Philippe
lives the life of a mad dog, and will soon, I fear, suffer the
death of that general object of every man's shot."]

[Footnote 51: Express messenger.]

[Pageheading: FRANCE AND EGYPT]

_The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._

LAEKEN, _20th October 1840._

MY MOST BELOVED VICTORIA,--I must write to you a few lines by M.
Drouet, who returns to-morrow morning to England. _God bless you_
for the _great zeal_ you have _mis en action_ for our great work,
the maintenance of peace; it is one of the greatest importance for
everything worth caring for in Europe. You know well that no personal
interest guides me in my exertions; I am in fact bored with being
here, and shall ever regret to have remained in these regions, when I
might so easily have gone myself to the Orient, the great object of my
predilection.

I never shall advise anything which would be against the interests and
honour of yourself, your Government, or your country, in which I have
so great a stake myself. The great thing now is _not to refuse to
negotiate_ with France, even if it should end in nothing. Still for
the King Louis Philippe there is an _immense strength_ and facility in
that word "_nous negocions_"; with this he may get over the opening of
the session, and this once done, one may hope to come to a conclusion.
Since I wrote to Lord Melbourne to-day, I have received a letter
from the King, of the 19th, _i.e._ yesterday, in which he tells me,
"_Pourvu qu'il y ait, pour commencer, des negociations, cela me donne
une grande force._"

I have written yesterday to him most fully a letter he may show Thiers
also concerning the armaments. I think that my arguments will make
some impression on Thiers. The King writes me word that by dint of
great exertion he had brought Thiers to be more moderate. If it was
possible to bring France and Mehemet Ali to agree to the greatest part
of the Treaty, it will be worth while for everybody to consent. The
way to bring France to join in some arrangement, and to take the
engagement to compel Mehemet to accept it, would be the best practical
way to come to a conclusion. It is probable, though I know nothing
about it in any positive way, that the efforts of getting possession
of Syria will fail, if the country itself does not take up arms on a
large scale, which seems not to be believed.

To conclude then my somewhat hurried argumentation, the greatest
thing is to negotiate. The ne