Bath
Friday Dec^r 18

My dear Henry

Thanks for your 2 last letters, ^<1> from the Athenæum ^<2> of Wednesday evening, & from L Abbey yesterday. I am glad you are [illegible deletion] safe at home – It is certainly not suitable weather for travelling about as Caroline ^<3> is doing – It is the strangest whim, and very imprudent – and no doubt there is much anxiety at M^t Edgcumbe, ^<4> to get her home again – Ernestine ^<5> writes to R^d that they have all just returned: & apparently well. She said they had a good day for crossing from Ireland, just before the Snow Storm: They took the journey easily; visiting Cathedrals on their way. – but they gave up the intention of stopping at Malvern ^<6> (as Val had once thought might be good for Bertha) because it is now much too cold – The first return to M^t E. she says is very trying to Val ^<7> – but Charlie ^<8> is there which is a help. How natural it would have been for Caroline also to have been there to welcome & cheer him! – I return C’s letter with thanks. I fear she must be suffering very much from the cold. Are you not sorry for those poor Shakers who have chosen such a time for acting in their peculiar manner? The daily Telegraph has some good articles on the subject – lamenting their trials, but scarcely blaming those who have been forced to set the lead in action against them. – They had fair notice; and they were not obliged to make martyrs of themselves – I pity the poor children most –

I am glad that you think of coming here on Tuesday – You will find the house so warm & comfortable – yesterday was a bright pleasant winter’s day, and R^{d <9>} thought it enjoyable enough. the Streets were so dry – Today there is a keen penetrating fog. – which we feel even in doors –

Your affectionate
Constance

Wasn’t it too bad of the Bishop of London ^<10> to prevent D^r Colenso ^<11> preaching last Sunday at M^r Stopford Brooke’s ^<12> Chapel? I wish his friends would be careful to appoint places which are not under Episcopal controul [sic]. He might preach at Westminster Abby, [sic] for instance, if Dean Stanley ^<13> had the courage to [illegible deletion] lend him his pulpit –

---

Notes:

1. One of which was Doc. No: 03975. The other letter is not located.

2. Athenaeum Club, Pall Mall, London: WHFT’s club; a gentleman’s club composed primarily of artists and scientists.

3. Caroline Augusta Edgcumbe, née Feilding, Lady Mt Edgcumbe (1808–1881); WHFT’s half-sister.

4. Mt Edgecumbe, near Plymouth: seat of the Earl of Mt Edgcumbe.

5. Ernestine Emma Horatia Edgcumbe (16 August 1843-1925), WHFT’s niece.

6. Malvern, or Great Malvern, 9 mi SW of Worcestershire.

7. Ernest Augustus Edgcumbe, Lord Valletort, 3^rd Earl of Mt Edgcumbe (1797–1861), WHFT’s brother-in-law.

8. Charles Earnest Edgcumbe (1838–1915), JP, WHFT’s nephew.

9. Rosamond Constance ‘Monie’ Talbot (1837–1906), artist & WHFT’s 2^nd daughter.

10. John Jackson (1811–1885), Bishop of Lincoln (1853–1868), Bishop of London (1868–1885).

11. John William Colenso (1814–1883), Bishop of Natal.

12. Stopford Augustus Brooke (1832–1916), clergyman and author.

13. Arthur Penrhyn Stanley (1815–1881), Dean of Westminster.