and which she helped to establish in order to obtain safety against
France after a war of twenty years' duration, will be subverted,
and she herself may some day (perhaps _soon_) have her own safety
imperilled. The Saxon provinces of Prussia will be in much greater
danger when France shall have destroyed Austria in Italy and ruined
her at home, than while the latter remains a powerful member of the
German Confederation. What the Queen is naturally anxious to guard
against is our being drawn by degrees into playing the game of those
who have produced the present disturbance, and whose ulterior views
are very naturally and very wisely by them concealed from us. The
Queen is glad to hear that the telegram in question was not sent,
having been alarmed by its being marked as having been despatched "at
noon" on the 20th. The Queen wishes Lord Derby to show this letter to
Lord Malmesbury.

[Pageheader: ILLNESS OF DUCHESS OF KENT]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

OSBORNE, _25th May 1859_.

DEAREST UNCLE,--Thousand thanks for your dear kind letter and good
wishes for my old birthday, and for your other dear letter of the
21st. Albert, who writes to you, will tell you how dreadfully our
_great, great_ happiness to have dearest Vicky, flourishing and so
well and gay with us, was on Monday and a good deal too yesterday,
clouded over and spoilt by the _dreadful_ anxiety we were in about
dearest Mamma. Thank God! to-day I feel another being--for we know she
is "in a satisfactory state," and improving in every respect, but I am
thoroughly shaken and upset by this _awful_ shock; for it came on
_so suddenly_--that it came like a thunderbolt upon us, and I think I
_never_ suffered as I did those four dreadful hours till we heard she
was better! I hardly myself _knew how_ I loved her, or how _my whole_
existence seems bound up with her--till I saw looming in the distance
the fearful possibility of _what_ I will _not_ mention. She was
actually packing up to start for here! _How_ I missed her yesterday
I cannot say, or how gloomy my poor birthday on first getting up
appeared I _cannot_ say. However, that is passed--and please God we
shall see her, with care, restored to her usual health ere long. I
trust, dearest Uncle, you are quite well now--and that affairs will
not prevent you from coming to see us next month?

Dear Vicky is now a most dear, charming companion--and so _embellie!_

I must end, having so muc