24 Charles S^t
Berkeley Sq^r
July 29^th 1863

My dear Henry

I had just settled to go to Melbury, ^<1> on or about the 6^th August – when I find it will be adviseable to put off our visit for a few days, for the following reasons. I have written today to ask Uncle W^{m <2>} if it is the same thing to him – (& if it is, perhaps you c^d manage to do the same). I mean put off. The reasons are that Val & Katie go into Staffordshire or thereabouts the end of next this week – & from thence Val ^<3> goes to Halifax where there is a funzione ^<4> for the P^e of Wales ^<5> – opening a Town Hall – on the 4^th . He then rushes down to Devonshire, to be present at the Volunteer Review at Exeter on the 6^th & then goes to Mount E. & Cotehele, ^<6> where he will squeeze out 2 or 3 days, in order to advise & help about the works going on there if I am there – If I do not accept this offer, he may not be there again for a month or more – which w^d lose much valuable time. I told Uncle W^m I sh^d write to you in the meantime – but I think a very few days, 3 or 4, later, c^d not signify Val will then fly back again to rejoin Katie ^<7> in Staffordshire If you like to come up to Town this week, or for part of next, I could offer you Charlie’s ^<8> room – for he is gone to Offington ^<9> & Goodwood this week, & next week to Cowes for the Regatta. Do – it would be very nice. I came from Osborne ^<10> yesterday.

In haste Y^r aff^te
Caroline

Answer subito.^<11> If Uncle W^m cannot have us later, I sh^d give up Val at Cotehele

[envelope:]
W. Henry Fox Talbot Esq^re
Millburn Tower
Gogar
Edinburgh N.B.

---

Notes:

1. Melbury, Dorset: one of the Fox Strangways family homes; WHFT was born there.

2. William Thomas Horner Fox Strangways, 4^th Earl of Ilchester (1795–1865), botanist, art collector & diplomat.

3. William Henry Edgcumbe, ‘Val’, 4^th Earl Mt Edgcumbe (1832–1917), JP & Ld Steward of the Royal Household; WHFT’s nephew ‘Bimbo’; was Lord of the Bedchamber to the Prince of Wales from 1862 to 1866.

4. Function.

5. Albert Edward (1841–1910), acceeded as King Edward VII in 1901.

6. Mt Edgecumbe, near Plymouth: seat of the Earl of Mt Edgcumbe and Cotehele, Cornwall: ancient house, seat of the Earl of Mt Edgcumbe, now a National Trust Property.

7. Lady Katherine Elizabeth Edgcumbe, née Hamilton, daughter of the Duke of Abercorn and wife of William Henry Edgcumbe, ‘Val’, 4th Earl Mt Edgcumbe (1832–1917), JP & Ld Steward of the Royal Household; WHFT’s nephew ‘Bimbo’.

8. Charles Earnest Edgcumbe (1838–1915), JP, WHFT’s nephew.

9. Seat of Capt Thomas Gaisford (1816–1898), JP, WHFT’s brother-in-law, near Worthing, Sussex.

10. Osborne House, Isle of Wight. Purchased in 1845 by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert as a retreat from court life.

11. Immediately.