Royal Highness the State
paper[63] which your Royal Highness entrusted to me. I have not
presumed to keep a copy of it, but my memory is familiar with its
contents, and in case hereafter there may be any opportunity formed
to forward the views of your Royal Highness in this respect, I may
perhaps be permitted, if necessary, again to refer to the document.

I hope I am not presumptuous if, on this occasion, I offer to your
Royal Highness my grateful acknowledgments of the condescending
kindness which I have received from your Royal Highness.

I may, perhaps, be permitted to say that the views which your Royal
Highness had developed to me in confidential conversation have not
fallen on an ungrateful soil. I shall ever remember with interest and
admiration the princely mind in the princely person, and shall at all
times be prepared to prove to your Royal Highness my devotion. I
have the honour to remain, Sir, your Royal Highness's most obedient
Servant,

B. DISRAELI.

[Footnote 63: It is impossible to ascertain what this was; it
was probably one of the Prince's political Memoranda.]

_The Earl of Aberdeen to Queen Victoria._

LONDON, _20th December 1852._

Lord Aberdeen, with his humble duty, begs to inform your Majesty that
Lord John Russell has finally decided not to undertake the Foreign
Office, being influenced, Lord Aberdeen fully believes, by domestic
considerations, and contrary to the advice of all the most important
of his political friends. Lord Lansdowne has done his utmost to shake
the resolution, but in vain. Lord John proposes to be in the Cabinet,
without office, but to lead the Government business in the House of
Commons. Lord Aberdeen thinks this arrangement objectionable, and a
novelty, although the Duke of Wellington was Leader in the House
of Lords for two years without office when Lord Hill was
Commander-in-Chief. If the arrangement should be found untenable in
a Parliamentary view, Lord John would consent to accept a nominal
office, such as Chancellor of the Duchy. It is with great regret that
Lord Aberdeen makes this announcement to your Majesty, as his own
position is greatly weakened by this change; but he does not think it
a sufficient reason for abandoning the attempt to serve your Majesty,
which he feared might have been the case if Lord John had persevered
in his intention of not forming part of the Administration.

[Pageheading: THE QUEEN'S ANXIETY]

_Queen Vi