ems of alliance between which France and Prussia
might choose: an alliance of France with England, an alliance of
Prussia with England, an alliance of France with Prussia. The first
the Emperor said now to a certain degree exists, but is precarious and
not likely to last long, because England is too exacting; the second
would not be useful to Prussia, but might be dangerous, inasmuch as it
would look like hostility to France, and England would not be likely
to back Prussia effectually if a rupture took place between Prussia
and France. The last was the system best for Prussia, and was
calculated to promote her interests; at all events, the Emperor hoped
that if at any time there should be a rupture between France and
England, Prussia would remain neutral. The King of Prussia said he was
not come to discuss matters of that kind with the Emperor, but only
to pay him a visit of compliment. Your Majesty will be able to compare
this statement with the accounts your Majesty may have received of
what passed at that visit....

The Chancellor[56] told the Cabinet as he was going away that he would
soon have to shut up the Court of Chancery in consequence of having
disposed of all the suits before it; and that in future the progress
of a Chancery suit will be the emblem of rapidity, and not as formerly
synonymous with endless delay.

[Footnote 53: See _ante_, Introductory Note to Chapter XXX.]

[Footnote 54: Sir William Atherton, Attorney-General, Sir
Roundell Palmer, Solicitor-General, and Dr Phillimore, Counsel
to the Admiralty.]

[Footnote 55: Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs, afterwards Lord Hammond.]

[Footnote 56: Lord Westbury.]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _26th November 1861_.

MY BELOVED UNCLE,--... Albert is a little rheumatic, which is a
plague--but it is very difficult not to have something or other of
this kind in this season, with these rapid changes of temperature;
_unberufen, unberufen_, he is much better this winter than he was the
preceding years.[57] ...

[Footnote 57: The Prince had been unwell, even before the
receipt of the distressing news from Portugal, and began to
suffer from a somewhat continuous insomnia. On the 22nd of
November, he drove to Sandhurst to inspect the new buildings
in progress there. The day was very wet, and, though he
returned in the middle of the day to Winds