Florence
Saturday 14th Septr
1822
My dear Henry
I received your Letter from Munich, finished at Salzburg, a few days ago, and should have answered it sooner, if I had had time: - I really begin to think you will never come, first you said you would be here for my Birthday, then for the first week in September, & now you are not here yet & it is the 14th you have been gone more than 5 months - I thank you for drinking my health the 23d in Champagne rosé. Your opinions of the French pronunciation of your German laquais de place <1> & the English invitation to Travellers, amused me very much. Mama <2> says you improve in German very much, & that you translate the newspapers &c to her and are very useful. I am very glad you were all pleased <3> with the environs of Salzburg, & the lakes of Konigsee, &c. I wonder what the Salt mines are like. -
We are now established in our new house, Casa Mariani in the Piazza S. Maria Novella in a very gay situation.
The weather is still very hot, but nothing like the months of June & July, and the evenings are very cool. I wish you had such fine days for your journey as we have here for in your letter to Papa, you complain of the rain. Cal <4> has just received a letter <5> from Mama dated from Botzen, with the post-mark of Roveredo. Papa [illegible deletion] is very much disappointed at finding that you were only at Botzen the 8th, as he had calculated that you be the 8th at the latest at Verona, and though Mama says in her letter you will be here the 14th or 15th, he says you will not arrive till next Saturday, the 21st
Did you go to see the Lake of Garda? Is the scenery picturesque near it? I hope Mr Montgomerie <6> has made a great many sketches - I have already read more than half the first Volume of Russell's Modern Europe <7> pray tell Mama so, I am in the reign of Frederic Barbarossa <8> in Germany, Philippe-Auguste <9> in France, & going to read that of Richard Coeur-de-Lion <10> in England. Mama forgot to send us two pocket-books in the chest from England.
I hear you are learning Hebrew now; I suppose you intend to talk to Signor Mezzofanti, <11> the famous Bolognese professor who speaks so many languages. We are now reading Metastasis and Dante <12> with M. Giotti, our Italian master, I assure you, that with the notes, it is not so excessively difficult as people say, I do not find it at all tiresome or uninteresting. [illegible deletion] Lebe wohl, mein geliebter Bruder, <13> I have not time to say any more, Believe me always
Your affectionate sister
Horatia
Yrs aff
C.F.
Monr
Monr Talbot
Gentilhomme Anglais
Poste Restante
Bologna
Notes:
1. Footman.
2. Lady Elisabeth Theresa Feilding, née Fox Strangways, first m Talbot (1773-1846), WHFT's mother.
3. See Doc. No: 01005.
4. Caroline Augusta Edgcumbe, née Feilding, Lady Mt Edgcumbe (1808-1881); WHFT's half-sister.
5. Letter not located.
6. Rev. George Stephen Molyneux Montgomerie (1790-1850), close friend of Talbot family, artist, Rector of Garboldisham, near Thetford, Norfolk.
7. Probably William Russell, The History of Modern Europe (Dublin: 1779).
8. Frederick Barbarossa (1123-1190), German king and Holy Roman emperor (1152-1190).
9. Philippe Auguste II (1165-1223), King of France.
10. Richard I Coeur de Lion (1189-1199), King of England, Duke of Normandy, and Count of Anjou.
11. Giuseppe Caspar Mezzofanti (1774-1849), professor of oriental languages at Bologna until 1831; subsequently Keeper of the Vatican Library, and cardinal. [See Doc. No: 00334].
12. Dante Alighieri (1265-1321).
13. Farewell by beloved brother.
14. Postscript written in Charles Feilding's hand.