ear
1808 till 1814. It is well done, I think, and amuses me very much. In
French, I am now in _La Rivalite de la France et de l'Espagne_, par
Gaillard,[16] which is very interesting. I have also begun Rollin.[17]
I am very fond of making tables of the Kings and Queens, as I go on,
and I have lately finished one of the English Sovereigns and their
consorts, as, of course, the history of my own country is one of
my first duties. I should be fearful of tiring you with so long an
account of myself, were I not sure you take so great an interest in my
welfare.

Pray give my most affectionate love to _dearest_ Aunt Louisa, and
please say to the Queen of the French and the two Princesses how
grateful I am for their kind remembrance of me.

Believe me always, my dearest Uncle, your very affectionate, very
dutiful, and most attached Niece,

VICTORIA.

[Footnote 13: The Rev. George Davys. See _ante_, p. 15.
(Ch. II, Footnote 4)]

[Footnote 14: This _History of Modern Europe_, in a series of
letters from a nobleman to his son, 5 vols. (1779-1784),
deals with the rise of modern kingdoms down to the Peace of
Westphalia (1648).]

[Footnote 15: Sir John Thomas Jones, Bart. (1783-1843), a
Royal Engineer, who served in the Peninsular War.]

[Footnote 16: Gabriel Henri Gaillard (1726-1806), Member of
the French Academy.]

[Footnote 17: The _Histoire Ancienne_, by Charles Rollin
(1661-1741), Rector of the University of Paris.]

_The Princess Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

ST. LEONARDS, _19th November 1834._

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--It is impossible for me to express how happy you
have made me by writing so soon again to me, and how pleased I am to
see by your very kind letter that you intend to write to me often. I
am much obliged to you, dear Uncle, for the extract about Queen Anne,
but must beg you, as you have sent me to show what a Queen _ought not_
to be, that you will send me what a Queen _ought to be_.[18]

Might I ask what is the very pretty seal with which the letter I got
from you yesterday was closed? It is so peculiar that I am anxious to
know.

Believe me always, dear Uncle, your very affectionate, very dutiful,
and very attached Niece,

VICTORIA.

[Footnote 18: King Leopold had sent the Princess an extract
from a French Memoir, containing a severe criticism of the
political character of Queen Anne.]

_The King of the Belgians t