Victoria.

P.S.—I am very angry with you, Uncle, for you have never written to me once since
you went, and that is a long while.

Footnote 6: Princess Sophia, daughter of George III.

Prince Leopold7 to the Princess Victoria.

Paris, 20th April 1829.

My dearest Love,—Though in a few days I hope to have the happiness of seeing you,
still I wish to recall myself even before that time to your recollection, and to
tell you how delighted I shall be to embrace my dearest little child. I have
travelled far over the world and shall be able to give you some curious information
about various matters.

Stockmar, who was very ill, and whom I despaired of seeing here, did arrive before
yesterday,8 and you may guess what pleasure it gave me. Now I will conclude; au
revoir, and let me find you grown, blooming, and kind to your old and faithful
Uncle,

Leopold.

Footnote 7: Afterwards King of the Belgians.

Footnote 8: I.e. avant hier.

BIRTHDAY LETTERS
The Princess Hohenlohe9 to the Princess Victoria.
[May 1829.]

If I had wings and could fly like a bird, I should fly in at your window like the
little robin to-day, and wish you many [page 33]very happy returns of the 24th, and
tell you how I love you, dearest sister, and how often I think of you and long to
see you. I think if I were once with you again I could not leave you so soon. I
should wish to stay with you, and what would poor Ernest9 say if I were to leave him
so long? He would perhaps try to fly after me, but I fear he would not get far; he
is rather tall and heavy for flying. So you see I have nothing left to do but to
write to you, and wish you in this way all possible happiness and joy for this and
many, many years to come. I hope you will spend a very merry birthday. How I wish to
be with you, dearest Victoire, on that day!

I have not thanked you, I believe, for a very dear letter you have written to me,
which gave me the greatest pleasure. Your descriptions of the plays you had seen
amused me very much. I wish I had seen your performance too. Your most affectionate
Sister,

Feodore.

Footnote 9: The Princess Feodore of Leiningen, the Queen's half-sister, had married,
in January 1828, the Prince (Ernest) of Hohenlohe-Langenburg.

The Duchess of Clarence to the Princess Victoria.

Bushey Park, 14th August 1829.

A thousand thanks to you, dear Victoria, for your very nice and well-written letter
full of good wishes, which I had the pleasure to receive yesterday; and many thanks
more for the pretty gifts your dear Mamma has sent me in your name. I wore them last
night for your sake, dearest child, and thought of you very often.

It gives me great satisfaction to hear that you are enjoying the sea air and like
the place which you now occupy. I wish I could pay your Mamma a visit there and see
you again, my dear little niece, for I long to have that pleasure, and must resign
myself at being deprived of it some time longer. Your Uncle desires to be most
kindly remembered to you, and hopes to receive soon also a letter from you, of whom
he is as fond as I am. We speak of you very often, and trust that you will always
consider us to be amongst your best friends....

God bless you, my dear Victoria, is always the prayer of your most truly
affectionate Aunt,

Adelaide.

The King of the Belgians to the Princess Victoria.

Brussels, 22nd May 1832.

My dearest Love,—Let me offer you my sincerest and best wishes on the return of the
anniversary of your birthday. [page 34]May heaven protect and prosper you, and
shower all its best blessings on you.

Time flies: it is now thirteen years that you came into the world of trouble; I
therefore can hardly venture to call you any longer a little Princess.

This will make you feel, my dear Love, that you must give your attention more and
more to graver matters. By the dispensation of Providence you are destined to fill a
most eminent station; to fill it well must now become your study. A good heart and a
trusty and honourable character are amongst the most indispensable qualifications
for that position.

You will always find in your Uncle that faithful friend which he has proved to you
from your earliest infancy, and whenever you feel yourself in want of support or
advice, call on him with perfect confidence.

If circumstances permitted my leaving Ostend early to-morrow morning, I should be

able to place myself my birthday present into your fair hair; as this happiness has
not fallen to my lot, your excellent mother has promised to act as my
representative.

You will probably have little time to spare. I therefore conclude with the assurance
of the sincere attachment and affection with which I shall ever be, my dearest Love,