Source:
The letters of Queen Victoria: a selection from Her Majesty's correspondence between the years 1831 and 1861: published by authority of His Majesty the King, edited by Arthur Christopher Benson and Viscount Reginald Baliol Brett Esher, 1907
Above: Princess Victoria of Kent, future Queen of the United Kingdom and Ireland, artist unknown.
Above: Leopold, King of the Belgians, lithograph by Luigi Calamatta.
The letter:
23rd January 1837.
MY DEAREST UNCLE, — ... The affairs of the Peninsula are indeed very distressing, and what you tell me in your letter of the 20th, as also in the former one, is highly interesting and, alas! but too true. I trust, notwithstanding what you say, I may yet live to see Spain and Portugal settled. But I greatly fear that the time is far distant.
Do you know Mendizabal? I saw him at our house in 1835. Alava presented him to us; he is a tall, dark, fine, and clever-looking man. I remember his being so much struck with my likeness to Donna Maria, which I was not aware was the case. Pray, dear Uncle, may I ask you a silly question? — is not the Queen of Spain rather clever? You know her, and what do you think of her? And do you know what sort of people are about poor little Queen Isabel? Poor, good Donna Maria! I feel much for her; her education was one of the worst that could be. As long as those Ficalhos and Melos remain about her, nothing can be done. Could they not be got rid of in time?
I was sorry to see that the French Chambers were rather stormy.
I thank you much for the list of the ball of the 18th, which must have been very splendid. The last ball I was at was our own, and I concluded that very ball at half-past three in the morning with a country dance, Albert being my partner.
Pray, dear Uncle, tell both young gentlemen, with my kindest love, that I often think of that night and of many other pleasant evenings we passed together. The singing will come all in time. Who is their singing-master? I wish they had my worthy Lablache. I sing regularly every evening, as I think it better to do so every day to keep the voice manageable. Oh, my beloved Uncle, could you join us, how delightful that would be! How I should delight in singing with you all our favourite things from La Gazza, Otello, Il Barbiere, etc., etc.
The little Cousin must be a little love; oh, could I but see him and play with him! Pray, dear Uncle, does he know such a thing as that he has got an Aunt and Cousin on the other side of the water? ...
Pray, dear Uncle, have you read Sir R. Peel's two speeches? I wish you would, and give me your opinion of them.
Notes: Mendizabal = Don Juan Alvarez y Mendizabal, a Spanish politician and financier.
Alava = Miguel Ricardo di Alava, Spanish general.
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