ipt
concerning the idea that I wished your present Ministers to retire,
because they had become disagreeable to France. The people who
_avancent quelque chose de la sorte_ probably have some ill-natured
motive which it is not always easy to guess; perhaps in the present
instance does it mean, let us say, _that?_ whatever opinion he may
then express we can easily counteract it, representing it as the
result of _strong partiality to France_. Let us therefore examine
what France has to gain in a change of Administration. Certainly your
present Ministers are _not_ much loved _now_ in France, not so much in
consequence of the political events of last year themselves, than for
the _manner_ in which they came to pass. Nevertheless, when I was at
Paris, King and Council were decided to sign the treaty with the four
other Powers, which would put an end to the _isolement_, though many
people are stoutly _for the isolement_. There end the relations which
will exist for some time between the two countries--they will be on
_decent_ terms; that is all I wish for the present, and it is matter
of moonshine who your Ministers are. No doubt, formerly there existed
such a predilection in favour of Lord Grey's[42] Administration and
those who continued it, that the coming in of the Tories would have
been considered as a great public calamity; but even now, though
this affection is gone, the Tories will also be looked on with some
suspicion. Lord Melbourne's Administration has had the great merit of
being liberal, and at the same time prudent, conservative in the good
sense of the word, preserving what was good. Monarchy, by an adherence
to this system, was very safe, and the popular liberal cry needless.

[Footnote 42: 1830-1834.]

[Pageheading: KING LEOPOLD'S ADVICE]

(_Continued at_) LAEKEN, _21st May._

I regret that the Corn question was brought forward somewhat
abruptly;[43] it is a dangerous one, as it roused the most numerous
and poorest classes of society, and may easily degenerate into
bloodshed. The dissolution under such circumstances would become still
more a source of agitation, as it generally always is in England. Lord
Melbourne, I am sure, will think so too.

I am delighted by what you say of Albert; it is just the proper line
for him to take, without biassing you either way, to show you honestly
the consequences which in his opinion the one or the other may have.
As he has really a very clear and logical