6.]

[Footnote 58: _E.g._, Lord Eldon in the former office; Lord
Langdale in the latter.]

[Pageheading: PRINCE CHARLES OF LEININGEN]

_The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._

LAEKEN, _21st November 1856_.

MY DEAREST VICTORIA,--On Vicky's sixteenth birthday I cannot write on
black-edged paper, it looks too gloomy, and I begin by wishing you joy
on this day, with the sincere hope that it will also _dans l'avenir_
prove to you one of satisfaction and happiness. I must now turn to
your kind and affectionate letter of the 19th. I was sure that your
warm heart would feel deeply the loss we have sustained.[59] You must,
however, remember that you were ever a most affectionate sister, and
that Charles was fully aware and most grateful for these your kind and
sisterly sentiments. The real blow was last year; if that could
have been mitigated, life might have been preserved under tolerable
circumstances. As things, however, proceeded, if the present attack
could have been warded off, Charles's existence would have been one
of the most awful suffering, particularly for one whose mental
disposition was quick and lively. Your sentiments on this occasion do
you honour; it is by feelings like those you express that evidently
_der Anknuepfungspunkt_ with a future life must be looked for, and
that alone with such sentiments we can show ourselves fit for such an
existence.

For your precious health we must now claim that you will not permit
your imagination to dwell too much on the very melancholy picture of
the last moments of one whom you loved, however natural it may be, and
however difficult it is to dismiss such ideas.

Feo feels all this in a most beautiful and truly pious way. It is
strange that November should be so full of sad anniversaries. I can
well understand what Vicky must have suffered, as it could not be
expected that Fritz Wilhelm could quite understand her grief....

Now I must leave you, remaining ever, my beloved Victoria, your truly
devoted Uncle,

LEOPOLD R.

My best love to Albert.

[Footnote 59: The Queen's half-brother, Prince Charles of
Leiningen, had died on the 13th.]

_Queen Victoria to Viscount Palmerston._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _24th November 1856_.

The Queen approves the recommendation of Mr Bickersteth[60] for the
vacant Bishopric of Ripon, but she cannot disguise from herself that
however excellent a man Mr Bickersteth may be, his appointment will be