rning to Windsor
to-morrow, unless there should be any impediment, of which Lord
Melbourne will inform your Majesty.

[Footnote 40: Sir George Grey (1799-1882), at this time
Under-Secretary for the Colonies, afterwards Secretary of
State successively for Home and Colonial Affairs.]

[Footnote 41: On the 3rd of November, however, the
insurrection had broken out anew in Lower Canada, while
in Upper Canada many American "sympathyzers" joined the
insurgents there; these were decisively defeated at Prescott.
This fight cost the British 45 in killed and wounded; 159 of
their opponents (including 131 natives of the United
States) were taken, and conveyed to Kingston, to be tried by
court-martial.]

[Pageheading: BELGIAN AFFAIRS]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _5th December 1838._

MY DEAR UNCLE,--I have to thank you for two letters, one brought by
Van Praet, and the other received on Tuesday. Before I proceed further
I must tell you that both Lord Melbourne and I had already seen
your letter to Lord Palmerston, which he sent to us immediately on
receiving it. I have read these letters with the greatest attention,
and can quite understand that your difficulties are great in trying to
restrain the eagerness and violence of some of your people.

My great affection for you, of course, makes me most anxious to see
these troublesome and long pending affairs settled, for the sake of a
continuance of peace and tranquillity; but, dear Uncle, as it appears
to me that these affairs can only be settled by the agreement of the
four Powers, it is absolutely necessary that France should go with
us as well as the others, and I think, dear Uncle, you wrong us in
thinking that we urged France too much and unfairly. You must not,
dear Uncle, think that it is from want of interest that I, in general,
abstain from touching upon these matters in my letters to you; but I
am fearful, if I were to do so, to change our present delightful
and familiar correspondence into a formal and stiff discussion upon
political matters which would not be agreeable to either of us, and
which I should deeply regret. These are my reasons, and I trust you
will understand them, and be convinced of my unalterable and _very_
great affection for you, my dearest Uncle, and of the great interest
I take in all that concerns your welfare and happiness and the
prosperity of your countr