earest Uncle, before I say anything more, I will answer the
various questions in your letter, which I have communicated to
Lord Melbourne and Lord Palmerston. (1) With respect to Ferdinand's
question to you, it is impossible for _us_ to say _beforehand_ _what_
we _shall_ do in _such_ an _emergency_; it depends so entirely on the
peculiar _circumstances_ of the _moment_ that we cannot say what we
should do. You know, dear Uncle, that the fleet has orders to protect
the King and Queen in case they should be in any personal danger. As
to Lord Howard,[75] though what you say about him is true enough, it
would not do to recall him at present; it would give Bois le Comte[76]
all the advantage he _wishes_ for, and which would be injurious to our
interests and influence.

(2) With regard to Spain, a very decided mention is made of the
_Queen_ herself in the speech which is to be delivered by me to-morrow
in the House of Lords.

We have great reason to know that, of late, the Queen has positively
declared her intention to remain at Madrid to the very last.

Villiers'[77] conduct has been, I fear, much misrepresented, for his
_own_ opinions are not at all those of the _ultra-Liberal_ kind; and
his _only_ aim has been, to be on good terms with the Spanish Ministry
for the time being.

(3) Concerning France, I need not repeat to you, dear Uncle, how
_very_ anxious we all are to be upon the _best_ and _most friendly_
terms with her, and to co-operate with her.

[Footnote 75: Lord Howard de Walden, British Minister at
Lisbon.]

[Footnote 76: French Minister at Madrid.]

[Footnote 77: British Minister at Madrid, afterwards fourth
Earl of Clarendon, and twice Foreign Secretary.]

[Pageheading: CLOSE OF THE SESSION]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _25th December 1837._

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--... You will, I am sure, be happy to hear that
this Session is happily closed, and that the whole has gone off very
satisfactorily, much more so even than any of us could hope. I went
on Saturday to the House of Lords to give my Assent to the Civil List
Bill. I shall return to town on the 16th of January, when Parliament
meets again; it meets sooner than it was at first intended it should,
on account of the affairs of Canada.

_The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._[78]

LAEKEN, _26th December 1837._

MY DEAREST CHILD,--You were _somewhat irritable_ when you wr