9 Prince’s buildings Clifton
May 2d
My dear Henry
I am very glad to hear you approve of your dear Matilda’s <1> choice & hope she may be as happy as one can wish no one can send more sincere & earnest good wishes for her future happiness than I do & I am only grieved to think how far off her home will be! I wish you were coming home whilst I am in England. that I might aleast [sic] have the pleasure of giving instead of sending some little Souvenir that I may not be quite forgotten as a Cousin! – I daresay you never got a letter I wrote to you some little time ago & sent to the Post Office Edinburgh. I was quite satisfied however when you wrote to Chrisr <2>, as head of the family! – I was not with him at Margam but Emily mentioned the letter when she wrote to me. – Chrisr’s Election takes place on Wedy & I think “the family” will go up to Cavendish Square the end of the week most likely. perhaps I may go too, for a short time the latter end of the month, but I intend being at Penrice in June –
Ed. Nicholl <3> is going out to his Mother to bring her away from Rome I hope they will have no trouble in removing but he says he thinks they must go by sea to Marseilles which will not suit her at all. Lucy <4> thinks herself much stronger than she was last year. I hope it may last.
Ever your affate
coz Mary
Notes:
1. Matilda Caroline Gilchrist-Clark, ‘Tilly’, née Talbot (1839–1927), WHFT’s 3rd daughter.
2. Probably Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot (1803–1890), immensely wealthy landowner, mathematician & politician; WHFT’s Welsh cousin.
3. Rev Edward Powell Nicholl (1831–1902), Vicar of Lacock from 1864 until his resignation in 1870; photographer.
4. Lucy Mary Nicholl (1824-1876), of Merthyr Mawr.
5. Isabella Catherine Franklen, née Talbot (1804–1874).