,
etc., etc.--the list would be very long if I were to enumerate it all.
The _sooner_ you do this the better; in all countries and at all times
men like Stockmar have filled similar situations, even in the most
bigoted and jealous countries, such as Spain, Austria, etc. You will
have him in this case _constantly near you without_ anybody having the
right of finding fault with it, and to be useful to you he should be
near you. Stockmar would have the _immense_ advantage, for so young
a Queen, to be a _living_ dictionary of all matters scientific and
politic that happened these thirty years, which to you is of the
greatest importance, because you _must study_ the political history of
at least the last thirty-seven years _more particularly_. I had begun
something of the sort with you, even so far back as George II.; you
will do well to go through the reign of George III., and to follow the
various circumstances which brought on finally the present state of
affairs....

My letter grows too long, and you will not have time to read it; I
will therefore come to an end, remaining ever, my beloved Victoria,
your faithfully attached Uncle and Friend,

LEOPOLD R.

[Pageheading: SPANISH AFFAIRS]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

_3rd July 1837._

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--I had the happiness of receiving your kind letter
of 30th June yesterday, and hasten to thank you for it. Your dear and
kind letters, full of kind and excellent advice, will always be of the
greatest use to me, and will always be my delight. You may depend
upon it that I shall profit by your advice, as I have already so often
done.

I was sure you would be of my opinion relative to Lord Melbourne.
Indeed, dearest Uncle, nothing is to be done without a good heart and
an honest mind; I have, alas! seen so much of bad hearts and dishonest
and _double_ minds, that I know how to value and appreciate _real
worth_.

All is going on well at present, and the elections promise to be
favourable. God grant they may be so! I had a very long and highly
interesting conversation with Palmerston on Saturday, about Turkey,
Russia, etc., etc. I trust something may be done for my sister Queens.
They have got a Constitution in Spain at length, and the Cortes have
done very well. We hope also to conclude a treaty of commerce with the
Spaniards shortly, which would be an immense thing.

If you could get my kind and dear friend Louis Philippe, whom I do so
re