all this behind, it is a bad thing to say that his
appointment was liable to no suspicion or objection. It seems to Lord
Melbourne that what with Ellenborough with the Gates of Ghuznee upon
his shoulders,[13] and Ashburton with the American Treaty round his
neck, the Ministry have nearly as heavy a load upon them as they can
stand up under, and Lord Melbourne would not be surprised if they were
to lighten themselves of one or the other.

[Footnote 13: The Somnauth Proclamation created a good deal of
ridicule.]

[Pageheading: POSITION OF THE PRINCE OF WALES]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

BROCKET HALL, _13th February 1843._

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and has just
recollected that in the letter which he wrote yesterday, he omitted
to advert to a part of your Majesty's last to which your Majesty may
expect some answer. He means the part relating to the character and
situation of a Prince of Wales in this country. George IV. was so
conscious of having mixed himself most unrestrainedly in politics,
and of having taken a very general part in opposition to his father's
Government and wishes, that he was naturally anxious to exonerate
himself from blame, and to blame it upon the necessity of his position
rather than upon his own restless and intermeddling disposition. But
Lord Melbourne agrees with your Majesty that his excuse was neither
valid nor justifiable, and Lord Melbourne earnestly hopes that your
Majesty and the Prince may be successful in training and instructing
the young Prince of Wales, and to make him understand correctly his
real position and its duties, and to enable him to withstand the
temptations and seductions with which he will find himself beset, when
he approaches the age of twenty-one. It is true that Sir John made the
observation, which Lord Melbourne mentioned to your Majesty, and which
you now remember correctly. He made it to Sir James Graham, when he
went to talk to him about the offence which William IV. had taken at
the Duchess of Kent's marine excursion; and at the receiving of
royal salutes. Your Majesty was not very long in the situation of
an acknowledged, admitted, and certain Heir Apparent, but still long
enough to be aware of the use which those around you were inclined to
make of that situation and of the petitions and applications which it
naturally produced from others, and therefore to have an idea of the
difficulties of it