Lacock Abbey
Saturday Oct 26
My dear Henry
I did receive yesterday your charming letter from the banks of Loch Achray – In it you draw the Sunny side of the picture – but your letter from Edinburgh today discloses the sad reverse by setting forth and reveals the cold discomforts of the Inns <1> – I quite pity you for lying awake shivering with cold! – what must those wretched places be in really severe weather? Your former letter from Edinburgh reached me on Sunday – I have written 3 times to Darlington – and I have nothing now to communicate since the last written yesterday – but in case you should not receive it, I will repeat that the Damers have not fixed their day – only as they are engaged to Bowood <2> for the 29th Lady Elisabeth <3> calculates that their visit here must fall between the 1st & 5th – This, supposing they chuse the earliest day, will allow of your arriving before them, I should think – We hope you will not try to avoid them, as they are such pleasant people – and having invited themselves they will not expect any fuss to be made for their entertainment. – They know that there is no party to meet them. – You will tell us of course when you know your own day for returning – because if we knew for certain, it might make a little difference in the arrangemt of the rooms – Lady Elisabeth & Horatia, <4> arrived, as I told you yesterday – & both seem very well – They left Ld Mt Edgcumbe <5> much better – All of us <6> are florishing [sic] – Lady Elisabeth thinks Ela grown & improved –
Your affectionate
Constance –
[envelope:]
H. Fox Talbot Esqre
Black Swan Hotel<7>
York
Notes:
1. Neither letter located.
2. Bowood House, nr Calne, Wiltshire, 5 mi NE of Lacock: seat of the Marquess of Lansdowne.
3. Lady Elisabeth Theresa Feilding, née Fox Strangways, first m Talbot (1773–1846), WHFT’s mother.
4. Henrietta Horatia Maria Gaisford, née Feilding (1810–1851), WHFT’s half-sister.
5. Mt Edgecumbe, near Plymouth: seat of the Earl of Mt Edgcumbe
6. Ela Theresa Talbot (1835–1893), WHFT’s 1st daughter, Rosamond Constance ‘Monie’ Talbot (1837–1906), artist & WHFT’s 2nd daughter, Matilda Caroline Gilchrist-Clark, ‘Tilly’, née Talbot (1839–1927), WHFT’s 3rd daughter and Charles Henry Talbot (1842–1916), antiquary & WHFT’s only son.
7. The Black Swan was the terminus for the coaches to London (it is not the same as the present day Black Swan in York).