| Collection | Victorian Papers, Main Series |
| Description | The Queen was very sorry to learn from Lord John's letter of yesterday that he contemplates England possibly joining France in a fresh Italian war, or demonstration of war, against Austria: the Queen had put this entirely out of the question. If the French Emperor was to believe this, he would have the power to bring it about, or obtain a just cause of complaint against England if the country abandoned him. It would be as dangerous and unfair to the Emperor to mislead him, as it would be for the Queen to conceal from Lord John that she will not depart from a position of neutrality in the Italian quarrel under any pretence, and inflict on England and Europe the calamity of war. |