Ever, my beloved child, your faithful Uncle and Friend, LEOPOLD R.
Pardon the hurry in which this letter was written.
[Footnote 49: The Duke of Cumberland.] [Pageheading: THE KING'S CONDITION HOPELESS] _The Princess Victoria to the King of the Belgians._ _19th June 1837._ MY DEARLY BELOVED UNCLE,--Your _kind_ and _dear_ letter, containing _most wholesome_, _prudent_, _sound_ and _excellent_ advice, was given me by our _good_ and _invaluable honest_ friend, Stockmar, and I beg you to accept my best thanks for it.

Before I say anything else, let me tell you how happy and thankful I am to have Stockmar here; he has _been_, and _is_, of the _greatest_ possible use, and be assured, dearest Uncle, that he possesses my _most entire confidence_! The King's state, I may fairly say, is _hopeless_; he may _perhaps_ linger a few days, but he cannot recover _ultimately_.

Yesterday the physicians declared he could not live till the morning, but to-day he is a little better; the great fear is his _excessive_ weakness and no _pulse_ at all.

Poor old man! I feel sorry for him; he was always personally kind to me, and I should be ungrateful and devoid of feeling if I did not remember this.
I look forward to the event which it seems is likely to occur soon, with calmness and quietness; I am not alarmed at it, and yet I do not suppose myself quite equal to all; I trust, however, that with _good-will_, _honesty_, and _courage_ I shall not, at all events, _fail_.

Your advice is most excellent, and you may depend upon it I shall make use of it, and follow it, as also what Stockmar says.