Maison Valin
67 Champs Elysées
July 20th 1850
My dear Henry
I had better write at once to Lyons as you suggest - for fear you should have left Mont d'Or before my letter can get there; what a short tour you will have made - & what takes you to Lyons I wonder? Milord <1> got better after your departure - but I cannot consider him as well - for the gouty pains keep perpetually returning - so that one day he is able to drive out, & the next he is very likely confined to his bed - Such was the case yesterday - & is likely to be again today - for the weather is extremely variable & showery; - Last Sunday I drove to St. Cloud - & took Ernestine. <2> It was a beautiful evening & the wood looked so pretty - There were crowds of people & we saw in the air M. Poitevin with his horse & Balloon, who ascended for the 2nd time, & came down in safety - & besides that another Balloon that went up from by itself, & threw out a shower of coloured rockets. Another day we went to see l'Ecole de Natation <3> on the river - There were about 40 ladies & children floundering & swimming about, in the most curiously ugly costume - & another day to la Gymnastique wh amused Baby extremely. Now I have told you all our events, except the principal one - that Charlie <4> came home this morning at 8 o'clock, looking uncommonly well, sturdy & sun burnt - but not much grown. The meeting between him & Baby was quite pretty to see. She had been looking forward to it so long, & had been making his room comfortable as well as she could. He crossed over yesterday evg - too late to catch the train - they had a rough passage. They slept at Boulogne & set off at 3 this morning. He says that your Charles <5> left School the day before he did - i.e. on Wednesday 17th that he was quite well & had lost his deafness. Charlie is at this moment writing to Aunt Constance. <6> Horatia is at Bowood <7> with Aunt L.<8> while Mr G.<9> is gone to visit at Iford. Addió - please write again -
Yr affte Sister
Caroline
Notes:
1. Ernest Augustus Edgcumbe, Lord Valletort, 3rd Earl of Mt Edgcumbe (1797-1861), WHFT's brother-in-law.
2. Ernestine Emma Horatia Edgcumbe (1843-1925), WHFT's niece.
3. The school of swimming.
4. Charles Earnest Edgcumbe (1838-1915), JP, WHFT's nephew.
5. Charles Henry Talbot (1842-1916), antiquary & WHFT's only son.
6. Constance Talbot, née Mundy (1811-1880), WHFT's wife.
7. Henrietta Horatia Maria Gaisford, née Feilding (1810-1851), WHFT's half-sister at Bowood House, nr Calne, Wiltshire, 5 mi NE of Lacock: seat of the Marquess of Lansdowne.
8. Louisa Emma Petty Fitzmaurice, née Fox Strangways, Marchioness of Lansdowne (1785-1851), wife of Henry Petty Fitzmaurice, 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne; Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Victoria, 1837-1838; WHFT's aunt.
9. Capt Thomas Gaisford (1816-1898), JP, who had married WHFT's other half-sister, Horatia.