Sunday Oct 20^th

My dear Henry

I am greatly troubled by your long silence – I have heard nothing since Jedburgh ^<1> – a week yesterday! – Since which I have written three times ^<2> – Caroline ^<3> would not spare Lady Elisabeth ^<4> yesterday – but tomorrow I expect her – for the assurance that she is then positively coming has been thrice repeated – I hear that M^rs Damer ^<5> wrote in such an ambiguous manner that it does not clearly appear whether this week or the next is the time she proposes to come – & Lady Elisabeth has written to her to beg for an explanation – I hear she is also expected at Bowood – but they don’t know when – Lady Louisa ^<6> came to see me on Friday – which I liked very much as I had not carried into effect any idea of going over to them. – She gave an excellent account of Lord Lansdowne ^<7> but not a good one of her Mother ^<8> who suffers from Rheumatism more than ever. The Shelburnes ^<9> are there – Lady S ^<10> going on quite well but not feeling strong – We have had better weather some days since I wrote last – Friday in particular was very fine – scarcely a light shower throughout the day – and several days have been brighter before 12 – but ended in heavy darkness & violent showers –

Today I heard a strange discourse delivered in a strange manner by a strange clergyman – I haven’t yet made out who he is – The subject was miracles & means. He took occasion to say that the whole course of Nature was miraculous! –

Last night I was at Inverness with Prince Charles Edward – & fought the battle of Culloden – I took leave of him at his death & concluded my book by rejoicing over the improved state of the Highlands –

Pray do write a little oftener to your affectionate
Constance

All are well, as you will suppose by my not mentioning them. –

[envelope:]
Henry Fox Talbot Esq^r
Post Office
Edinburgh

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Notes:

1. See Doc. No: 05096.

2. See Doc. No: 05102; Doc. No: 05104; Doc. No: 05105.

3. Caroline Augusta Edgcumbe, née Feilding, Lady Mt Edgcumbe (1808–1881); WHFT’s half-sister.

4. Lady Elisabeth Theresa Feilding, née Fox Strangways, first m Talbot (1773–1846), WHFT’s mother.

5. Mary Georgiana Emma Damer, née Seymour, wife of George Lionel Dawson Damer (1788–1856), MP.

6. Louisa Charlotte Frampton (1808-1885), author.

7. Henry Petty Fitzmaurice, 3^rd Marquess of Lansdowne (1780–1863), MP, WHFT’s uncle.

8. Louisa Emma Petty Fitzmaurice, née Fox Strangways, Marchioness of Lansdowne (1785-1851), wife of Henry Petty Fitzmaurice, 3^rd Marquess of Lansdowne; Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Victoria, 1837-1838; WHFT's aunt.

9. Sir Henry Petty Fitzmaurice, Lord Shelburne, 4^th Marquess of Lansdowne (1816–1866), MP and WHFT's cousin. He had married Lady Georgiana Herbert (1817-1841) on 18 August 1840, but she died on 28 February 1841. He married secondly, Hon Emily Jane Mercer-Elphinstone-de Flahault, Baroness Nairne (1819-1895), on 1 November 1843 at the British Embassy in Vienna.

10. Emily Jane Mercer Fitzmaurice, née Elphinstone de Flauhault.