Grasmere
Monday Oct 24^th

My dear Henry

Had the weather been suitable, the Speddoch detachm^t would have been off today; but this sudden & premature winter has perplexed us sadly – I think the chances are in favor of your seeing us all arrive at Lacock before the end of the present week & that the Speddoch visit will be relinquished as a consequence of the cold weather. I am writing to Rebecca to prepare everything & get our rooms warm – I have ordered her to light the stoves & put everything in winter trim; which will be a great benefit & comfort to you en attendant our arrival. I have told Rebecca to be ready by Thursday – in case of our being able to reach Lacock so soon – but as we must chuse our day & not start in a deep snow or in very wretched weather, there must be a little uncertainty even after fixing the day – I will write again tomorrow to say whether or not we have really fixed on Wednesday for starting, – for at this moment we are still undecided. We had a slight fall of snow early on Saturday morning, & as the ground was dry at the time, it lay in patches & has not yet quite disappeared. Can you explain the phenomenon of some bright flashes of lightening on the Thursday & Friday evenings preceding this frost & snow? – A Cottager of Grasmere mentioning her observation of it one of these evenings expressed no surprise but merely said it was a sign of cold weather setting in – Today the thermometer stands at 32. degrees, clouds have been hanging on the mountains & are now descending & filling the valley with fog.. But it neither rains nor snows – and the air is perfectly still. I cannot say it would be prudent for either Rosam^d or M^lle A. to be travelling in such weather either to Speddoch or to Lacock – We live in hopes of a speedy change, & perhaps we shall see our way more clearly tomorrow – If you were not all alone at Lacock waiting for us, we should not so much mind being weatherbound. – Thanks for your letter rec^d yesterday: your passing remark about Charles relieves my mind – as I infer that the subject on which he wrote to you was of no graver import than what I already know of. I have heard nothing fresh of Professor Kelland, tho I wish very much for further tidings – I think it is your turn to write now, & I am sure that a letter of enquiry from yourself w^d gratify him doubly – He is probably quite fit to answer you, even tho’ he may not have been able to leave Kitchin. You have their address there in M^rs Kellands letter. I am sorry to hear of Charles Banks’s dishonest proceedings – He sh^d follow the bright example of Fortune & some of the others who are so trustworthy.

We were pleased to see Mr. A. Shakespear so honorably mentioned in the Despatch of the Governor General – I believe you know he is promoted from [Bagineur?] to Moradabad. which is a much better & more lucrative post – On reading such a long list of names one feels hopeless of their all receiving a deserved reward – for all exerted themselves – Adieu dear Henry – I hope to hear that none of your favorite plants suffered owing to the tardy covering in of the houses. It seems to me rather late for this operation –

Your affectionate,
Constance.

[envelope:]
H. F. Talbot Esq^r
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham
Wiltshire