is, and know not who may read it in these times of
curiosity, I am forced to be guarded; but the news are as follows,
of the 23rd--curious coincidence, as your letter was also of that
date--that, the moment _approaching, many and serious_ difficulties
arise, and that the expedition was considered imprudent by some
people, that, besides, the presence would perhaps be required,
before the _possible_ departure, at the _usual home_ of the person
interested, that therefore for the present it would perhaps be best to
give it up. I must say that I am _most happy_ that matters have come
to this pass, because it would have been next to impossible to arrange
affairs properly in proper time. You may now consider everything _as
over_, and settle your plans without reference to it....

[Pageheading: THE VISIT POSTPONED]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _26th August 1839._

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--I had already written you a letter when I received
your two very kind ones, and I shall therefore not send my first. My
friendship for the dear King and Queen makes me, as you may easily
understand, wish most exceedingly to see them and to make the
acquaintance of the Queen and all the family. And I feel the immense
kindness of them all in wishing to see me, and in coming over for only
a few hours. Politically it would be _wished_ by _us all_, and the
_only_ difficulty I see is the following, which is, that _I do not
feel quite_ equal to going to Brighton and receiving them all, so soon
after the Prorogation.[55] I do not _feel_ well; I feel _thoroughly_
exhausted from all that I have gone through this Session, and am quite
knocked up by the two little trips I made to Windsor. This makes me
fear, uncertain as it all is, with such a pressure of business, so
many affairs, and with so much going on, that I should be unequal to
the journey and the whole thing. This, and this _alone_, could make me
express a wish that this most kind visit should take place _next_
year instead of this year. I feel such regret really in saying this--I
should so wish to see them, and yet I feel I am not _quite_ up to
it. You will understand me, dear Uncle, I am certain, as I know the
anxiety you always express for my health. For _once_ I _long_ to leave
London, and shall do so on Friday. If you could be at Windsor by the
4th, I should be delighted.

The dear Ferdinands, whom I _all dearly_ love, will await you here.
I have