gotiation cannot now have the effect of
weakening the execution as that goes on, and it may have the advantage
of covering the non-success if that should take place, which is at
all events possible if not probable. May I beg you to read these few
confused words to Lord Melbourne as a supplement of my letter to him.
Darmes says that if Chartres had been with the King, he would not
have fired, but that his reason for wishing to kill the King was his
conviction that one could not hope for war till he was dead.

It is really melancholy to see the poor King taking this _acharnement_
very much to heart, and upon my word, the other Powers of Europe owe
it to themselves and to him to do everything to ease and strengthen
his awful task.

What do you say to poor Christina's departure?[52] I am sorry for it,
and for the poor children. She is believed to be very rich.

Now I must conclude, but not without thanking you once more for your
_great and most laudable exertions_, and wishing you every happiness,
which you so _much deserve_. Ever, my most beloved Victoria, your
devoted Uncle,

LEOPOLD R.

[Footnote 52: Queen Christina abdicated the Regency of Spain,
and went to Paris. In the following May General Espartero,
Duke of Vittoria, was appointed sole Regent.]

[Pageheading: DEATH OF LORD HOLLAND]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _23rd October 1840._

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--Many thanks for your two kind letters of the 17th
and 20th. I have very little time to-day, and it being besides _not_
my regular day, I must beg you to excuse this letter being very short.
I return you the King's letters with _bien des remerciments_. It is
a horrid business. We have had accounts of successes on the Syrian
coast. Guizot is here since Wednesday, and goes this morning. Albert
(who desires me to thank you for your kind letter) has been talking
to him, and so have I, and he promised in return for my expressions of
sincere anxiety to see matters _raccommodees_, to do all in his power
to do so. "_Je ne vais que pour cela_," he said.

We were much shocked yesterday at the sudden death of poor good, old
Lord Holland.[53] I send you Dr Holland's letter to Lord Melbourne
about it. He is a great loss, and to _Society_ an irreparable one. I'm
sure you will be sorry for it.

Mamma comes back sooner than the 31st. She is in great distress at
poor Polly's death. You will regret him. Ever your devote