y drawing
representing the Provost of Bruges and his daughter[5]; I admired also
that for your Aunt. They do your spirit of invention honour, and it is
a very good plan to draw subjects from books or plays which interest
you. You will feel the loss of a pleasant society in the old Palace,
the more so as your relations are good unsophisticated people, a thing
which one does not so often meet with. I suppose that part of your
London amusements will soon be over. You were going to Windsor,
which you will probably have left by this time. I hope you were very
prudent; I cannot disguise from you, that though the inhabitants are
good-natured people, still that I think you want all your natural
caution with them. Never permit yourself to be induced to tell them
any opinion or sentiment of yours which is _beyond the sphere of
common conversation_ and its ordinary topics. Bad use would be made
of it against yourself, and you cannot in that subject be too much
guarded. I know well the people we have to deal with. I am extremely
impartial, but I shall also always be equally watchful.... God bless
you! Ever, my dear child, your very devoted Uncle and Friend,

LEOPOLD R.

[Footnote 5: Leading characters in _The Heiress of Bruges_, by
Grattan.]

_The Princess Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

_9th August 1836._

MY BELOVED UNCLE,-- ... I was sure you would be very much pleased with
Ernest and Albert as soon as you knew them more; there cannot be two
more good and sensible young men than they are. Pray, dear Uncle, say
everything most kind from me to them.

We go to Buxted[6] to-morrow morning, and stay there till next Monday.

All the gaieties are now over. We took leave of the Opera on Saturday,
and a most brilliant conclusion to the season it was. Yesterday I took
my farewell lesson with Lablache,[7] which I was very sorry to do. I
have had twenty-six lessons with him, and I look forward with pleasure
to resume them again next spring.

[Footnote 6: Lord Liverpool's house. Charles Cecil Cope
Jenkinson, third Earl of Liverpool, was fifty-three years old
at the time of the Queen's accession. He was a moderate Tory,
and had held office as Under-Secretary for the Home Department
in 1807, and in 1809 as Under-Secretary for War and the
Colonies. He succeeded to the Earldom in 1828. The title,
since revived, became extinct on his death in 1851. He was a
friend of the Duchess of