can't_. I thank you only once more,
my beloved Victoria, _for all your kindness_ and _interest_ for my
unfortunate family, and trust all the anxiety you feel for us won't
hurt you. God bless you ever, with all those dear to you. Believe me
always, my beloved Victoria, yours most devotedly,

LOUISE.

I send you no letter for my mother in the present uncertainty.

[Footnote 7: The Duc d'Orleans, who was killed on 13th July
1842.]

_Lord John Russell to Queen Victoria._

CHESHAM PLACE, _29th February 1848._

Lord John Russell presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and has
the honour to transmit a short note from Lord Normanby, which is very
satisfactory.

Lord John Russell declared last night that your Majesty would not
interfere in the internal affairs of France. But in repeating this
declaration, in answer to Mr Cobden, he added that the sacred duties
of hospitality would be, as in all times, performed towards persons of
all opinions. Both declarations were generally cheered. In extending
this hospitality to members of the Royal Family of France, it is only
to be observed that no encouragement should be given by your Majesty
to any notion that your Majesty would assist them to recover the
Crown. In this light it is desirable that no _Prince_ of the House
of Orleans should inhabit one of your Majesty's palaces in or near
London.

[Pageheading: THE NEW FRENCH GOVERNMENT]

_Queen Victoria to Viscount Palmerston._

(_Undated._)[8]

The Queen has perused the enclosed despatches and the proposed Minutes
of a draft to Lord Normanby with Lord John Russell's remarks. She
approves generally of the Minutes, but would like that amongst the
laudable intentions of the new French Government, _that_ of keeping
_inviolate_ the European Treaties should be brought in in some way.
In the paper No. 2, the expression "_most cordial friendship_" strikes
the Queen as rather too strong. We have just had sad experience of
_cordial_ understandings. "Friendly relations" might do better or
the whole sentence might run thus: "that not peace only but cordial
friendship with France _had been at all times_ [instead of "is one
of the," etc.] one of the first wishes of the British Government, and
that this _will_ remain," etc., etc., etc.

[Footnote 8: Apparently written at the end of February.]

[Pageheading: ESCAPE OF KING LOUIS PHILIPPE]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

BUCKINGHAM