August 19, 1837, MINTO

    I feel this time as I always do after a great misfortune, that the
    shock at first is nothing to the quiet grief afterwards, when one
    really begins to understand what has happened.

    I cannot help constantly repeating over and over to myself that she
    is gone, and sometimes I do not know how to bear it and however to
    be comforted for not having seen her once more.

When the new Queen’s Parliament met after the General Election the strength of the Conservatives was 315 and of the Liberals 342.  The Melbourne Ministry was in a weaker position; they could only hold a majority through the support of the Radical and Irish groups, and troubles were brewing in the country.  On the other hand, Peel’s position was not an easy one; the split among the Conservatives on Catholic Emancipation had left bitterness behind, and in addition to this complication, his followers in the Commons included both men like Stanley, who had voted for Parliamentary reform, and its implacable opponents.  But in spite of this flaw in the solidarity of the Opposition, the Ministers were far from secure.  There were the troubles in Canada, which Lord Durham had been sent out to deal with (the Canadian patriots had a great deal of Lady Fanny’s sympathy), and in England the grievances of the poor were in the process of being formulated into the famous People’s Charter.  During the parliamentary sessions the Mintos remained in London, with only occasional very short absences.

    ADMIRALTY, December 26, 1837

    People all seem pleased with the news from Canada because we are
    beating the poor patriots—­let people say what they will I must
    wish them success and pity them with all my heart.

    EASTBOURNE, April 14, 1838

It is not only the out of doors pleasures, the sea, the air, etc., that we find here, but the way of living takes a weight from one’s mind, of which one does not know the burden till one leaves London and is freed from it.  “I love not man the less” from feeling as I do the great faults, to us at least, of our London society.  It is because I love man, because I daily see people whose thoughts I long to share and profit by, that I am so disappointed in being unable to do so.  Oh, why, why do people not all live in the country—­or if towns must be, why must they bring stiffness and coldness on everybody?

    ADMIRALTY, May 10, 1838

    Court Ball....  Beautiful ball of beautiful people dancing to
    beautiful music.  Queen dancing a great deal, looking very happy.

    ADMIRALTY, June 22, 1838

    Evening at a Concert at the Palace—­all the good singers....  All
    the foreigners there, Soult and the Duke of Wellington shaking
    hands more heartily than any other two people there.

    ADMIRALTY, June 28, 1838