ancestors are, for
a few stupid people_ here _try_ to say you are a _Catholic, but nobody
will believe it._ Send (it) as soon as possible; perhaps good Mr.
Schenk would write it out in English....

_As there is nothing to be settled for me, we require no treaty of
marriage; but if you should require anything to be settled, the best
will be to send it here. Respecting the succession, in case Ernest
should die without children, it would not do to stipulate now, but
your second son, if you had one, should reside at Coburg. That can
easily be arranged if the thing should happen hereafter, and the
English would not like it to be arranged now...._

[Pageheading: THE DECLARATION]

_Queen Victoria to the Prince Albert._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _23rd November 1839._

... Just arrived here, 5.30. Everything has gone off very well. The
Council[67] was held at two o'clock; more than a hundred persons were
present, and _there_ I had to read the Declaration. _It was rather an
awful moment, to be obliged to announce this to so many people, many
of whom were quite strangers, but they told me I did it very well, and
I felt so happy to do it._

Good Lord Melbourne was deeply moved about it, and Uxbridge likewise;
it lasted only two or three minutes. _Everybody, they tell me, is very
much pleased, and I wish you could have seen the crowds of people who
cheered me loudly as I left the Palace for Windsor._ I am so happy
to-day! oh, if only _you_ could be here! I wish that you were able
to participate in all the kindness which is shown to me. To-day I can
only send you the Declaration.[68] _The description of the whole_ I
will send after this....

Send me as soon as possible the report of the announcement at Coburg.
I wear your dear picture mornings and evenings, and wore it also at
the meeting of the _Conseil._

[Footnote 67: A Special Meeting of the Privy Council was held
on the 23rd November, to receive the Queen's intimation of her
engagement. The Queen wrote in her Journal:--

"I went in; the room was full, but I hardly knew who was
there. Lord M. I saw, looking at me with tears in his eyes,
but he was not near me. I then read my short Declaration. I
felt my hands shook, but I did not make one mistake. I felt
more happy and thankful when it was over."]

[Footnote 68: J. W. Croker wrote to Lady Hardwicke:--

"_24th November 1839._

"... She then unfolded a paper and read her De