Footnote 94: Governor-General of Canada.
Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.
VISIT TO CHATSWORTH
Belvoir Castle, 4th December 1843.
My dearest Uncle,—Being much hurried, I can only write you a few lines to thank you for your kind letter of the 29th, received this morning. You will have heard from Louise the account of our stay at Drayton (which is a very nice house), and of Albert's brilliant reception at Birmingham. We arrived at Chatsworth on Friday, and left it at nine this morning, quite charmed and delighted with everything there. Splendour and comfort are so admirably combined, and the Duke does everything so well. I found many improvements since I was there eleven years ago. The conservatory is out and out the finest thing imaginable of its kind. It is one mass of glass, 64 feet high, 300 long, and 134 wide.95 The grounds, with all the woods and cascades and fountains, are so beautiful too. The first evening there was a ball, and the next the cascades and fountains were illuminated, which had a beautiful effect. There was a large party there, including many of the Duke's family, the Bedfords, Buccleuchs, the Duke of Wellington, the Normanbys, Lord Melbourne (who is much better), and the Beauvales. We arrived here at half-past two, we perform our journey so delightfully on the railroad, so quickly and easily. It puts me in mind of our dear stay in Belgium, when we stop at the various stations.
Albert is going out hunting to-morrow, which I wish was over, but I am assured that the country is much better than the Windsor country.
The Duc de Bordeaux's proceedings in London are most highly improper.
The Queen Dowager is also here.
We leave this place on Thursday for home, which, I own, I shall be glad of at last. Ever your devoted Niece,
Victoria R.