[fragment]
Dunraven Castle <1>
27th
January
My Dear Henry
This is exactly a Place that would suit you. It is approached through long tracts of barren Downs (which raise no expectations) and the House which is an ugly attempt at a castellated Mansion (& a complete failure) is situated so close to the Sea that you can see the breakers from the windows & they are now dashing furiously against the rocks. The Sea breezes have done me infinite good, & from the moment We got to the mouth of the Avon & had the real Sea air in our faces, I felt well. We had a delightful Passage of only 3 hours, as smooth as possible, we glided along like Cleopatra in her Galley on the River Cydnus. Yesterday I walked 3 miles, a thing I have not done since Nice, & my strength was supported in the same way by the air. How I wish you were here! how invigorated you would feel! The Adares <2> have said every thing that was kind & [illegible] to induce you to come. Jane <3> went away yesterday & is coming again tomorrow Isabella <4> comes Monday & Charlotte Traherne <5> Tuesday & Wednesday we go to Margam, <6> which pray tell Constance <7> on account of our Letters. Have you heard of the Paper war between Lady Cowley <8> & the Duchesse de Grammont?<9> on account of our Queen not receiving the D. de Bordeaux. <10> I think if a lady in London abused Louis Philippe, <11> Madame
[end of existing document]
<12>Notes:
1. Dunraven Castle, Glamorganshire belonged to Thomas Wyndham. [See Doc. No: 00554].
2. Windham Henry Wyndham-Quin, 2nd Earl of Dunraven and Mount-Earl, 2nd Baron Adare (1782-1850), and his wife, Carolyn, née Wyndham (d. 1870).
3. Jane Harriot Nicholl, née Talbot (1796–1874).
4. Isabella Catherine Franklen, née Talbot (1804–1874).
5. Charlotte Louisa 'Charry' Traherne, née Talbot (1800–1880), WHFT’s cousin.
6. Margam Park, Glamorgan: home of Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot
7. Constance Talbot, née Mundy (1811–1880), WHFT’s wife.
8. Hon. Olivia Cecilia, née FitzGerald-de Ros, Lady Cowley (1807-1885), wife of Henry Richard Charles Wellesley, 1st Earl Cowley (1804-1884), British ambassador to France.
Ida d'Orsay, wife of Antoine-Geneviève-Héraclius-Agénor de Gramont, 9th Duc de Grammont (1789-1855)9. Ida d'Orsay, wife of Antoine-Geneviève-Héraclius-Agénor de Gramont, 9th Duc de Grammont (1789-1855).
10. Victoria (1819–1901), Queen of the United Kingdom (1837–1901. Henry De Bordeaux De Bourbon (1820–1883), grandson of Charles X of France.
11. Louis-Philippe of France (1773–1850), King of France (1830–1848).
12. Letter incomplete.