ve, ever your devoted
Niece,

VICTORIA R.

[Footnote 6: On the borders of Windsor Forest.]

_The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._

LAEKEN, _3rd February 1860_.

MY DEAREST VICTORIA,--... New Lodge must be exceedingly pretty, and,
God willing, I ought once to get sight of it. By all one can hear, the
Italians certainly will attack the Austrians, if they are not told to
leave it alone; Victor Emmanuel speaks openly of it, just as he did
last year, when one also thought it was a mere bravado. Things look
in most directions very gloomy; my neighbour is creating dangers for
himself by the constitutional Government he gives to Italy. The
French say, "Sommes-nous moins que les Italiens pour avoir un peu de
liberte?" This may become more dangerous as things move on, not that
I should regret it; we can never have any security as long as France
remains without a constitutional Government. We have had slight
beginnings of cold, but not much of it, but the glass was fearfully
low. My ball of the 1st was rather pretty, and people were in great
dancing mood. Princess Orloff, a Troubetzkoi, is a very pleasing young
woman. There is also a pretty Princess Metchersky. We had some new
English families _inconceivably ugly_; it is quite a calamity,
they look as if they had been selected on purpose. Having still the
happiness of being one of your Privy Council, I mean to propose some
measure to obviate such a sad state of affairs. We have all of a
sudden snow.... Your truly devoted Uncle,

LEOPOLD R.

[Pageheading: INDIAN HONOURS]

_Queen Victoria to Sir Charles Wood._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _9th February 1860_.

The Queen has attentively read Lord Canning's letter and enclosure.
She quite agrees in his proposal as to the nature of the Order of
Chivalry to be instituted, and the details which he recommends with
regard to it. She also thinks that titles should be confined to those
now known and borne in India, and to be given sparingly; but would
object to the illimited power of the Governor-General and Viceroy
in this respect. The highest dignities and titles ought to proceed
directly from the Crown at the Viceroy's recommendation. The Queen
concurs in the view that honours cannot well be made hereditary
amongst Hindoos and Mussulmans, but where Princes (as we may hope
will be the case sometimes hereafter) have become Christians, the
hereditary nature of honours should not be withheld.[7] ...

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