e,
Victoria must have inwardly rejoiced at the expression of
sentiments so accordant with her own. Her attentions and
cordiality to Queen Adelaide, her bounty and civility to the
King's children, and the disgrace of Conroy, amply prove what her
sentiments have all along been.

March 27th, 1838 {p.027}

[Page Head: WILKIE'S PICTURE OF THE FIRST COUNCIL.]

Went yesterday to sit to Wilkie for the picture of the Queen's
First Council. The likenesses are generally pretty good, but it
is a very unfaithful representation of what actually took place.
It was, of course, impossible to preserve all the details without
sacrificing the effect, but the picture has some glaring
improprieties, which diminish its interest, and deprive it of all
value as an historical piece. There were ninety-seven Privy
Councillors present on the occasion, and among them most of the
conspicuous men of the time. He has introduced as many figures as
he well could, but has made a strange selection, admitting very
ordinary men, such as Lord Burghersh and Lord Salisbury, while
Brougham and Stanley do not find places. He told me that great
anxiety prevailed to be put into this picture, and many pressing
applications had been made; and as only vain and silly men would
make them, and importunity generally prevails to a great extent,
it ends in the sacrifice of the picture by substituting these
undistinguished intruders in place of the celebrated persons who
are so much better entitled to be there. Then he has painted the
Lord Mayor of London and the Attorney-General, who, not being
Privy Councillors, could not be present when the Queen was
sitting in Council; but they both entreated to be put in the
picture, and each asserted that he was actually present.
Yesterday I remonstrated with Wilkie, who had no good reason to
give; indeed, none, except that they both _said_ they were
present, and that the Attorney had described to him what passed.
The fact was this: when the Lords assemble they order the Queen
to be proclaimed, and when the Proclamation is read the doors are
thrown open, and everybody is admitted. The Lord Mayor came in
together with several Common Councilmen and a multitude of other
persons. When this is over they are all obliged to retire, and I
called out from the head of the table that 'everybody except
Privy Councillors would have the goodness to retire.' It was
necessary to clear the room before Her Majesty could hold her
Privy Council.