Lacock Abbey
Wednesday July 30th
My dear Henry
I wrote you a second little letter to York yesterday <1> – but it does not contain anything worth sending after – as I will recapitulate the only topic of interest.
Lady Elisabeth <2> wrote me word yesterday that since you left London Mr Longman had informed her that there was a great demand for the First Number of the Pencil of Nature <3> – because it contains the account of the process – & that no materials being left in the Binder’s hands, nothing could be done in your absence to meet the demand – I dare say you will have heard this from Lady Elisabeth before my letter reaches you – Can I do anything for you by looking for the views if you have left any locked up here? Horatia <4> has not yet paid me her promised visit – & I don’t now expect her as the weather is so bad – We have had three deplorably wet days – & today is the worst, as it pours without intermission. – I have scarcely done anything but lament over the wet – for your sake – all day. It is calamitous enough for the harvest – the hay is spoiling & the corn will not ripen – You have been so peculiarly unlucky on former tours – that it is now tenfold more trying – & I almost fear that you may give it up in despair – The wind today reminds me of the Equinoctial Gales – Your suggestion about chess-playing was an excellent one – Mlle D. <5> is not a very good player – but our games are interesting & she expects to improve with practise – Harriot <6> writes me comfortable accounts of Noel <7> – Lady H. Gallwey <8> is her near neighbour & some of the Nicholls <9> (for sea bathing) I believe are next door. – Caroline <10> has taken Ernestine <11> to Brighton as she began to droop very much from being so long in London. – & Ld Mt Edgcumbe <12> is at Cowes. Lady Elisth seems quite undecided in her plans – Mlle D. & I get on very well together – I feel no kind of reserve with her – & have even ventured to express my dissent to her pronunciation of avec & have arranged that the children <13> shall pronounce the c as we do. Matilda has ½ an hour’s regular study of French & writing besides a little music lesson daily – Shall I forward your letters? –
Yr affte
Constance
Notes:
2. Lady Elisabeth Theresa Feilding, née Fox Strangways, first m Talbot (1773–1846), WHFT’s mother.
3. WHFT, The Pencil of Nature (London: Longman, Brown, Green, & Longmans, June 1844–April 1846 [issued in six fascicles]).
4. Henrietta Horatia Maria Gaisford, née Feilding (1810–1851), WHFT’s half-sister.
5. Mlle Dutscheck, who was governess to WHFT's children from July 1845 to March 1846.
6. Harriot Georgiana Mundy, née Frampton (1806-1886), WHFT’s cousin & sister-in-law.
7. Francis Noel Mundy (1833–1903), WHFT’s nephew.
8. Lady Harriet Payne Gallwey (1784-1845), née Quin, widow of Lt Gen Sir William Payne Gallwey (1759-1831), 1st Bart.
9. Dr John Nicholl (1797-1853), MP; his wife, Jane Harriot Nicholl, née Talbot (1796–1874), WHFT's cousin; and perhaps Lucy Mary Nicholl (1824-1876) and Christiana Judy Nicholl, of Merthyr Mawr.
10. Caroline Augusta Edgcumbe, née Feilding, Lady Mt Edgcumbe (1808–1881); WHFT’s half-sister.
11. Ernestine Emma Horatia Edgcumbe (1843-1925), WHFT’s niece.
12. Ernest Augustus Edgcumbe, Lord Valletort, 3rd Earl of Mt Edgcumbe (1797–1861), WHFT’s brother-in-law.
13. 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.