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: Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and Ireland, painted by William Essex.
Above: Leopold, King of the Belgians, drawn by Sir George Hayter.
The letter:
BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 10th April 1838.
MY DEAREST UNCLE, — I received your kind letter of the 5th on Sunday, and return you my best thanks for it. I shall, before I say another word, answer your question about the horses which I ride, which I do the more willingly as I have got two darlings, if I may use that word. They are, both of them, quite perfect in every sense of the word; very handsome, full of spirit, delightful easy-goers, very quiet, and never shying at anything. Is not this perfection? The one called Tartar (which belonged to Lord Conyngham), an Irish horse, is a very dark brown, a beautiful creature; the other, which Lord Uxbridge got for me, is called Uxbridge; he is smaller than Tartar, and is a dark chestnut, with a beautiful little Arabian head. I am afraid I shall have bored you with this long account of my horses.
I am going to Windsor to-morrow afternoon, and have got a great deal to do in consequence....
Poor dear Louie lingers on, but, alas! I can only say lingers; she does not gain strength. I cannot say how it grieves me, I am so sincerely attached to the good old soul, who has known me ever since my birth. But I still entertain a hope that she may get over it.
We shall have a fortnight's respite from our Political Campaign. I trust we shall do as well as we have done when Parliament meets again. Believe me always, your devoted Niece,
VICTORIA R.
Notes: Lord Uxbridge = Henry, Earl of Uxbridge, afterwards Second Marquis of Anglesey (1797-1869).
Louie = Louisa Louis (1771-1838).
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