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Document number: 5461
Date: Wed 10 Dec 1845
Harold White: 10 Dec 1845
Recipient: TALBOT William Henry Fox
Author: TALBOT Constance, née Mundy
Collection: British Library, London, Manuscripts - Fox Talbot Collection
Collection number historic: LA45-159
Last updated: 28th December 2010

Lacock Abbey
Wednesday –

My dear Henry

I have received the pictures of both kinds & will touch up the Ariadne & send them back to you tomorrow. Lady Elisabeth <1> has shewn the Pencil of Nature <2> & a few detached things to Mr Bridges <3> & Caroline <4> shewed him her collection of Mount Edgcumbe <5> views – He admired & conversed about them & seems anxious for instructions – but has evidently little notion of setting about it & no idea whatever of the difficulties – We all like Mr B. very much – he has a great deal to say & has travelled in a great many different parts of the world. He lived seven years in the backwoods of Canada & still holds a hut there of his own building which he lets to a Lady, (a Sister of Miss Strickland) on payment by her of one Wolf’s skin per annum. His friend Mr Bowerbanks<6> has not quite made up his mind to accept the Curacy of Lacock which the Bishop offers him – He is alarmed at the notion of succeeding a Puseyite – I wish he could have dined with us yesterday as well as Mr Bridges – but he was gone to Cirencester. – Caroline leaves us tomorrow positively – You had a great loss yesterday – in missing our Charades performed by the five children <7> – they acted very well considering that our three were novices. – Valletort <8> was excellent – & the dresses extremely well imagined & tastefully disposed by Caroline & Horatia. <9> Ela looked beautiful both as Marie Stuart & the Spanish Signora – And they were all as happy as possible – We have made the most of the meeting between the Cousins by allowing several half holidays I will shew C. the geography – Pray let the Arithmetic wait your leisure. – so that you do remember it, there is no hurry. –

Your affectionate
Constance.

Notes:

1. Lady Elisabeth Theresa Feilding, née Fox Strangways, first m Talbot (1773–1846), WHFT’s mother.

2. WHFT, The Pencil of Nature (London: Longman, Brown, Green, & Longmans, June 1844–April 1846 [issued in six fascicles])

3. Rev George Wilson Bridges (1788–1863), photographer & traveller.

4. Caroline Augusta Edgcumbe, née Feilding, Lady Mt Edgcumbe (1808–1881); WHFT’s half-sister.

5. Mt Edgecumbe, near Plymouth: seat of the Earl of Mt Edgcumbe.

6. Rev Lewis Bowerbank (1782-1853), curate of St Cyriac's, Lacock ,1846-1847; former Rector of St Catherines, Jamaica, 1823-1843; friend of Rev George Bridges.

7. William Henry Edgcumbe, ‘Val’, 4th Earl Mt Edgcumbe (1832–1917), JP & Ld Steward of the Royal Household; WHFT’s nephew ‘Bimbo’, and Charles Earnest Edgcumbe (1838–1915), JP, WHFT’s nephew; as well as Ela Theresa Talbot (25 Apr 1835 - 25 Apr 1893), WHFT's 1st daughter; Rosamond Constance Talbot (16 Mar 1837 - 7 May 1906), 'Rose'; 'Monie'; artist & WHFT's 2nd daughter; died & buried at San Remo, Italy, with a memorial at Lacock; Matilda Caroline Gilchrist-Clark, née Talbot (25 Feb 1839-1927), 'Tilly', WHFT's 3rd daughter.

8. Ernest Augustus Edgcumbe, Lord Valletort, 3rd Earl of Mt Edgcumbe (1797–1861), WHFT’s brother-in-law.

9. Henrietta Horatia Maria Gaisford, née Feilding (1810–1851), WHFT’s half-sister.