Thursday
My Dear Henry
I came down again the night before last, where I left you writing notes, in the Dining room but you were flown. I hardly expected you would be able to come & take leave of us yesterday, knowing what the last Morning always is. Lydia neglected to come to Gwynne <1> for the key of the places left open at Constance’s <2> desire. Therefore she cannot lock up those cupboards or Presses till we have an opportunity of sending it. a great many things were left out this time on purpose that nothing might be broke [sic] open or locks picked, which you know annoys Mr F. <3> but he was so ill when we came away & so was Gwynne that I was obliged to settle it all as well as I could, & all in a hurry at the last moment. Pray tell me whether my grassseed [sic] is coming up & whether Constance is not charmed to see a green gazon <4> instead of the odd frond. Two more physicians are gone down this Morning to Windsor, it is reported the K. <5> is mad. The D. of Bedford <6> I am afraid is really dying. Lord Bath <7> is so bad that two Surgeons are gone down express to Longleat. He will not have enjoyed that beautiful place long. Stavordale <8> is better, but not well enough to be moved, and they do not leave Melbury <9> for another week –
Tell me how you found everything this most ungenial season
Notes:
1. Mrs Gwynne (d. winter 1841/1842), lady’s maid, cook and housekeeper to Elisabeth Feilding.
2. Constance Talbot, née Mundy (1811–1880), WHFT’s wife.
3. Rear Admiral Charles Feilding (1780–1837), Royal Navy; WHFT’s step-father.
4. Lawn.
5. William IV (1765–1837), King of England from 1830 until his death on 20 June 1837.
6. John Russell, 6th Duke of Bedford (1766–1839).
7. Henry Frederick Thynne, 3rd Marquiss of Bath (1797–1837).
8. Henry Thomas Leopold Fox Strangways, Lord Stavordale (1816–1837), elder son of Henry Stephen Fox Strangways, 3rd Earl of Ilchester (1787–1858).
9. Melbury, Dorset: one of the Fox Strangways family homes; WHFT was born there.