Tuesday 20. –
My dear Henry,
I forward the letters that are come for you this morning, because I conclude you will receive them just before you set out tomorrow. & [illegible deletion] as they appear to be enclosures, perhaps they may be for somebody at Lacock. – Thank you for the [Ragged?] robin I have just been myself to Lady Ilchester’s, <1> & taken the flowers for Mr Strangways. <2> – He was not at home, but Lady I. promised to take care of them & put them in water.
You have indeed sent me some most lovely things – the [illegible] rotundifolia I admire excessively. – & many or rather all of the others are charming too. – It really gives one rather a pang, to think of the country being so beautiful when one is far away & cannot enjoy it. – I did take Laura to Mrs Wats Russell’s,<3> but we were neither of us particularly pleased. – As I am to see you so soon I will not say more than that I am
yr affecte
Constance.
Notes:
1. Juliana Maria Strangways, née Digby (d. 1842).
2. Probably William Thomas Horner Fox Strangways, 4th Earl of Ilchester (1795–1865), botanist, art collector & diplomat.
3. Laura Mundy (1805– 1 Sep 1842), WHFT’s sister-in-law. Mary, née Watts, 1st , wife of Jessie Watts-Russell (1786-1875)JP, High Sheriff & MP, of Ilam, Staffordshire, & Biggin, Northamptonshire.
4. She continued these for some months - see Doc. No: 03503.
5. Amélina Petit De Billier, ‘Mamie’, ‘Amandier’ (1798–1876), governess and later close friend of the Talbot family [See Amélina's journal].