cept those who were in Parliament.

When I became Prime Minister again in 1835, none of the Grooms or
Equerries were removed because none of them were in Parliament.

They press upon your Majesty, whose personal feelings ought from your
circumstances to be more consulted, a measure which no Minister before
ever pressed upon a Sovereign.

If this is put to him by your Majesty, Lord Melbourne does not see how
he can resist it.

_Queen Victoria to Viscount Melbourne._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _9th May 1839._

The Queen writes one line to prepare Lord Melbourne for what _may_
happen in a very few hours. Sir Robert Peel has behaved very ill,
and has insisted on my giving up my Ladies, to which I replied that I
never would consent, and I never saw a man so frightened. He said
he must go to the Duke of Wellington and consult with him, when both
would return, and he said this must suspend all further proceedings,
and he asked whether I should be ready to receive a decision, which I
said I should; he was quite perturbed--but this is _infamous_. I said,
besides many other things, that if he or the Duke of Wellington had
been at the head of the Government when I came to the Throne, perhaps
there might have been a few more Tory Ladies, but that then if you had
come into Office you would never have _dreamt_ of changing them. I was
calm but very decided, and I think you would have been pleased to see
my composure and great firmness; the Queen of England will not submit
to such trickery. Keep yourself in readiness, for you may soon be
wanted.

[Pageheading: PROPOSED NEW CABINET]

_Extract from the Queen's Journal._

_Thursday, 9th May 1839._

_At half-past two_ I saw the Duke of Wellington. I remained firm, and
he told Sir Robert that I remained firm. I then saw Sir Robert Peel,
who stopped a few minutes with me; he must consult those (of whom I
annex the List) whom he had named:

THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON _Secretary for Foreign Affairs_
SIR JAMES GRAHAM _Secretary for the Home Department_
LORD STANLEY _Secretary for the Colonies_
LORD LYNDHURST _Lord Chancellor_
LORD ELLENBOROUGH _President of the Board of Control_
SIR H. HARDINGE _Secretary at War_

and he said he would return in two or three hours with the result,
which I said I should await.[35]

[Footnote 35: It was a curious circumstance, much commented
on at the time, that in the _Globe_ of 9t