Friday, January 15, 2021

Princess Victoria of Kent's letter to Leopold, King of the Belgians, dated January 30, 1837

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, lithograph by Francis William Wilkin.


Above: Leopold, King of the Belgians, lithograph by Luigi Calamatta.

The letter:

CLAREMONT, 30th January 1837.
MY DEAREST UNCLE, — ... I am very sorry that the Portuguese news are still so very unfavourable; I trust that, in time, things will come right. The Portuguese are, as you say, a most inconceivable set of selfish politicians.

Our friend, Mr. Hume, made a most violent speech at a dinner given to him and old George Byng at Drury Lane last week. He called Sir R. Peel and some other Tories "the cloven foot," which I think rather strong. I think that great violence and striving such a pity, on both sides, don't you, dear Uncle? They irritate one another so uselessly by calling one another fools, blockheads, liars, and so forth for no purpose. I think violence so bad in everything. They should imitate you, and be calm, for you have had, God knows! enough cause for irritation from your worthy Dutch neighbours and others. You will, I fear, laugh at my politics, but I like telling you my feelings, for you alone can put me right on such subjects.

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