orning has been taken up in receiving in state
Addresses from the City and Universities about this _unfortunate_
"Papal Aggression" business, which is still keeping people in a
feverish state of wild excitement.[53] _One_ good effect it has had,
viz. that of directing people's serious attention to the very alarming
tendency of the _Tractarians_, which was doing _immense_ harm....

_Many, many thanks_ for your two dear and kind letters of the 6th
and of yesterday. All you _say_ about _Louise_, and about the
disappearance _for ever_ of _all_ that _she loved_ and was _proud of_,
is so true, so _dreadful_. One fancies (foolishly and wrongly, but
still one _does_) that the lost one has been hardly used in no longer
enjoying these earthly blessings, and one's grief seems to break
out afresh in bitter agony upon _small and comparatively trifling_
occasions. Poor Lady Peel (whom I saw for the first time yesterday at
Buckingham Palace, whither I had gone for an hour) expressed _this_
strongly. _Hers_ is indeed a _broken heart_; she is so _truly_ crushed
by the _agony_ of _her_ grief; it was _very_ touching to see and to
hear her. Poor thing! she _never_ can be happy again!

What you say about _me_ is far too kind. I am very _often_ sadly
dissatisfied with myself and with the little self-control I have.

Your long letter interested us much. I fear the German affairs are
very bad.... That everlasting "backwards and forwards," as you say,
of my poor friend the King of Prussia is _calamitous_; it causes
_all_ parties to distrust him, and gives _real_ strength only to the
Republicans. Since '48 that has been his conduct, and the _misfortune_
for Germany. A _steady_ course, _whatever_ it may be, is _always_ the
best.

What you say about poor Helene[54] and France is true and sad. I
really wish you would caution Helene as to her language; she is much
attached to you. I _pity_ her very much; her position is very trying,
and her religion renders it more difficult even.

I must now end my letter. I grieve to hear of your going _alone_ to
Ardenne; it is BAD for you to be alone, and your poor children also
ought not to be alone. Ever your devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

[Footnote 53: These Addresses were presented at Windsor,
Prince Albert and the Duke of Wellington representing the
Universities of Cambridge and Oxford.]

[Footnote 54: The Duchess of Orleans.]

[Pageheading: THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH]

_Lor