the next morning, only with a terribly
black, green, and yellow face and very much swelled. He might have
been killed; he is always bent upon self-destruction, and one hardly
knows what to do, for he don't mind being hurt or scolded or punished;
and the very next morning he tried to go down the stairs leaning over
the banisters just as he had done when he fell.

Alas! this will be my last letter but one from the dear Highlands. We
start on the 7th, visiting Liverpool and Manchester on our way back,
and expect to be at Windsor on the 11th.

I must now conclude. Ever your devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

[Pageheading: THE HIGHLANDS]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

BALMORAL CASTLE, _6th October 1851._

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--Only two words can I write to you, as we are to
start to-morrow morning. My heart is _bien gros_ at going from here.

I love my peaceful, wild Highlands, the glorious scenery, the
dear good people who are much attached to us, and who feel their
_Einsamkeit_ sadly, very much. One of our Gillies, a young Highlander
who generally went out with me, said, in answer to my observation that
they must be very dull here when we left: "It's just like death come
all at once." In addition to my sorrow at leaving this dear place,
I am in great sorrow at the loss of a dear and faithful, excellent
friend, whom you will sincerely lament--our good Lord Liverpool. He
was well and in the highest spirits with us only six weeks ago, and in
three days he was carried away. I cannot tell you _how_ it has upset
me; I have known him so long, and he was such an intimate friend of
ours. We received the news yesterday.

Many thanks for your kind letter of the 29th. I am glad all went off
so well, but it must have been dreadful to miss dearest Louise.
This time reminds me so much of all our sorrow last year on her dear
account.

VICTORIA R.

_Queen Victoria to Lord Palmerston._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _13th October 1851._

The Queen returns Lord Howden's letter, and thinks that the best
answer to the Queen of Spain's request will be that the Statutes
do not allow the Garter to be bestowed upon a lady; that the Queen
herself possesses no order of knighthood from any country.[17]

With reference to the claim for the King arising out of the Prince
having received the Fleece, it may be well to say that the offer
of the Fleece had in the first instance been declined for fear of
establishing a ground for