I am happy, dearest Uncle, to give you these quieting news,
which I assure you are _not_ partial....

[Pageheading: KING LEOPOLD'S VIEWS]

_The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._

LAEKEN _31st May 1841._

MY DEAREST VICTORIA,--Your Mother[48] is safely arrived, though she
was received close to Ostende by a formidable thunderstorm. I had
given directions that everywhere great civilities should be shown her.
She stood the fatigues better than I had expected, and is less sleepy
than in England. She seems to be pleased with her _sejour_ here, and
inclined in fact to remain rather than to go on; but I am sure, when
once in Germany she will be both pleased and interested by it. It will
amuse you to hear from herself her own impressions.

I cannot help to add a few political lines. I regret much, I must
confess, that the idea of a dissolution has gained ground, and I will
try to show in a very few words why I am against it.

In politics, a great rule ought to be to rule with the things which
one _knows already_, and not to jump into something entirely new of
which no one can do more _than guess the consequences._ The present
Parliament has been elected at a moment most favourable to the
present Administration after a most popular accession to the throne,
everything new and fresh, and with the natural fondness of the great
mass of people, a change is always popular; it was known that you were
kindly disposed towards your Ministers, everything was therefore
_a souhait_ for the election of a new Parliament. In this respect
Ministers have nothing like the favourable circumstances which smiled
upon them at the last general election. Feeling this, they raise a
cry, which may become popular and embarrass their antagonists about
_cheap_ bread! I do not think this is quite befitting their
dignity; such things do for revolutionaries like Thiers, or my
late Ministers.... If the thing rouses the people it may do serious
mischief; if not, it will look awkward for the Ministers themselves.
If you do not grant a dissolution to your present Ministers you would
have, at the coming in of a new Administration, the right to tell them
that they must go on with the present Parliament; and I have no doubt
that they could do so. The statistics of the present House of Commons
are well known to all the men who sit in it, and to keep it a few
years longer would be a real advantage.

You know that I have been rather maltreated by t