We should have got through the debate upon the Income Tax this evening in the House of Lords, if Lansdowne had not unfortunately this morning had an access of gout in the hand, which prevented him from attending, and obliged the debate to be deferred. Lord Melbourne hopes that the resolution which Lansdowne is to move38 is put in such a shape as to vindicate our course, and at the same time not to condemn that which has been adopted overmuch, nor to pledge us for the future....
Lord Melbourne earnestly hopes that your Majesty is well and not too much affected by the heat of this weather, which does not suit Lord Melbourne very well. In conjunction with a large dinner which we had at the Reform Club in honour of the Duke of Sussex, it has given Lord Melbourne a good deal of headache and indisposition. The Duke was in very good humour, and much pleased with the dinner, but he was by no means well or strong.
Footnote 38: This Resolution was in favour of altering the Corn, Sugar, and Timber Duties, in preference to imposing an Income Tax. It was negatived by 112 to 52.
Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.
QUEEN'S FIRST RAILWAY JOURNEY
Buckingham Palace, 14th June 1842.
My dearest Uncle,—Though I shall have the inexpressible happiness of seeing you and dearest Louise so soon, I write these few lines to thank you for your very kind letter of the 9th. We arrived here yesterday morning, having come by the railroad, from Windsor, in half an hour, free from dust and crowd and heat, and I am quite charmed with it.39 We spent a delightful time at Windsor, which would have been still pleasanter had not the heat been such, ever since Saturday week, that one is quite overcome; the grass is quite brown, and the earth full of wide cracks; there has not been a drop of rain since the 24th, my birthday! We rode and walked and danced, and I think I never was better than in all this fatigue and exercise....
I get every day fonder of dearest, excellent Uncle Mensdorff and the dear cousins, who are so amiable and good and unassuming; really, in society they keep quite in the background. They are out and out the nicest cousins we have. I am sure what I can do for them I shall be too happy to do. Alexander is the most distinguished and solid, but Alphonse and Arthur the most unassuming. There is something so peculiarly good in dear Arthur! and they are all five so fond of Pussy, and she so fond of them.... Ever your devoted Niece,
Victoria R.
Footnote 39: This was the Queen's first journey on the Great Western Railway. The Prince had often used it, and had been known to say, on descending from the train, "Not quite so fast next time, Mr Conductor, if you please."—Acworth, The Railways of England, p. 17.