Sunday Oct 20th
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 Mrs 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 dont 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 havent 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 Esqr
Post Office
Edinburgh
Notes:
1. See Doc. No: 05096.
2. See Doc. No: 05102; Doc. No: 05104; Doc. No: 05105.
3. Caroline Augusta Edgcumbe, n้e Feilding, Lady Mt Edgcumbe (18081881); WHFTs half-sister.
4. Lady Elisabeth Theresa Feilding, n้e Fox Strangways, first m Talbot (17731846), WHFTs mother.
5. Mary Georgiana Emma Damer, n้e Seymour, wife of George Lionel Dawson Damer (17881856), MP.
6. Louisa Charlotte Frampton (1808-1885), author.
7. Henry Petty Fitzmaurice, 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne (17801863), MP, WHFTs uncle.
8. Louisa Emma Petty Fitzmaurice, n้e Fox Strangways, Marchioness of Lansdowne (1785-1851), wife of Henry Petty Fitzmaurice, 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne; Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Victoria, 1837-1838; WHFT's aunt.
9. Sir Henry Petty Fitzmaurice, Lord Shelburne, 4th Marquess of Lansdowne (18161866), 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, n้e Elphinstone de Flauhault.