been ratified by all the
parties.

I feel I must in turn, dearest Uncle, entreat your indulgence for so
long a letter, and for such full explanations, but I felt it my duty
to do so, as you had spoken to me on the subject.

You may be assured, my beloved Uncle, that both Lord Melbourne and
Lord Palmerston are most anxious at all times for the prosperity and
welfare of Belgium, and are consequently most desirous of seeing this
difficult question brought to a conclusion which may be satisfactory
to you. Allow me once more therefore, dearest Uncle, to beseech you
to use your powerful influence over your subjects, and to strive to
moderate their excited feelings on these matters. Your situation is a
very difficult one, and nobody feels more for you than I do.

I trust, dearest Uncle, that you will, at all times, believe me your
devoted and most affectionate Niece,

VICTORIA R.

[Pageheading: FOREIGN POLICY]

_The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._

LAEKEN, _June [18] 1838._

MY DEAREST AND MOST BELOVED VICTORIA,--You have written me a _very
dear_ and long letter, which has given me _great pleasure and
satisfaction_. I was much moved with the expressions of truly felt
affection, which it contains, and I shall _never_ again doubt your
affection for me, but rely on your dear heart and the constancy of
your character.

I will now tell you honestly that I had some misgivings; I did not
exactly think that you had quite forgotten me, but I thought I had
been put aside as one does with a piece of furniture which is no
longer wanted. I did not complain, because I fear if affection is once
on the decline, reproaches only diminish it the faster. I therefore
said nothing, but in a life full of grief and disappointments like
mine, the loss of your affection would have been one of the most
severe. It was in this point of view that the declaration made by
Lord Palmerston at the beginning of May to the Prussian Government
chagrined me much.[19] It was premature, because the negotiation
was not yet renewed. It looked as if the English Government had
been anxious to say to the Northern Powers, who always steadfastly
_protected_ Holland, "You imagine, perhaps, that we mean to have
_egards_ for the uncle of the Queen; there you see we shall make even
shorter work with him now than we did under our late master."

This impression had been _general_ on the Continent; they considered
the declaration to Prussia in this w