Friday September 4. –
My dear Henry
By all means set out on your Welsh tour without thinking of coming to fetch me till you have had a proper quantity of mountain air. – My Father <1> has taken this house for the remainder of Sepr & one week in October, & my Mother <2> seems to think that they will not be tired either of me or Ela <3> before the expiration of all that long time; therefore you may feel perfectly at liberty to tour as much as you please. – I do not promise not to want you very bad before long. – but as the air of this place certainly suits & strengthens me perhaps I cannot do better than get as much of it as possible. – I should like to have my wits a little brightened before Lady Elisabeth <4> comes home – . but I have yet accomplished nothing in the way of an intellectual pursuit; – and I still feel, that writing a letter, even to you dear Henry, is a matter of no small trouble & difficulty. – I have however made two frocks for Ela which has amused me mightily – though I grew rather tired before the second was finished – but it is such a pleasure to see the darling child in her short clothes.– she evidently enjoys her increased freedom & kicks about her little feet more than ever. – She is dearer than even you can fancy – I am sure you will be struck by the improvement. The little house in which I am lodged was taken for six weeks, 4 of which will be finished on Monday next, but my Mother has no doubt of our being able to secure it for any number of weeks after that – so perhaps when you write again you will give me some idea of the length of time you will like me to remain, that my Mother may bespeak this house before any one else seizes upon it – Cowes <5> is not growing empty yet, though almost all the Yachts have deserted us. – There is a Lady Harriet Baring here in one of the houses next to me. – Are there not two ladies of that name? one a daughter of Lady Sandwich?<6> & which can this be do you think! – I am glad that we know at last something settled about the Feildings’ plans –. and I like the arrangement very well. – I think Much as I like to have Mlle Amélina <7> with us occasionally, I wish we could have had the full & sole enjoyment of Lady Elisabeth in the first instance – but this cannot be managed if Mlle Amélina comes at all. – and I imagine she would not pay an outrageously long visit – that is my only fear because I know the expense of travelling does not suit her finances. – I suppose she would go up to Town with Lady Elisabeth at Easter & previously pay a visit to the Hopwoods & her other friends in the North. – I rather tremble at the idea of keeping house for so many additional persons – but you are the best judge how far this is worthy of consideration. – We shall never again live so cheaply as we did at first, because we have our little Ela. – but when I return home I think I must try whether the bills may not he a little curtailed – Does Lady E. say how many servants she means to bring with her? Have you got rid of James? <8> & the carriage horses?
What a triumph for you to have espied the Comet <9> one day sooner than the Greenwich Observatory! – Tell us in what part of the heavens you discerned it & how soon there will be any use in our looking for it. – My Father Laura <10> & I went to Portsmouth in the Steamer last Wednesday, with the Trahernes <11> & saw the Victory & the Royal George – and had a very pleasant day – & we were actually not too tired in the evening to go & drink tea with Lady Mary. <12> Laura & I went to her house 2 evenings together – & this evening we expect them here to return our visit. – Do you know Mr Cole? <13> He is staying with them for his health, & we think him very agreeable. – My Mother improves rapidly every day & will soon be herself again we hope – A little society now will do her good, & Lady Mary & her party are so very friendly, that I hope t[hey]<14> will meet often. – I cannot think why you have s
I shall very soon be quite as good a walker as I used to be. – I find it suites me better than any kind of sea excursion – the glare on the water & all the objects in the boats being still rather disagreeable to my eyes – Would that I could sketch again! Mrs Traherne has made so many views in the Island that I feel almost envious – She & Mr Traherne talk of taking a trip to Havre soon and spending a fortnight among the Churches of Normandy. – Adieu – Ela sends you may kisses – loves & remembrances from all here –
Your loving Wife,
Constance. –
Caroline <15> must be improving nicely to be able to dine with her family – how difficult I found that to bear!! – I hope she has not been quite so ill as I was – at any rate she has recovered quicker – I have just been listening to a sermon on the death of Moses, which the Clergyman here has been to our house to read to Marian <16> – A novel way of hearing sermons – but he is a very obliging man & has offered to come and read to her whenever she likes – Fitzsimmons <17> has sent us noble supplies of fruit. – I hope you have enjoyed some of those fine peaches – & the melons have been highly approved & greatly prized –
Mlle Amélina has written to me & made particular enquiries about the plans of the Feildings – may I mention the subject of her visit to us or is Lady E. likely to change her mind? –
Henry Fox Talbot Esqre
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham
Notes:
1. Francis Mundy (1771–1837), politician and father of Constance Talbot.
2. Sarah Leaper Mundy, née Newton (d. 1836), WHFT’s mother in law.
3. Ela Theresa Talbot (1835–1893), WHFT’s 1st daughter.
4. Lady Elisabeth Theresa Feilding, née Fox Strangways, first m Talbot (1773–1846), WHFT’s mother.
5. North coast of Isle of Wight.
6. Lady Harriet Mary Baring, Baroness Ashburton, née Montagu (1805-1857), dau of George John Montagu, 6th Earl of Sandwich and Lady Louisa Mary Ann Julia Harriet, née Lowry-Corry.
7. Amélina Petit De Billier, ‘Mamie’, ‘Amandier’ (1798–1876), governess and later close friend of the Talbot family [See Amélina's journal].
From June 1828 - September 1831, Amélina was a companion to the family of Robert Gregge-Hopwood (1773-1854) and the Hon. Cecelia, née Byng, daughter of John Byng, 5th Viscount Torrington, at their home of Hopwood Hall, between Middleton and Rochdale, Lancaster.8. A servant.
9. Halley’s Comet. [See letter Doc. No: 03113].
10. Laura Mundy (1805–1842), WHFT’s sister-in-law.
11. Rev John Montgomerie Traherne (1788-1860), JP, antiquary & author; and his wife, Charlotte Louisa 'Charry' Traherne, née Talbot (1800–1880), WHFT’s cousin.
12. Lady Mary Lucy Cole, née Strangways, first m. Talbot (1776–1855), WHFT’s aunt.
13. Sir Christopher Cole (1770–1836), Captain, MP & naval officer.
14. Text torn away under seal.
15. Caroline Augusta Edgcumbe, née Feilding, Lady Mt Edgcumbe (1808–1881); WHFT’s half-sister.
16. Her sister, Marian Gilder, née Mundy (1806 – 14 October 1860); m. 6 August 1844 William Troward Gilder (d. 1871), Army Surgeon (ret).
17. Cornelius Fitzsimmons, Scottish gardener at Lacock Abbey.