t dinner. Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday will
therefore be festive days, on which Lord Melbourne will have great
pleasure in obeying your Majesty's commands and also on Monday, if he
should not be kept in the House of Lords.

Lord Melbourne thinks it was prudent in your Majesty not to expose
yourself to the cold of the Chapel. He is himself better, but has
still much cough, though he has kept himself very quiet and been very
careful of his diet since he has been in London.

[Footnote 1: In the room of Lord Gosford. See _ante_, p. 102. Ch. VII,
(Introductory Note to Ch. VII)]

[Footnote 2: Daughter of Earl Grey.]

[Footnote 3: Colonial Secretary.]

_Queen Victoria to Viscount Melbourne._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _15th January 1838._ (_Half-past nine o'clock._)

The Queen has written _approved_ on Lord Melbourne's letter as
he desired; but adds a line to express her _satisfaction_ at Lord
Durham's having accepted the office of Governor-General of Canada.

The Queen will be very happy to see Lord Melbourne at half-past three.

[Pageheading: INFLUENCE OF THE CROWN]

_The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._

BRUSSELS, _16th January 1838._

MY DEARLY BELOVED CHILD,--... I am very grateful for Lord Melbourne's
kind recollection of me. I have a sincere regard for him, and I think
that our intercourse has satisfied him of one thing, that I have
nothing so much at heart than your welfare, and what is for the good
of your Empire. I wish very much that you would speak with him on
the subject of what ought to be done to keep for the Crown the little
influence it still may possess. His views on this important subject
are the more trustworthy as he always has belonged to the moderate
Liberals, and therefore has had the means of judging the matter
with great impartiality. Monarchy to be carried on requires certain
elements, and the occupation of the Sovereign must be constantly to
_preserve these elements_, or should they have been too much weakened
by untoward circumstances, to contrive by every means to _strengthen
them again_. You are too clever not to know, that it is _not_ the
being _called_ Queen or King, which can be of the _least consequence_,
when to the title there is not also annexed the power indispensable
for the exercise of those functions. All trades must be learned, and
nowadays the trade of a _constitutional Sovereign, to do it well, is a
very difficult one_.

... I must end, and