An Original Letter Hand Written and Signed by the Past Prime Minister William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne to the Portrait Artist John Partridge. Dated 1848 the year of his death and written in a shaky hand. The letter to the artist John Partridge discusses his own portrait that the artist has undertaken. William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, 1779-1848, in some sources called Henry William Lamb, was a British Whig politician who served as Home Secretary (1830–1834) and Prime Minister (1834 and 1835–1841). His first premiership ended when he was dismissed by King William IV in 1834, the last British prime minister to be dismissed by a monarch. Five months later he was re-appointed and served for six more years, into the reign of Queen Victoria. He is best known for coaching the Queen in the ways of politics, acting almost as her private secretary. Historians do not rank Melbourne's tenure as prime minister favourably, as he had no great foreign wars or domestic issues to handle, and he was involved in several political scandals in the early years of Victoria's reign. John Partridge 1789-1872 was a British artist and portrait painter. Named 'portrait painter-extraordinary' to Queen Victoria, his pictures depict many of the notable figures of his time. Size is 185mm x 112mm. Condition is good. Folding creases.