White Hart Hotel
Guildford
Tuesday 15. –
My dear Henry
We are safely arrived so far – & have enjoyed the very prettiest day’s journey that I ever saw in England. – We kept the London road as far as Sevenoaks – the whole of which is pretty – & I saw it to peculiar advantage owing to the Sun being behind us & the atmosphere particularly clear with a bright Sun. – Ela <1> was perfectly well the whole way, which enabled me thoroughly to enjoy the beauty of the Country. – You who have been a presence in London for several weeks are not aware perhaps that the whole face of the country has assumed the lovely tints of Spring – & I who can come from the glaring Sea coast, can scarcely persuade myself that I ever saw the fields & the trees so green before. – The Country between Riverhead & Godstone has so completely taken my fancy, that I am quite certain I should like to have a house there – & I observed plenty of pleasant looking houses within a short distance of the road, whose owners perhaps might be induced to let them. – We did not reach Guildford till after eight, on account of the innumerable hills which we had to surmount – and I think I should have stopped at Dorking (for fear of overfatiguing the children) if the Inn there had looked tolerably comfortable. – But it did not, – so So I asked for some bread & butter for Ela, (for which I found afterwards they charged 2 shillings) & proceeded. –
About ½ an hour’s delay occurred at Lamberhurst while the blacksmith repaired an injury which a kicking horse had done to the carriage, at the moment they were going to attach him to it. – He broke that front bar to which the <braces?> are fastened. – & I considered that we were very fortunate that it happened at the door of the Inn where we could quickly have it repaired besides the advantage of being able to give the people of the Inn a good scolding. – who declared that they were extremely sorry, but that the horse had never kicked before &c &c –
I am now sitting in the very same room that we occupied last year when we were here together & Rosamund <2> was a weary baby. – and she & Ela are gone to bed most happily in the same Nursery that they had then. – But it was quite by chance that I came here now because I had forgotten the name of it, & the post boy was very anxious to take me to the Crown. –
I have not time for more so adieu, & good night. – I received the Globe <3> this morning at St Leonards <4> – I hope you have since stopped it. –
Your affectionate
Constance
H.F. Talbot Esqre
31. Sackville Street
London
Notes:
1. Ela Theresa Talbot (1835–1893), WHFT’s 1st daughter.
2. Rosamond Constance ‘Monie’ Talbot (1837–1906), artist & WHFT’s 2nd daughter.
3. The Globe (London).
4. Sussex, west of Hastings.