[unsigned, but in the hand of Lady Elisabeth:]
Rome 3 February
My Dear Henry
I received a letter dated Veletri with the post mark of Mola de Gaeta, which your imagination has converted into two, and one yesterday from Naples, you seem to have enjoyed yourself very much, you have very much increased my desire to go that road. For two days after I received yr first letter Horatia was so ill, I was entirely occupied with her, after that we had a grand hunt for the telescope which could not be found, & now it is found the Courier cannot take it, but says it must go by the Diligence in twelve days, so it is better to send it by Lord Sandon who goes next Saturday. You will ^have great accessions from this place as soon as the Carnival is over. It is dans les règles this week for every body to go mad, nothing but masquing day & night. Horatia is recovering but very weak, it was an inflammatio[n] in the wind pipe, for which she was obliged to be lowered almost more than she could bear. Every cold here assumes the shape of inflammations, in some part or other, no wonder the natives can live upon Chesnuts, & almonds, & Walnuts, things upon which our peasants would starve. an [sic] invitation came for you to dine at Lady Mary Stanley’s after you were gone, & your ticket for the Bracciano Masqu[illegible] has been exchanged for one for Caroline, at which she is in the 7th Heaven, it takes place tomorrow. There is a report that Sir Watkyn has been carried up into the Mountains & is minus an ear. Time will shew. Every body talks of War & that we shall all be forced to scamper home as fast as we can
Adieu
God bless you
Amusez vous bien
Lord Sandon goes tomorrow & undertakes the Telescope
Antonio will go back to Florence & we are without Giovanni to find us an honest Man, we ^must go About looking for one like Diogenes with a Lantern
[addition in the hand of Charles Feilding:]
They call them Mr Cunning & Ld Francis Canningham –
Yr aff C.F
[address panel:
Monsieur
W. H. Fox Talbot
Poste Restante
Napoli
