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Document number: 3321
Date: Tue 05 Jul 1836
Dating: 1836 confirmed by Doc no 03318
Recipient: TALBOT William Henry Fox
Author: TALBOT Constance, née Mundy
Collection: British Library, London, Manuscripts - Fox Talbot Collection
Collection number historic: LA36-42
Last updated: 9th March 2012

Tuesday July 5 –

My dear Henry

You send most important news today – indeed, in the expected departure of Mrs Gwynne –! <1> I fear that the loss of her services will be felt as a serious misfortune s; though doubtless it will be of a mingled nature, & accompanied by some advantage. – If Lady Elisabeth <2> has not already thought of a person to supply her place, perhaps you would have no objection to recommending our Price. <3> – I have often thought that I should much prefer Clifford for my own maid in regard to manner &c &c – & I also think that as I require very little personal attendance she might easily perform the duties of Ladysmaid as well as Nurse, so long as we have only one Chick. – During our late trip to Devonshire you recollect that Price was left behind, as useless – & the same thing must would always happen on visits to relations & on the occasion of short tours like the last – We have so little company & our housekeeping is so simple that I think the Cook & I might easily manage it, & you know that if the Feildings come to Lacock & we live together as we used to do, then a housekeeper to ourselves would be perfectly useless – In short I have been thinking it over all this morning, & am quite convinced, that by procuring occasionally a little the assistance of an additional needlewoman, (of whom there is no scarcity at Lacock) we could spare Price without the slightest inconvenience – But I should only fatigue you by enumerating the various strong arguments in favour of my plan, so I must beg you to rest assured that they are all most excellent & most conclusive – Now as to Price herself & her qualifications – I think Lady Elisabeth used formerly to like her as a personal attendant, since which time, she is certainly not dis-improved. – Then she has been accustomed to the ways of the family, has very economical notions, is very anxious to succeed in whatever she undertakes, very willing to do whatever she is desired – Under the immediate eye of Mr Feilding <4> she would soon acquire a more regular method of keeping accounts – & perhaps might improve her handwriting – but many servants write in ugly characters; & as to orthography, she is generally correct – perhaps now & then there is an exception. – Indeed I should think she might do perfectly well; but you need not say more in her praise than you like. but [sic] depend on than fr my sincerity when I say, that the arrangement I now propose would, as far as I am concerned, be much more agreeable than the present one – I do not marvel that you have been suffering from the heat – even here, in this cool Abbey, it has been most overcoming. – In the Library with the shutters carefully shut to exclude the sun, the thermometer has stood at 80 both today & yesterday. – Last night I remarked some vivid lightening [sic] in the south, & just now – (5 o’clock Tues.) we have had some distant thunder – & a few drops of rain – but the clouds are passing away, & disappointing the burning ground – I am going presently to plant your sedums &c, according to your directions – Fitzsimmons <5> has been careful to water your seedlings in the Greenhouse – This morning we discovered 2 flowers in your botanic garden which we both thought new since you left home – F. sen[ds]<6> them in the basket – they were the Lathyrus uberos[us] & a plant with two-colored flowers looking at a distanc[e] like the small clover – The Sun was so scorching that I did not remain to examine it more nearly –

I am very happy to hear that Horatia <7> has o so recovered so rapidly from the Influenza – it was a bold thing however to venture to a breakfast – Ela <8> continues to ask for you in the most touching manner. – I scarcely know her without her cap; though still she looks very nice indeed. – I suppose you will remain in London a sufficient time for Mrs Andrews of Foley place to make a little gingham bonnet for Ela – her present one being too hot for her – I believe she can make them in one day or two at latest – I have left my note unsealed that you may insert the the [sic] day on which you wish it sent to Sackville St <9> – It may go per 2d –

Yr affte
Constance.

I hope you read my letter yesterday <10>

Henry Fox Talbot Esqre
Sackville Street


Notes:

1. Mrs Gwynne (d. winter 1841/1842), lady’s maid, cook and housekeeper to Elisabeth Feilding.

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

3. Mrs Sarah Henneman, first m Price ( ca.1811–1848), housemaid at Lacock Abbey.

4. Rear Admiral Charles Feilding (1780–1837), Royal Navy; WHFT’s step-father.

5. Cornelius Fitzsimmons, Scottish gardener at Lacock Abbey.

6. Text torn away under seal.

7. Henrietta Horatia Maria Gaisford, nιe Feilding (1810–1851), WHFT’s half-sister.

8. Ela Theresa Talbot (1835–1893), WHFT’s 1st daughter.

9. 31 Sackville Street, London residence of the Feildings, often used as a London base by WHFT.

10. See Doc. No: 03318.

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