Thursday De^er 16^th
Moreton – ^<1>

My dear Cousin Henry,

Aunt Harriot ^<2> has desired me to write to you in her name. – She is excessively glad to hear of your arrival in Town (which we all are) and as you say you will come down into Dorsetshire in a week, she thinks you mean to come on next Tuesday which will not be quite so convenient as on the Wednesday when she bids me say she hopes to see you without fail. – You are most earnestly desired by all parties not to be a day later, as Uncle Harry ^<3> threatens to take us all away from this place on the Friday following that is, on Christmas Eve – so you must lose no time. – I am very sorry Charry ^<4> is at Bath so that you cannot see her but she has already benefitted much by her Physician there that we shall not regret being parted from her for her good. – But as we shall soon be going back to her, I am afraid we shall not see much of you, unless you will fulfil your promise of coming to Penrice ^<5> this spring to see us, which I hope you will. – I hope you like my little neice [sic] and nephew neither of whom you have seen before I believe. – Pray forgive my negligence in never having written to you more than one letter since I last saw you I mean since you went abroad. –

I am your very aff^te coz.
Emma Talbot

The reason Tuesday next will not be convenient for you to come is on account of a dance Aunt Harriot is going to give, when her house will of course be quite full. – but pray come on Wed^y

Henry Talbot Esqr
31 Sackville St
London

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[The envelope for this letter is in a private collection:]
Henry F. Talbot Esq^re
8 Montague Square
London

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Notes:

1. Moreton, Dorset: home of the Frampton family.

2. Lady Harriet Frampton, née Fox Strangways (d. 1844) .

3. Henry Stephen Fox Strangways, 3rd Earl of Ilchester (1787–1858).

4. Charlotte Louisa 'Charry' Traherne, née Talbot (1800–1880), WHFT’s cousin.

5. Penrice Castle and Penrice House, Gower, Glamorgan, 10 mi SW of Swansea: home of Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot.