ccession of Henry IV. of France to the throne, then the events after
his death till the end of the minority of Louis XIV.; after that
period, though interesting, matters have a character which is more
personal, and therefore less applicable to the present times. Still
even that period may be studied with some profit to get knowledge of
mankind. _Intrigues_ and _favouritism_ were the chief features of that
period, and Madame de Maintenon's immense influence was very nearly
the cause of the destruction of France. What I very particularly
recommend to you is to study in the Memoirs of the great and good
Sully[12] the last years of the reign of Henry IV. of France, and the
events which followed his assassination. If you have not got the work,
I will forward it to you from hence, or give you the edition which I
must have at Claremont.

As my paper draws to a close, I shall finish also by giving you my
best blessings, and remain ever, my dearest Love, your faithfully
attached Friend and Uncle,

LEOPOLD R.

[Footnote 12: Maximilien, Duc de Sully, was Henry's Minister
of Finance. A curious feature of the Memoirs is the fact that
they are written in the second person: the historian recounts
the hero's adventures to him.]

[Pageheading: THE PRINCESS'S READING]

_The Princess Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

TUNBRIDGE WELLS, _22nd October 1834._

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--You cannot conceive how happy you have made me, by
your very kind letter, which, instead of tiring, delights me beyond
everything. I must likewise say how very grateful I feel for the kind
and excellent advice you gave me in it.

For the autographs I beg to return my best thanks. They are
most valuable and interesting, and will be great additions to my
collections. As I have not got Sully's Memoirs, I shall be delighted
if you will be so good as to give them to me. Reading history is one
of my greatest delights, and perhaps, dear Uncle, you might like to
know which books in that line I am now reading. In my lessons with the
Dean of Chester,[13] I am reading Russell's _Modern Europe_,[14] which
is very interesting, and Clarendon's _History of the Rebellion_. It
is drily written, but is full of instruction. I like reading different
authors, of different opinions, by which means I learn not to lean on
one particular side. Besides my lessons, I read Jones'[15] account
of the wars in Spain, Portugal and the South of France, from the y