Sackville Street <1>
February 5th
My dear Henry
We had a very dull journey from Brighton; it snowed all the way, & we were 8 hours & ¾ en route, owing to the heavy roads & the tired horses; we had not written before hand, & there was an immense run on the road, amongst others the Duke & Duchess of Cumberland <2> in three carriages passed us. - Monday evening we had a party at the Pavilion, dull, stiff & formal. The étiquette observed is quite ridiculous; I believe the Queen <3> does not at all wish it to be so, but people will be so obsequious. - We all long to be at Laycock Abbey again, & are to set out, I believe positively, early Monday morning; I am very curious to see the new improvements; Aunt Louisa <4> approves of them highly. Mr Montgomerie <5> is at Richmond, & is to go with us; Uncle John <6> is just arrived from Lilford Hall; <7> Sir Charles & Kit <8> are expected to-day, & Ly. I. & Uncle William <9> & I believe Uncle Harry & my cousins <10> in a few days. Theresa <11> is to be presented with Louisa Fitzmaurice <12> on the 24th.
We went yesterday to an uncommon dull party at Ld Dudley's; <13> the same set of people have met regularly almost every night since Christmas, & appear heartily tired of each other by this time, & longing for some new faces. We made acquaintance with Count Wielopolski <14> the Polish envoy, he seems very young to be trusted with the interests of a nation. On dit qu'il danse la Mazurka comme un ange. <15> Have you heard the Red Rover's new sobriquet? Blue Ruin - you know she has refused all the Blues in turn. - They now say she is to marry Henry Fox. <16> -
Papa <17> begs you will tell the coachman to hire a horse in the village, & drive the covered cart to Melksham on Monday, to fetch the maids. - He must go to the King's arms [sic], & be there in time for the first coach; if they should not arrive by the first, he must put the horse in the stable, & wait till they do. -
Addio caro a rivederci fra poco <18> -
Yr affte Sister
Caroline
Notes:
1. 31 Sackville Street, London residence of the Feildings, often used as a London base by WHFT.
2. Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland (1771-1851), brother of William IV, and his wife.
3. Queen Adelaide (1830-1837).
4. Louisa Emma Fitzmaurice, née Fox Strangways, Marchioness of Lansdowne (d. 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.
5. Rev George Stephen Molyneux Montgomerie (1790-1850), close friend of Talbot family, artist, Rector of Garboldisham, near Thetford, Norfolk.
6. John George Charles Fox Strangways (1803-1859), MP.
7. Northamptonshire.
8. Sir Charles Lemon (1784-1868), politician & scientist; WHFT's uncle, and Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot (1803-1890), immensely wealthy landowner, mathematician & politician; WHFT's Welsh cousin.
9. Juliana Maria Strangways, née Digby (d. 1842), and William Thomas Horner Fox Strangways, 4th Earl of Ilchester (1795-1865), botanist, art collector & diplomat.
10. Henry Stephen Fox Strangways, 3rd Earl of Ilchester (1787-1858) and his children.
11. Possibly Theresa Anna Maria Digby, née Fox Strangways (1814-1874), WHFT's cousin.
12. Louisa Howard, née Fitzmaurice (d. 1906), daughter of Lady Louisa Emma Fitzmaurice.
13. John William Ward, 1st Earl Dudley (d. 1833).
14. Aleksander Wielopolski, Marquis of Gonzaga-Myszkowski (1803-1877), Polish statesman. He came to London in 1831 in an unsuccessful attempt to seek British support for the Polish insurrection.
15. They say he dances the Mazurka like an angel.
16. Henry Edward Fox, 4th Baron Holland and 4th Baron Holland of Foxley (1802-1859). Although 'Red Rover' has yet to be identified, on 9 May 1833 he married Lady Mary Augusta Coventry (1812-1889). They were childless, but adopted Marie 'Mary' Henriette Adelaide Fox (1850-1878), said to be his illegitimate child by an unidentified French mother.
17. Rear Admiral Charles Feilding (1780-1837), Royal Navy; WHFT's step-father.
18. Good bye dear till we see you again shortly.