the House of Lords that he entirely approved our policy in that
transaction, and could not find that any fault had been committed
by us in working it out; and I happen to know that Sir Robert Peel
expressed to the representative of one of the German Powers, parties
to the Alliance, his entire approval of our course, while Lord
Aberdeen said to one of them, that the course I had taken in that
affair made him forgive me many things of former years, which he had
thought he never should have forgiven.

I am quite ashamed of the length to which this letter has grown, and
shall only add, with reference to our relations with France, that
I had some very friendly interviews with Thiers, who was my chief
antagonist in 1840, and that although we did not enter into any
conspiracy against Guizot and Peel, as the newspapers pretended, we
parted on very good terms, and he promised to introduce me to all his
friends whenever I should go to Paris, saying that of course Guizot
would do me the same good office with his supporters. My dear
Melbourne, yours affectionately,

PALMERSTON.

[Footnote 41: Submitted to the Queen by Lord Melbourne.]

[Footnote 42: 1830-1834, and 1835-1841.]

[Footnote 43: The English and French came in 1832 to the
assistance of the Belgians, who some time before had entered
Antwerp, but failed to take the Citadel.]

[Pageheading: THE MINISTRY REINSTATED]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the French._

CH. DE W., _le 30 Decembre 1845._

SIRE ET MON TRES CHER FRERE,--Votre Majeste me pardonnera si je viens
seulement maintenant vous remercier de tout mon c[oe]ur de votre
lettre si bonne et si aimable du 16, mais vous savez combien j'etais
occupee pendant ces dernieres 3 semaines. La Crise est passee et j'ai
tout lieu de croire que le Gouvernement de Sir R. Peel va s'affermir
de plus en plus, ce que je ne puis que desirer pour le bien-etre du
pays. Je dois cependant dire a votre Majeste que si le Ministere
eut change, j'ai la certitude que le nouveau se serait empresse de
maintenir, comme nous le desirons si vivement, cette entente cordiale
si heureusement etablie entre nos deux Gouvernements.

Permettez-moi, Sire, de vous offrir au nom d'Albert et au mien nos
felicitations les plus sinceres a l'occasion de la nouvelle Annee,
dans lequel vous nous donnez le doux espoir de vous revoir. Nous avons
lu avec beaucoup d'interet le Speech de V.M., dans lequel vous parlez
si aimablemen