ember 1851._

The Queen has received Lord John Russell's letter of the 30th ult.,
and has carefully considered his Memorandum on the report of
the Committee of the Cabinet; she now returns Sir Charles Wood's
Memorandum.

Considering the question of Reform under its two bearings--on the
Franchise and on the Suffrage--the Queen thinks the proposal of merely
adding neighbouring towns to the small boroughs an improvement on the
original plan, which contemplated the taking away of members from some
boroughs, and giving them to others. Thus the animosity may be hoped
to be avoided which an attack upon vested interests could not
have failed to have produced. Much will depend, however, upon the
completeness, fairness, and impartiality with which the selection of
the towns will be made which are to be admitted into the electoral
district of others. Sir Charles Wood's Memorandum being only a sketch,
the Queen hopes to see a more complete list, stating the principle
also upon which the selection is made.

With regard to the Suffrage, the proposals of the Committee appear
to the Queen to be framed with a due regard to the importance of not
giving an undue proportion of weight to the Democracy. In the
Queen's opinion, the chief question to consider will be whether the
strengthening of the Democratic principle will upset the balance of
Constitution, and further weaken the Executive, which is by no means
too strong at present. The Queen is well aware of the difficulty of
forming a correct estimate beforehand of the moral effect which such
extensive changes may produce, but thinks that they cannot even be
guessed at before the numerical results are accurately ascertained;
she hopes therefore that the statistics will be soon in a state to be
laid before her.

The Queen regrets that the idea of reviving the Guilds had to be
abandoned, but can quite understand the difficulty which would have
been added to the measure by its being clogged with such an additional
innovation.

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

OSBORNE, _2nd December 1851._

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--Accept my best thanks for your kind letter of the
28th. I am truly grieved to hear that you have got so bad a cold;
nothing is more trying and annoying than those heavy colds, which
render _all_ occupation irksome and trying in the highest degree. I
hope that it will soon be past.

It is a great pity that you do not venture to come to us, as I am sure
you