1839] LOUIS PHILIPPE’S VISIT 183 The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria. OSTENDE, 25th August 1839. (La St Louis.) My dear Victoria,—To keep up the fire of letters, I write again, having received this morning interesting news. As I must forward this letter by Calais, and know not who may read it in these times of curiosity, I am forced to be guarded ; but the news are as follows, of the 23rd—curious coincidence, as your letter was also of that date—that, the moment approach- ing, many and serious difficulties arise, and that the expedition was considered imprudent by some people, that, besides, the presence would perhaps be required, before the possible departure, at the usual home of the person interested, that therefore for the present it would perhaps be best to give it up. I must say that I am most happy that matters have come to this pass, because it would have been next to impossible to arrange affairs properly in proper time. You may now consider everything as over, and settle your plans without reference to it... . Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians. BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 26th August 1839. My DEAREST UnctE,—I had already written you a letter when I received your two very kind ones, and I shall therefore not send my first. My friendship for the dear King and Queen makes me, as you may easily understand, wish most exceed- ingly to see them and to make the acquaintance of the Queen and all the family. And I feel the immense kindness of them all in wishing to see me, and in coming over for only a few hours. Politically it would be wished by us all, and the only difficulty I see is the following, which is, that I do not feel quite equal to going to Brighton and receiving them all, so soon after the Prorogation.1 I do not feel well; I feel thoroughly exhausted from all that I have gone through this Session, and am quite knocked up by the two little trips I made to Windsor. This makes me fear, uncertain as it all is, with such a pressure of business, so many affairs, and with so much going on, that I should be unequal to the journey and the whole thing. This, and this alone, could make me express a wish that this most kind visit should take place neat year instead of this year. I feel such regret really in saying this—I should so wish to seo 1 On 27th August,
