My dear Talbot
We were very sorry to hear that You had deferred your journey to the West on account of the cause – at the same time we indulge in the hope that we may reap the some advantage from the postponement and may have the pleasure of receiving you & Lady Elisabeth at Pixton personally which will be more pleasant to us than doing so by deputy–<1>
Many thanks for your kind invitation to Laycock Abbey – we should indeed have real pleasure in availing ourselves of an opportunity of so doing visiting you there –
Trusting that this glorious weather will quite dispel Lady Elisabeth’s cold
believe me dear Talbot Yours most sincerly
Carnarvon
Melford <2>
Aug 29 1841
[appended note:]
There is a nice little gem that has grown itself in the Botanic Garden. I covet it much but fear to disturb the roots of some crotons growing there near it, as the same time this year will kill in what ever it is, if its left there. What say you?
Notes:
1. Lady Elisabeth Theresa Feilding, née Fox Strangways, first m Talbot (1773–1846), WHFT’s mother. Pixton Park was the country seat of the Herberts, in the parish of Dulverton, Somerset,
2. Suffolk.