Belgium is a boiler that needs valves. - Leopold I of Belgium

The Belgians are a people without a shadow of nationality, they have no political intelligence whatsoever, they are without a doubt the most insufferable creatures that exist, fortunately a certain apathy prevents the Belgians from doing much damage and doing stupidities in which they be so lost.

But Palmerston likes to put his foot on their necks! Now, no statesman must triumph over an enemy that is not quite dead, because people forget a real loss, a real misfortune, but they won’t forget an insult. Napoleon made great mistakes that way; he hated Prussia, insulted it on all occasions, but still left it alive. The consequence was that in 1813 they rose to a man in Prussia, even children and women took arms, because they had been treated with contempt and insulted.

Certainly all those who possess something and who have at heart to see the legal situation subsist, ought to feel that the moment has come to defend itself against the complete dissolution of society in Europe, which dissolution is to lead to most frightful anarchy....may all the measures that you take be crowned with success, that is my heartiest desire...