The letters of Queen Victoria, vol. 1, 1837-1843

by Queen of Great Britain Victoria

Footnote 2: Bishop, then of Sodor and Man, afterwards of St Asaph. His book, a Sketch of the History of the Church of England, was published in 1832.

Footnote 3: George Waddington (1793-1869), Dean of Durham, published in 1833 the History of the Church from the Earliest Ages to the Reformation.

Footnote 4: John Adolphus, barrister, wrote a history of England from 1760 to 1783.

Queen Adelaide to Queen Victoria.

Canford House, Friday, 13th January 1843.

My dearest Niece,—... As you take so kind an interest in our dear Thesy,⁵ I send you a letter which I have received from her mother-in-law, with an excellent account of her and her infant. Her happiness is a great blessing, and I thank God that she is so well this time. Can you imagine her with two boys? It seems so odd, for it is but a short time since she was here with us. How time flies rapidly. I own I was not a little surprised to find that you are probably the godmother; or is the little boy only to be named after you? I remember well what you said to me when I was asked to be the godmother of the first boy, "that I could not accept it," as I must not take the responsibilities attached to a sponsor with a Roman Catholic child. On that ground alone, and having learned your opinion which sanctioned my own, I refused it then at the risk of offending the dear parents. Now, after all that was said on the subject, if you have accepted the offer of becoming sponsor to this little Victor, YOU, as the Head of the English Church, give to understand that I was wrong in my notions of the duties which our Church imposes upon sponsors, having refused what you accepted. I tell you fairly and openly that it has vexed me, but of course I say this only to yourself, dearest Victoria, and not to any one else, for it does not become me to find fault with what you please to do. But I could not entirely pass it over in silence, and regret that my former refusal must now become doubly annoying to my relations. I beg your pardon for thus frankly stating my feelings to you on a subject which I shall now despatch from my mind, and I trust you will not take it ill, and excuse me for having mentioned it to you alone.... Your most attached and devoted Aunt,

Adelaide.

Footnote 5: Princess Thérèse, daughter of the Prince of Hohenlohe-Schillingsfurst, and wife of Prince Frederick Charles of Hohenlohe-Waldenburg.

Queen Victoria to Queen Adelaide.

Claremont, 15th January 1843.