Hôtel du Nord
Rue de Richelieu

7^th August

My Dearest Henry

There never was such a place as this to induce forgetfulness cependant je ne vous ai pas oublié, ^<1> & I miss not hearing from you very much, I hope the next Courier from England will be more propitious to me. I have had such quantities to do & to see since I came that I have not yet had a moment for le Jardin des Plantes, ^<2> for which you see I think it necessary to apologise to you. I am just setting off to the Museé des Monumens, ^<3> the Post to England is going, I am quite <illegible> with Couturiers ^<4> & Brodeuses ^<5> & Marchande de Modes, ^<6> & must return soon to dine at the Ambassadors. Is not all this quite enough to distract one poor pericranium? ^<7> How tranquil Normanton ^<8> must appear in comparison. I am glad you have seen this world of Paris, for I am sure no pen could describe it. Write to m<e> ^<9> tell me of your plaisirs champêtres, ^<10> & direct to Sackville St ^<11>. Richard ^<12> will forward them. I have a delightful Hotel, on the rez de Chaussée qui donner sur le jardin, ^<13> which is full of Trees & Cupids & Venus’s intermixed with Shrubs & feuillage ^<14>. They always stick a Cupid on wherever they can

I keep a journal which is more than you did, tho’ I think you bought a book for it –

Y^rs

E F

W. H. Fox Talbot E^r
Rev^d M^r Bonny
Normanton
Stamford

---

Notes:

1. Nevertheless I have not forgotten you.

2. Also known as the Museum d’Histoire Naturelle in Paris.

3. Musée National des Monuments Français.

4. Dressmakers.

5. Needlewomen.

6. Fashion dealer.

7. Periosteum of the skull.

8. Normanton, Rutlandshire.

9. Written off the edge of page.

10. Rural pleasures.

11. 31 Sackville Street, London residence of the Feildings, often used as a London base by WHFT.

12. Richard, a servant.

13. On the ground floor opening to the garden.

14. Foliage.