[this is written on the same sheet as a note from Capt Feilding - see Doc. No: 02839]
London
3d February
My dear Henry
We remain packed up, that is we have never unpacked, that we may be ready to go whenever the roads are passable which I still suppose may be Saturday As unless another fall of Snow occurs the roads will be more practicable every day, which is a truism. The mail came in very late to day & there are terrible accounts of the drifting Westward. Robert <1> goes the day we leave town, & Mr F. <2> means not to replace him till we come back to town, indeed there is no time now. If you think we are not likely to have many people or anything like a party, we shall not want Giovanni <3> but if we are to have such we must. Quant à moi <4> I should prefer for the Short time we are to be there, to have only intimates, we cannot be dull for five weeks, and if we have only neighbours it seems scarcely worth while to move the Plate. answer all this by return of post because we may be prevented going Saturday & it is better to be housed here than at the Sun at Marlborough.
If we are pressed by circumstances I shall not mind for once going down on Sunday
W. Henry Fox Talbot Esqr
Laycock Abbey
Chippenham
Wilts
Notes:
1. Robert, a servant.
2. Rear Admiral Charles Feilding (1780–1837), Royal Navy; WHFT’s step-father.
3. Giovanni Percij.
4. As for me.