Lacock Abbey
Feb 11th Tuesday
My dear Henry
I am just come from the Greenhouse where I discovered a blossom upon the Persian Iris. – It is rather paler than last year but I think quite as sweet. – The Narcissus Odorus promises to expand tomorrow. – I observed that a few of the seeds had been watered; but the rest were left, as if FitzSimmons <1> had begun & afterwards changed his mind. – It appeared to me that tomorrow would have been soon enough – but I shall go again to see whether it has been done. – Horatia <2> is quite surprised that you should think it necessary to have them watered at all: her opinion is that they should not have a drop!
I gave your sovereign to Marchant <3> yesterday – he seemed highly pleased & made many tender enquiries after you. – Mlle Amélina <4> & I walked to Forest lane to see some sick people yesterday, and afterwards we reached the very summit of Bowden Hill! <5> attended by Morphine & Pompey. <6> –
I hope you will not catch cold in walking to or from the House, & if [illegible deletion] you should walk home at night, I hope you will tye [sic a silk handkerchief over your mouth, as you used to do last year. –
Mlle Amélina desires me to thank you for your information respecting the Grey Parrot. – She considers it a most tempting advertisement, but unfortunately the Grey species is the only one against which she is slightly prejudiced. – Ell me prie de vous faire ses amitiés, & de vous exprimer combien elle était fachée de ne pas vous avoir fait ses adieux, la veille de vôtre départ. <7> –
Will you frank the enclosed to my Mother <8> at Markeaton? <9> – it is in reply to the letter <10> you sent me this morning. – She tells me how the dispute between the master-manufacturers & their men first began. It was not on account of distress, but merely because one of the masters found fault with some work having been badly done. –
A letter from Lady Valletort <11> this morning says that her Bimbo <12> has bid adieu to his Nurse, and bears the privation very well. – I should think this must be a great comfort. –
Yr affectionate
Constance
Notes:
1. Cornelius Fitzsimmons, Scottish gardener at Lacock Abbey.
2. Henrietta Horatia Maria Gaisford, née Feilding (1810–1851), WHFT’s half-sister.
3. Mr Marchant (d. August 1834), writing-master at Lacock. [See Doc. No: 00497].
4. Amélina Petit De Billier, ‘Mamie’, ‘Amandier’ (1798–1876), governess and later close friend of the Talbot family [See Amélina's journal].
5. Bowden Hill, Wiltshire, 1 mi SE of Lacock.
6. Morphine was the family's dog, found by them on 20 December 1823 as a stray in the Piazza di Fontana Amorosa in Genoa. Pompey was a family dog, mentioned from 1832-1838.
7. She asks me to give you her regards, and to tell you how upset she was not to have said goodbye to you, the day before your departure.
8. Sarah Leaper Mundy, née Newton (d. 1836), WHFT’s mother in law.
9. Markeaton Hall, Derbyshire, NW of Derby: home of the Mundy family.
10. Letter not located.
11. Caroline Augusta Edgcumbe, née Feilding, Lady Mt Edgcumbe (1808–1881); WHFT’s half-sister.
12. William Henry Edgcumbe, ‘Val’, 4th Earl Mt Edgcumbe (1832–1917), JP & Ld Steward of the Royal Household; WHFT’s nephew ‘Bimbo’.