retirement of private
life, and not be the constant object of observation, and of newspaper
articles. The children (Pussette and Bertie) have been most remarkably
well, and so have we, in spite of the very bad weather we had most
days. I am truly and really grieved that good excellent Nemours
is again _not_ to get his _dotation_.[4] Really we constitutional
countries are _too shabby_.

Now, dearest Uncle, I must bid you adieu, begging you to believe me,
ever your devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

[Footnote 3: On the 5th of January the Queen's phaeton was
overturned at Horton, near Dachet, while driving to the meet
of Prince Albert's Harriers.]

[Footnote 4: On the occasion of the marriage of the Duc and
Duchesse de Nemours (1840), the proposal made by the Soult
Government for a Parliamentary grant of 500,000 francs had
been rejected.]

[Pageheading: FRANCE AND ENGLAND]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _30th January 1844._

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--I must begin by thanking you for your kind letter
of the 26th, and by wishing you joy that the fete went off _so_ well.
I am glad Leo will appear at the next ball; he is nearly nine years
old, and it is good to accustom children of his rank early to these
things.

Guizot's speech is exceedingly admired, with the exception of his
having said more than he was justified to do about the right of
search.[5] Our speech has been very difficult to frame; we should like
to have mentioned our visits to France and Belgium, but it has been
found impossible to do so; _France is_ mentioned, and it is the first
time since 1834!

To-morrow we go up to Town "pour ce bore," as the good King always
said to me; whenever there were tiresome people to present he always
said: "Je vous demande pardon de ce _bore_."

I have had a tiresome though not at all violent cold which _I was_
alarmed might spoil the _sonorousness_ of my voice for the speech on
Thursday, but it promises well now.

I own I always look with horror to the beginning of a Parliamentary
campaign.

With Albert's love. Ever your devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

[Footnote 5: He insisted that French trade must be kept under
the exclusive surveillance of the French flag.]

[Pageheading: DEATH OF THE DUKE OF COBURG]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _6th February 1844._

MY DEARLY BELOVED UNCLE,--_You_ must now be t