[written on the same sheet as a note from Lady Elisabeth: see Doc. No: 1038 ]
Friday Feby 28.
My dear H.
I hope you have received safely all the letters I have forwarded to you – I find Lady Charleville <1> wants a house here & Mr Lockwood has written to propose mine – if you go into can find out that she has desired him to take it – I shall be obliged to you to look out for one for us from the 25th of next month, for a month. I should wish to be found Linen, but do not care about being magnificently lodged as it is only for so short a Time – Crockery & Kitchen Furniture of course. Pray enquire also the price of as many rooms as would hold us at the Hotel, & how much a day our living would cost each master & each servant – perhaps it may be as economical & less trouble to remain at the Inn – I am recommended a house which you may as well look at though the price is absurd, & I do not fancy it is in a good situation – No 35 Via Arroca – I have no news for you more than you will see in the Papers – & no better reason to give you my belief that after all war will not take place, then that is so much the Interest of all parties that it should not & particularly the French – The spirit & unanimous feeling shewn in the English Parl. is very creditable & will go some way in preventing the war – The children <2> & all are quite well, & my deafness on the mend. I believe it is since you went that it has been so bad I was thinking of a Trumpet, being entirely secluded from conversation – the way I cured it was by stopping my Mouth & Nose & forcing my breath out of my Ears. They cracked & I heard much better directly – but I have still a cold in my head & till that is gone I shall not be quite well.
God bless you –
C.F.
Monr H. Fox Talbot
Signor Inglese
Posta Restanta
Napoli
Notes:
1. Probably the wife of Charles William Bury, 1st Earl of Charleville, 1st Baron Tullamore (1764–1835).
2. Caroline Augusta Edgcumbe, née Feilding, Lady Mt Edgcumbe (1808–1881); WHFT’s half-sister, and Henrietta Horatia Maria Gaisford, née Feilding (1810–1851), WHFT’s half-sister.