Paris – Hotel de Brighton
Rue de Rivoli
Tuesday 27th Octr 1835 –
My dear Henry
I suppose before this you expected to hear from me from Sackville St <1> – But Paris after all is a most attractive place, & I do not think four weeks too long a séjour after an absence of eight year [sic]. – We have several acquaintance here, all of whom press us to stay, & certainly it is tempting when one sees what a world of good it has done Lord V– & Bimbo. <2> – I too am much stronger since I have been in a northern atmosphere – We have been at several brilliant parties at Lady Granville’s <3> – She made many enquiries about Horatia, <4> whom you know she met at Aix-les-Bains – she seems to take a great interest in her, & admires her properly – The Kerrys <5> are here, next door, at l’Hotel de Windsor – the Carlisles, Sutherlands, William Bentincks, <6> Kenmores, Mme de Lieven, <7> Ct Matuscewitz, Ld & Lady Canterbury, Mme de Flahault, <8> &c, &c. – I have executed your commission chez M. Chevalier <9> – He knew your name instantly, & even corrected me in the pronunciation of it – He wished to have known the foyer, <10> but as you had not specified that, he sent a moyen <11> one, which he assured me was one of his best – the price was 50 francs. Amandier <12> staid with us a fortnight, & set out on her solitary journey to Nice, last Tuesday evening – She was rather alarmed at the thoughts of going so far alone & in such an inclement season – I expected to have heard from her today from Lyons, but have not yet. –
Wednesday minuit. <13>
We are just returned from the Vaudeville Gymnase, <14> very good indeed – Pauvre Jacques, by Bouffé, <15> an excellent actor – We set off tomorrow early, & I suppose we shall be in London Sunday or Monday – Pray come & see us – we shall only be in town a few days – I will try & write again en route if I can
Yr affte Sister
Caroline
Angleterre
W. H. Fox Talbot Esqr
Laycock Abbey
Chippenham
Wilts
Notes:
1. 31 Sackville Street, London residence of the Feildings, often used as a London base by WHFT
2. Ernest Augustus Edgcumbe, Lord Valletort, 3rd Earl of Mt Edgcumbe (1797–1861), WHFT’s brother-in-law, and William Henry Edgcumbe, ‘Val’, 4th Earl Mt Edgcumbe (1832–1917), JP & Ld Steward of the Royal Household; WHFT’s nephew ‘Bimbo’.
3. Lady Harriet Granville, wife of the Granville Leveson-Gower, 1st Earl Granville (1773–1846), diplomat.
4. Henrietta Horatia Maria Gaisford, née Feilding (1810–1851), WHFT’s half-sister.
5. William Thomas Fitzmaurice, 4th Earl of Kerry (1811–1836), MP; and his wife, Lady Louisa Emma, née Fox Strangways (1785-1851).
6. George Howard, 6th earl of Carlisle (1773–1848), politician, and his wife, Lady Georgiana Dorothy, née Cavendish (1783-1858); George Granville Leveson-Gower (1786–1861), 2nd Duke of Sutherland, and his wife, Lady Harriet Elizabeth Georgiana, née Howard (1806-1868); it is unclear which William Bentinct is indicated here.
7. Princess Dorothea Lieven (1785–1857), wife of the Russian Ambassador to London (1812–1834).
8. Charles Manners-Sutton, 1st Viscount Canterbury (1780–1845), and his wife Ellen. Probably the Comtesse de Flahault, mother of Emily who in 1843 became the 2nd wife of Henry, Lord Shelburne.
9. Possibly Vincent Chevalier, the Parisian instrument maker.
10. Focus.
11. Medium.
12. Amélina Petit De Billier, ‘Mamie’, ‘Amandier’ (1798–1876), governess and later close friend of the Talbot family [See Amélina's journal].
13. Midnight.
14. Théâtre du Gymnase, Paris.
15. Marie Bouffé, also known as Vignol (b. 1800), actor.