Lacock Abbey
Wednesday Oct 16
My dear Henry
you see I am determined not to make you uneasy by my silence – for this is my fourth letter to Edinburgh – Nothing whatever has occurred to disturb the calm which reigns in our small circle – Never to my recollection did one day pass more like another – except that we occasionally steal a watery walk & at other times resign ourselves wholly to the house – I always think rainy weather depresses the spirits – but the present bad weather troubles me much more than usual, because I know you must be, all this while, so extremely contrarié – My only hope is that you may have gone to some friend’s house to await the return of sunshine – though I know of none that you intended to visit besides Mr John Strangways – and I imagine you can scarcely yet have reached him – I cannot tell you how grieved I am at your ill luck – I had a kind letter from Aunt Mary yesterday enquiring after the children – and expressing great impatience for the 2d number of the ‘Pencil of Nature’ – She sent a message to you to that effect – & evidently knew nothing of your being in Scotland – I told her about you in my answer –
Charles is very florishing [sic] & nice & coughs now very little – Rosamond had a tooth drawn yesterday & was very good about it – All are delighted by the birth of a family of Angora Rabbits – and very anxious for the next week to pass quickly, as they are not to be looked at till nine days from their birth – We are therefore still ignorant of the exact number – I had a tolerably comfortably account of my Uncle Newton today, inasmuch as his physician thinks the complaint may take a favorable turn one of these days – He is able to drive out a little – but is too lame to walk –
Your affectionate
Constance.
[envelope:]
Henry Fox Talbot Esqr
Post Office
Edinburgh