Toms OF THE DAY.
THE "FAVOURITE SUBJECT" FORBIDDEN.
TO TI1E EDITOR OF THE SPECTATOR.
STR—Grave objections are made to the matter as well as the manner of your remarks on "a Favourite Subject."
I w
sure: at least, that they will meet with a candid reiclelpsttiaotne.these briefly; I he .ugly passages of oar history to which you refer, though not totally inapplicable to the present case, are so to an extent which leads to very false impressions. You say, indeed, that history "offers no case in point:" but are not the cases cited by you quite out of point? In all those cases (exeepting that of EDWARD the Sixth) odium attaches to the Sovereign ; the bestower of unworthy favour is either weak or wicked ; and the recipient is blamed not for obtaining, but for abusing an improper influence. How different is the present case ! The Sovereign is an inexperienced and confiding girl, who in private life would not he allowed a judgment on any matter of consequence, and least of all in the choice of an intimate companion of the other sex. As Queen, she had no choice, was allowed no exercise of either judgment or will, as to who should be her guide. As girl, she has been equally subject to the mere pleasure of another. Her Minister was necessarily her guardian as well. Court favour, in the common mean- ing of the term, it has never been in her power to bestow; nor could she have withheld her society from any Minister who had chosen, as Lord AIELBOURNE has done, to be ever at her side. The case resem- bles that of an orphan girl, whose guardian, a knowing and fascinating man of the world, thinks fit to be the constant intimate of her domestic hours. I say nothing of the indelicacy of such a proceeding—of the cruelty of parading such an intimacy—of the careless, reckless selfish- ness, which could alone permit power so to take advantage of inexpe- rienced helplessness : these points I leave to your grave censure when you shall be in a mood to notice them with becoming gravity: but I insist that you do a wrong to Queens VICTORIA, of the very same cha- racter as that with which Lord MELBOURNE may be reproached, when you liken this case to that of any Sovereign and Favourite in past times. It is not less unfair in Lord MELBOURNE to appear "a Fa- vourite Subject," than in you to call him one. He is, in fact, neither a subject nor a. favourite, but the sovereign lord and master of the will, fears, affections, tastes, opinions, actions, and even thoughts, of the in- nocent and helpless young creature whom you would unjustly con- found with a MARY Swaim Reflect ; and, at least, be just. What I tell you is but the echo of innumerable voices.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
A CONSTANT READER.
The Constant Reader may be in the right without our being in the wrong. Knowing his means of observation, we do not doubt that he gives expression to a common feeling : but we would ask him, whether the relations between the present Sovereign and her Minister have not recalled "ugly passages in our history " to" innu- merable " minds? Speak of" the Favourite' in any society, and the term is at once applied to Lord MELBOURNE. The public have no wish to spare him, or to cast any blame on the innocent victim of his heedless selfishness, but they cannot avoid the " ugly " recollections and associations of ideas which the behaviour of the Queen, though altogether under his guidance, naturally pro- duces. It is he who is unjust to the youthful Sovereign—not we, or the public. He has to answer, not merely the charges of our correspondent, but also that of subjecting the Queen to the charge against which our correspondent would defend her. Surely there must be some Parliamentary method of putting a stop to all this mischief. We shall return to the subject.
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