Having at his disposition some very fine steamers, his great wish would be to go over to Brighton, just for one afternoon and night, to offer you his respects in person.

He would in such a case bring with him the Queen, my Aunt, Clementine,[52] Aumale and Montpensier.

The first step in this business is to know what your pleasure is, and to learn that very frankly, as he perfectly understands that, however short such a visit, it must be submitted to the advice even of some of your Ministers.

What renders the thing very difficult, in my opinion, is that in a country like France, and with so many Ministerial difficulties, the King to the _last hour_ will hardly know if he can undertake the thing.

As, however, the first object is to know your will, he begged me to ascertain that, and to tell you that if you had the _smallest objection_ you would not be carried away by the apprehension of hurting him by telling me honestly that you did _not_ see how the affair could be arranged, but to speak out, that he knew enough how often objections may arise, and that even with himself he could only be sure of the thing at the last moment.
[Footnote 52: Who afterwards married Queen Victoria's cousin, Prince Augustus (Gusti) of Coburg.] [Pageheading: THE NEW SULTAN] _Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria._ FOREIGN OFFICE, _19th August 1839._ Viscount Palmerston presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and in submitting the accompanying private letter from the Earl Granville[53] begs to state that neither Viscount Melbourne nor Viscount Palmerston are of opinion that it would be expedient that your Majesty should send an Ambassador Extraordinary to compliment the young Sultan[54] on his accession.