The Queen hears that Mr Peabody intends shortly to return to America;
and she would be sorry that he should leave England without being
assured by herself how deeply she appreciates the noble act, of more
than princely munificence, by which he has sought to relieve the
wants of her poorer subjects residing in London. It is an act, as the
Queen believes, wholly without parallel; and which will carry its
best reward in the consciousness of having contributed so largely to
the assistance of those who can little help themselves.

The Queen would not, however, have been satisfied without giving Mr
Peabody some public mark of her sense of his munificence; and she
would gladly have conferred upon him either a baronetcy or the Grand
Cross of the Order of the Bath, but that she understands Mr Peabody
to feel himself debarred from accepting such distinctions.

It only remains, therefore, for the Queen to give Mr Peabody this
assurance of her personal feelings; which she would further wish to
mark by asking him to accept a miniature portrait of herself, which
she will desire to have painted for him, and which, when finished,
can either be sent to him in America, or given to him on the return
which she rejoices to hear he meditates to the country that owes him
so much.

To this letter Mr Peabody replied:

THE PALACE HOTEL, BUCKINGHAM GATE,

LONDON, _April_ 3, 1866.