her feelings."

"_Whitehall, May 10th_, 1839.

"Sir Robert Peel presents his humble duty to your majesty, and has
had the honour of receiving your majesty's note of this morning. In
respectfully submitting to your majesty's pleasure, and humbly returning
into your majesty's hands the important trust which your majesty had
been graciously pleased to transmit to him, Sir Robert Peel trusts that
your majesty will permit him to state to your majesty, his impression
with respect to the circumstances which have led to the termination of
his attempt to form an administration for the conduct of your majesty's
service. In the interview with which your majesty honoured Sir Robert
Peel yesterday morning, after he had submitted to your majesty the
names of those whom he proposed to recommend to the principal executive
appointments, he mentioned to your majesty his earnest wish, to be
enabled by your majesty's sanction, so to constitute your majesty's
household that your majesty's confidential servants might have the
advantage of a public demon