Penrice <1>
25 Augt
1824
My dear Henry
I believe a good many letters have been dispatched after you by your cousins but I would not have you grieve after any of my lost correspondence for none of my writing are travelling after you. You would be pleased to see how much better Charlotte <2> is than when you saw her in the winter. We spent the last two months at Malvern <3> & the benefit has been very great to her. Mr Lemon <4> & Charlotte were there also & he is very much better for his residence there. when we parted they did not feel quite sure of going abroad but I think the ballance [sic] turns that way. Nice is the place they have fixed on & I know you are so fond of it, you will approve of their choice. Augusta <5> will go with them but Charles <6> will be left at School where he has benefited in every respect beyond their expectations. I suppose you have heard that a 3 different orchis’s blew in the pot & the primula from the Pyrenees (that you brought in the Basket) was beautiful, having five large bunches of blossoms. the mixed seeds that were sowed in a very favourable spot have not vegetated generally. 4 or 5 is all that are growing but they are pretty looking things. The Iris’s I think are what are called in the Bot: Mag: Lusitanica. one blew & is very uncommon in our gardens. I have not the Cactus speciosus as described by you but one that went under that name I suppose till a better was known – it may perhaps be the Alatus as the leaves or stalks are like this [illustration] the flowers a deep rose coulour [sic]. cannot you bring a cutting of the speciosus when you travel towards England – all that tribe will bear being dry many weeks & if the cutting was occasionally wetted or moss round it, they will grow after months. Christopher <7> has been all this Summer sailing in his Giulia. <8> he had a match with Mr James Weld<9> round the Isle of Wight but his pilot ran the vessel aground & he lost it since which however he has repeatedly beat him & has one [sic] two cups as prizes at the different regattas on the South coast. his Uncle Harry <10> has been sailing with him part of the time & the Framptons <11> have been at Cowes all the time. William Strangways <12> is come from the Hague which I am sorry for – a rolling stone gathers no moss – his health wanted advice but I do not know why he cannot return to his post when he gets well. Mr Nicholl & Jane <13> are here & will stay with us till we go into Dorsetshire in the Autumn. All the Nicholls are here at present. You cannot think what a delightful child Johnny <14> is – tell your mother <15> that if she remembers the picture of Jane when she was an infant, that hangs up in the morning room, she will know exactly what an honest face he has.
all your cousins send their love to you & pray remember me to your inmates & believe me your affe Aunt
Mary Lucy Cole –
Henry Talbot Esqr
Poste Restante
Munchen
La Baviere
Germany
Notes:
1. Penrice Castle and Penrice House, Gower, Glamorgan, 10 mi SW of Swansea: home of Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot.
2. Charlotte Louisa 'Charry' Traherne, née Talbot (1800–1880), WHFT’s cousin.
3. Malvern, or Great Malvern, 9 mi SW of Worcestershire.
4. Sir Charles Lemon (1784–1868), politician & scientist; WHFT’s uncle.
5. Augusta Lemon (d. 1825), daughter of Sir Charles Lemon.
6. Charles Lemon, son of Sir Charles Lemon.
7. Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot (1803–1890), immensely wealthy landowner, mathematician & politician; WHFT’s Welsh cousin.
8. His yacht.
9. James Weld, of Lulworth Castle, Dorset, a younger son of Thomas Weld (d. 1810).
10. Henry Stephen Fox Strangways, 3rd Earl of Ilchester (1787–1858).
11. Lady Harriet Frampton, née Fox Strangways (d. 1844) and her husband James Frampton (1769–1855), High Sheriff.
12. William Thomas Horner Fox Strangways, 4th Earl of Ilchester (1795–1865), botanist, art collector & diplomat.
13. Dr John Nicholl (1797–1853), MP, and Jane Harriot Nicholl, née Talbot (1796–1874).
14. John Cole Nicholl (b. 1823), son of Jane Harriet Nicholl.
15. Lady Elisabeth Theresa Feilding, née Fox Strangways, first m Talbot (1773–1846), WHFT’s mother.
16. Sir Christopher Cole (1770–1836), Captain, MP & naval officer.