entative
institutions throughout Europe.

CHAPTER VI

1837

_The Princess Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

_16th January 1837._

MY DEAREST UNCLE,-- ... We saw Van de Weyer[1] on Tuesday, and his
conversation was most interesting. He praises our dear Ferdinand
most exceedingly, but as for the poor Queen, what he told us does not
redound much to her credit; one good quality, however, she has, which
is her excessive fondness for and real _obedience_ to Ferdinand. She
is unfortunately surrounded by a _camarilla_[2] who poison her ears,
and fetter all her actions; poor soul! she is _much_ to be pitied.
About Lavradio[3] you will also have, I fear, heard but too much.
Honesty and single-heartedness seems to have left Portugal. Van de
Weyer is so clear in all that he says, so sensible, so quiet, so
clever, and, last but not least, so agreeable; I hope we shall soon
see him again. You see, dear Uncle, how much interest I take in
Portugal; but I must say that I think every one who knows dear
Ferdinand, and particularly who loves him as I do, must feel a very
deep interest as to the fate of the unhappy country in which he is
destined to play so prominent and difficult a part.

I have been reading to-day a very clever speech of Sir Robert Peel's
(not a political one) to the University at Glasgow, on the occasion of
his being elected Lord Rector of that college. There is another speech
of his at the dinner at Glasgow which _is political_, but which I have
not yet read....[4]

[Footnote 1: Sylvain Van de Weyer (b. 1802) was, in 1830,
Belgian Plenipotentiary at the Conference of London. He
returned to his own country and became Foreign Minister.
His exertions contributed greatly to render successful the
candidature of Prince Leopold for the throne of Belgium. The
King appointed him Belgian Minister in London, to which post
he returned in 1851, and held it till 1867. He was treated by
the Queen until his death in 1874 as a very intimate friend
and adviser.]

[Footnote 2: _I.e._ a clique.]

[Footnote 3: The Portuguese Statesman who had gone to Gotha
to arrange the Queen's marriage, and was destined to act in a
similar manner for her son in 1857.]

[Footnote 4: Sir R. Peel was installed as Lord Rector of
Glasgow on 11th January, and delivered an address on the
principles of Education: strong political feeling was
manifested, groans be