ough he is apparently very
cordial and friendly towards us, and talks of his desire that we
should be on a better footing as to our foreign Ministers than we have
hitherto been, that whenever Lord Granville urges him to do anything
decisive (to use Lord G.'s own words) "he _shrinks_ from the
discussion," says he must have time to reflect before he can give any
answer, and evades giving any reply, whenever anything of _importance_
is required. This, you see, dear Uncle, is not satisfactory. I merely
tell you this, as I think you would like to know what Mole tells _our_
Ambassador; this differs from what he told _you_. What you say
about Louis Philippe I am sure is very true; his situation is a very
peculiar and a very difficult one....

[Footnote 73: See _ante_, p. 93. (Ch. VI, Footnote 71)]

[Pageheading: THE FRENCH IN AFRICA]

_The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._

TRIANON, _27th October 1837._

... Political matters I shall not touch upon to-day; there is nothing
very particular except the taking of Constantin.[74] The Duc de
Nemours has greatly distinguished himself. I am sorry to see that in
England people are sometimes _sufficiently absurd_ to be jealous of
these French conquests. Nothing indeed can be more absurd, as nothing
is of greater _importance to the peace_ of Europe than that a powerful
and military nation like the French should have this outlet for their
love of military display. If one had named a council of wise men to
fix upon a spot where this might be done with _the least mischief_ to
the rest of the world, one should have named the coast of Africa. By
their being there they will render to civilisation a country which for
about 800 years has been growing worse and worse, and which was in the
times of the Romans one of the richest provinces. It settles, besides,
upon the French a constant _petite guerre_ with the natives, which is
the very thing that will do them good.

[Footnote 74: The French losses amounted to 19 officers and 86
men killed, with 38 officers and 468 men wounded. The
French Government had failed in its efforts for an amicable
arrangement with Achmet Bey, and it appeared probable that the
Turkish fleet would also oppose them. The commander, however,
merely landed some men at Tripoli, and the French success was
complete.]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _19th November 1837._

... Now, d