Monday
My Dear Henry
He is much clearer to day, & says if you will lock up the Green Box <1> yourself in the Tower that will be best. His progress is extremely slow, but still it is a progress, imperceptible daily, but visible at the end of a Week. He is a Skeleton, which makes all attitudes very painful, as there is not flesh enough to shield the bones in laying [sic] down – How little one thinks of all these miseries in health, when things seem to go on of themselves. If he is able to go to Richmond next Week it will be in one of those machines they call Invalide Carriages, into which the patient is conveyed on his bed just as he lays [sic] & Mr Cutler <2> would sit by him in case of his fainting. In 50 minutes he could be landed, with 4 horses, at Lord Lansdowne’s <3> Door. Louisa Fitzmaurice <4> went down this morning to Bowood <5> Lord & Ly L. <6> follow next Thursday – We shall expect you Wednesday
Henry Fox Talbot Esqr
Laycock abbey
Chippenham
Wilts
Notes:
1. See Doc. No: 03538.
2. See Doc. No: 03529.
3. Henry Petty Fitzmaurice, 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne (1780–1863), MP, WHFT’s uncle.
4. Louisa Howard, née Fitzmaurice (d. 1906), daughter of Lady Louisa Emma Fitzmaurice.
5. Bowood House, nr Calne, Wiltshire, 5 mi NE of Lacock: seat of the Marquess of Lansdowne.
6. 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.