Mount Edgcumbe <1>
Devonport
Novr 7th 1868
My dear Henry
I suppose you are now at Laycock Abbey, though you have not given Signe de vie <2> for an age; but Matilda <3> implies as much, by asking if you wrote to me about the Earthquake? which you certainly did not.
I found her letter here last night, on our arrival from Port Eliot, where we have been spending 4 days - Before that we were a week at the dear old Winter Villa, <4> with Lady Brownlow, <5> to whom Val <6> has lent it for 2 months. The change seems to have done her much good, for she was very ill before. We are now here for a week or 10 days - for a shooting party Charlie <7> is going to have, to shoot the covers here - that is to say the party will only consist of Rim, <8> Johnnie Bulteel <9> & another gentleman - no ladies; & I want to propose to you to join us, as we have not seen you for such a long time; & the house is still all furnished & comfortable & will not be dismantled till after this shooting. My principal reason for wanting you to come now is, that you may see Charlie again - for he is going away from us, (I grieve to say for my own sake,) as far as he can go - to Australia. He has been offered the appointt of Secretary to the new Governor of Adelaide, Sir James Fergusson <10> - & is immensely pleased at the thoughts of seeing so much of the world, in such an agreeable way. Of course I shd not have been justified in saying a word to deter him - particularly as I trust he will not be away so very long. The usual term is 5 years - & at first he was afraid he might have had to leave the Guards - in which case he would have refused. He has fortunately however obtained leave to go - & Sir James has consented to his leaving him in a year & ½, supposing he gets his Lieut Colonelcy about that time.
It is a great opening in life for him - & a good thing that the Governor, instead of being an old man, as governors usually are, is only 36 - & is already a friend of Charlie's - Indeed that is how he came to ask him to be his secretary.
I am sorry to say Charlie will have to start on the 25th Inst so you see he will only be here a very short time - for he has an engagemt somewhere after this next week - So do dear Henry come here & see him & us.
Yr affte Sister
Caroline
I hear Constance <11> is going to spend part of the winter at Venice - very damp & unwholesome I shd think. Please when you write, say that I wrote to Amandier <12> on the 26th Octr & directed to Florence, to the Hotel they told me.
Turn over
Come the soonest day you can - now do!
[envelope:]
Henry Fox Talbot Esqre.
Laycock Abbey
Chippenham
Notes:
1. Mt Edgecumbe, near Plymouth: seat of the Earl of Mt Edgcumbe.
2. Sign of life.
3. Matilda Caroline Gilchrist-Clark, née Talbot (25 Feb 1839-1927), 'Tilly', WHFT's 3rd daughter.
4. Winter Villa, near Plymouth: estate of the Earls of Mt Edgcumbe.
5. Lady Brownlow, wife of John Cust, 1st Earl Brownlow.
6. 'Val', 4th Earl Mt Edgcumbe (1832-1917), JP & Ld Steward of the Royal Household.
7. Charles Earnest Edgcumbe (1838-1915), JP, WHFT's nephew.
8. Reginald John Macdonald (d. 1899), nephew of William Henry Edcumbe.
9. John Buteil (1827-1897).
10. Sir James Fergusson, Governor of Adelaide from 1868 to 1873.
11. Constance Talbot, née Mundy (1811-1880), WHFT's wife.
12. Amélina Petit De Billier, 'Mamie', 'Amandier' (1798-1876), governess and later close friend of the Talbot family [See Amélina's journal].