VIII, 7th May, 1839)] [Pageheading: DIPLOMATIC APPOINTMENTS] _Queen Victoria to Sir Robert Peel._ _8th September 1841._ There is a subject which the Queen wishes to mention to Sir Robert Peel, as she is at present so little acquainted with Lord Aberdeen; the Queen is very desirous that, if it were possible, Sir Hamilton Seymour should not be removed from Brussels.

The Queen believes that his political views are not violent either way, and she knows that he is peculiarly agreeable to her Uncle, which has, therefore, prompted her to write this to Sir Robert Peel.

The Queen seizes the same opportunity to say that she is also very anxious that a moderate and conciliatory person should be sent to Lisbon, as it is of great importance there.
[Pageheading: THE FRENCH AMBASSADOR] _Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._ CLAREMONT, _8th September 1841._ MY DEAREST UNCLE,--I begin my letter to-day, for fear I should have no time to write to-morrow.

Your kind letter gave me great pleasure, and I must own your silence on all that was going on distressed me very much! It has been indeed a sad time for me, and I am still bewildered, and can't believe that my excellent Lord Melbourne is no longer my Minister, but he will be, as you say, and has _already_ proved himself, _very_ useful and _valuable_ as my friend out of office.
He writes to me often, and I write to him, and he gives really the fairest and most impartial advice possible.

But after seeing him for four years, with very few exceptions--_daily_--you may imagine that I _must_ feel the change; and the longer the time gets since we parted, the _more_ I feel it.