Wednesday
24 August
My Dear Henry
I intended to have gone down to you tomorrow, but the unexpected arrival of Ly H. Galwey <1> from the Continent has induced me to defer it for a a [sic] day or two. She landed yesterday Evening at Tower Stairs and proceeds shortly to Dunraven Castle. <2> William <3> set off this Morning to comfort his Mother for her brother’s death. <4> The last time I saw Sir Henry Digby a few Months ago he looked all health & strength. I went to Dss St <5> yesterday & found things much as I had left them before I went to Dogmersfield. <6> Constance <7> is very anxious you should take the present opportunity of touring about & doing yourself good. She made me promise to urge this, but I know of old how little weight arguments about health have with you, & yet nobody requires it more than you do, to give energy & vitality to your talents. In fact the intellect wears out its envelope if the equilibre is not kept up. Signify to Mrs Price <8> that we shall be at L. Abbey next Saturday. Mr Mundy <9> is in Derbyshire, his presence was required as a Magistrate. Ly H. G. is at Lady Jane Walsh’s <10> in Berkeley Square. What a delightful Season for you to visit Sanqhar [sic] House in the North of Scotland! & how the fine weather lasts. You say your Self that Highland air would revive you – think of Mountain walks! the plea of want of time is a bad one, you will lengthen your life by taking care of digestion & digestion is promoted by air & exercise, ergo go and look at Sanquhar House, it is as good an object as another
Notes:
1. Lady Harriet Payne Gallwey (1784-1845), née Quin, widow of Lt Gen Sir William Payne Gallwey (1759-1831), 1st Bart).
2. Dunraven Castle, Glamorganshire belonged to Thomas Wyndham. [See Doc. No: 00554].
3. William Thomas Horner Fox Strangways, 4th Earl of Ilchester (1795–1865), botanist, art collector & diplomat.
4. Juliana Maria Strangways, née Digby (d. 1842), and her brother Admiral Sir Henry Digby (d. 1842).
5. Duchess Street. [See Doc. No: 04346].
6. See Doc. No: 02229.
7. Constance Talbot, née Mundy (1811–1880), WHFT’s wife.
8. Mrs Sarah Henneman, first m. Price ( ca.1811–1848), housemaid at Lacock Abbey.
9. William Mundy (1801-1877), politician, WHFT’s brother-in-law.
10. Lady Jane Walsh, née Grey.