Birmingham elected him without opposition in 1832, and he sat till 1840.] [Footnote 46: Prince Ernest of Saxe-Coburg.] [Footnote 47: The frontier town of Spain, near St Sebastian, captured, 16th May, by the Christinos, supported by British troops.] [Pageheading: ADVICE AND ENCOURAGEMENT] _The King of the Belgians to the Princess Victoria._ TUILERIES, _7th June 1837._ ...

The _entree_[48] last Sunday was something remarkably splendid; we saw it from the Tuileries, as we had nothing to do with the business itself, and your Aunt's rank would have clashed with that of the Duchess of Orleans.

The effect of all this on the people of this great town has been _very great_, and evidently much ground has been solidly regained.

The King, getting out of that sort of confinement in which it was necessary to keep, has gained much in personal comfort, and also in a political point of view; because to have a King who cannot show himself without being shot at, is a state of society which lowers his authority....
For the present the best plan is to continue to act as you have done hitherto; to avoid quarrels, but also to stick _firmly to your resolution when once_ taken.

The violence which is sometimes shown is so well known to you, you know also so well that you have nothing to fear from these people, that _you must keep up your usual cool spirit_, whatever may be tried in the House to _teaze you out of it_.
I mean to wait some more detailed accounts of what is going on in England before I give my opinion on what ought to be done in the case that the King's disease should take a more fatal turn.
As I told you before, however, when we treated this subject verbally and in writing, I believe it to be your interest to act very mildly, _to begin by taking everything as the King leaves it_.