Buckingham Palace, 25th May 1838.
My dearest Uncle,—I am most thankful for your very kind letter, and for the beautiful little sword, which delights me.
I have been dancing till past four o'clock this morning; we have had a charming ball, and I have spent the happiest birthday that I have had for many years; oh, how different to last year! Everybody was so kind and so friendly to me.
We have got a number of Austrians and Milanese here, among whom are a Prince Odescalchi, and a Count Eugène Zichy, renowned for his magnificent turquoises and his famous valzing, a good-natured élégant; we have also Esterhazy's daughter Marie—now Countess Chorinsky—a Count and Countess Grippa, and a Marquis and Marchioness of Trivalzi, etc.
Old Talleyrand16 is at last dead. I hear he showed wonderful composure and firmness to the last. He was one of those people who I thought never would die. Did you know what Pozzo said to somebody here about him? He said he (Talleyrand) would not die yet, "parce que le Diable ne voulait pas l'avoir."
Footnote 16: Died 17th May, aged eighty-four.
The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.
INDEPENDENCE OF BELGIUM
Laeken, 2nd June 1838.