My dear Henry
Your letter followed me here from Gunton<1> so that I only received it today, as we left Norfolk last week – I am very sorry, & Mr Mundy <2> even more so, that we do not think it will be possible for us to get to Lacock before Christmas as in consequence of the State of the Country Mr M. cannot venture to engage himself anywhere at present from home. We had fully intended going into Dorsetshire the week after next, but we now do not think it likely we shall leave Markeaton <3> for some time, but at any rate it will be the utmost we can do, if we are able to reach Moreton <4> on Christmas Eve, and we have no expectation of any such good fortune coming to pass –. I always like meeting the Seymers <5> as you well know, but still I do not know whether Aunt Lily <6> was not right in saying I should prefer total strangers as you know I inherit my mothers passion for people I never saw before. – However had it been possible, we should have been too happy to have paid you a visit & to have met Anybody, & Mr Mundy is particularly impatient to accept an invitation from you – If we are detained here till January shall we have any chance of finding you still in the country? I hope you will not be gone to Town so early. – Pray let us know some day.
I thought a great deal of dear Caroline <7> as you may imagine all the last week & did not envy her on Monday and Tuesday as my own troubles were too recent. You do not name Aunt Lily so I hope she & Horatia <8> are pretty well. I wish you had said where the Honey Moon was to be spent as Dorsetshire is such a comprehensive Term that I am puzzled – With love to all
Yr affte Cousin
Ht Ga Mundy
Markeaton
Wednesday 7th
Henry Fox Talbot Esqre
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham
Wilts
Notes:
1. Letter not located. Gunton Park, home of Edward Harbord, 3rd Lord Suffield (1781-1835).
2. William Mundy (1801-1877), politician, WHFT’s brother-in-law.
3. Markeaton Hall, Derbyshire, NW of Derby: home of the Mundy family.
4. Moreton, Dorset: home of the Frampton family.
5. Lady Harriet Ker Seymer, née Beckford (1779-1853), and her husband, Henry Ker Seymer (1782-1834), JP, MP & Sheriff of Dorset.
6. Lady Elisabeth Theresa Feilding, née Fox Strangways, first m Talbot (1773–1846), WHFT’s mother.
7. Caroline Augusta Edgcumbe, née Feilding, Lady Mt Edgcumbe (1808–1881); WHFT’s half-sister. On 6 December 1831 she married Ernest Augustus Edgcumbe, Lord Valletort, 3rd Earl of Mt Edgcumbe (1797–1861), WHFT’s brother-in-law.
8. Henrietta Horatia Maria Gaisford, née Feilding (1810–1851), WHFT’s half-sister.