Footnote 3: See ante, [vol. i. p. 254].
Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.
CLAREMONT
Claremont, 11th January 1848.
My dearest Uncle,—I always write with pleasure to you from this so very dear old place, where we are safely and happily housed with our whole little family since yesterday. The weather is very cold, and it is the third night of a black frost which is likely to continue for some days. Many thanks for your kind letter of the 7th, which, according to the new arrangement, I received already on the 8th. Your visit will, I fear, have been a very melancholy one. Poor Mme. Adélaïde's death was so extremely sudden, it must be a dreadful blow to the poor King. I have written to him. Louise will have told you that poor Aunt Sophia4 is decidedly sinking.
I wish, dearest Uncle, if even Louise feels unequal to coming to us now (which would be a sad disappointment), you would come to see us. Why not come while she is at Paris? It would be such a pleasure to us. You will of course have no balls, and you might come even sooner than you originally intended. Pray do see if you could manage this. I am sure you could. If Louise could come, of course that would be still better.
Albert desires me to ask you the following favour, viz. if you would give us the picture that is here of Grand Uncle Frederic (the Field-Marshal), that we might hang it up in London, where we have made a fine collection of his contemporaries, and we would replace it by a faithful copy, which could be hung up in the frame here. Will you grant this?
We are very desirous of getting the Woods and Forests to build a small glass dome to the greenhouse here where the palm-trees are, and (if you approved) there could be no difficulty in getting this done; the palm-trees are beautiful, and will be quite stunted and spoilt if not allowed to grow. We shall stay here till Monday next. With Albert's love, ever your truly devoted Niece,
Victoria R.
Footnote 4: Fifth daughter of George III., born 1777. She died in May 1848.