AshelWorth^<1>
18 March 1850.

My dear Sir,

I have been so much engaged the last few days that I have not had time before to reply to your letter -

I am sorry I shall miss seeing you when I visit Lacock Abbey w^h I hope I may be able to do, on Monday the 1^st of April - Easter Monday - I will write a day or two before, when I am in the neighbourhood of Marlborough, & can make out the conveyances, to say at what hour I shall probably arrive -

M^r [ill. del.] Williams is writing to M^rs Salbol to say that one of our party has, unfortunately, decided Whooping cough, & two others - Charley Edgcumbe being one of the two - are threatened with it - Charlie tell us that [ill. del.] he has had it already, & I hope he is Correct - it is, however, of a particularly mild sort, & has been un-attended by the usual feverish & premonitory Symptoms - nothing can exceed M^rs Williams's attention to our Invalids -

I am Most truly happy to say that we see a most decided improvement in Charlie, in every way - he joins with his Companions in there games & is cheerful & pleasant with them & I have no doubt will very soon become a popular boy -

I sh not at all consider him too young for school & the plan you throw out for my consideration would I think be attended with material dis-advantage to him - it would lead to undo what has now been done not to speak of the interruption to his studies - & when he returned it would be like beginning School life afresh - I am quite pleased to see, the change already worked in him in his intercourse with his companions & general "graciousness" of manner - I am going up to Town to-morrow to attend the Levee on Wednesday but shall return on Thursday. My vy kind regards to M^rs Talbot

& I remain my dear Sir y^rs most truly
H A S Atwood

[envelope:]
H^y. Fox Talbot Esq^re
Lacock Abbey
nr Chippenham
Wilts-

Notes:

1. Gloucester, now known as Ashleworth.