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Document number: 8168
Date: 04 Aug 1860
Dating: 1860?
Recipient: TALBOT William Henry Fox
Author: TALBOT Ela Theresa
Collection: British Library, London, Manuscripts - Fox Talbot Collection
Collection number historic: LA60-055
Last updated: 1st September 2003

Oakfield August 4th

My Dear Papa,

Although we have not yet heard of you from Paris I suppose by this time you have been there some days and this I hope will just have time to reach you before you start for England – I had a very nice long letter from Mamie this morning from <illeg> Speddoch in which she says they have not written to Paris, fearing you might have left before their letters arrived, which is always tiresome – She had heard the day before from Aunt Caroline (still at Farrance’s hotel) inquiring after you, and was just going to sit down and write the good account we received last – Ld Mt Edgcumbe has been for the last month on board his yacht in the port at Plymouth, having given up the idea of going to London and she was soon intending to rejoin him – We continue to receive the most flourishing accounts of Tilly and indeed of all the Speddoch party – the change of air has done Monie a great deal of good – and they all agree in thinking it a particularly healthy place – Mr Clark has been so much occupied with military matters going to I dont <sic> know how many extra drills on account of the Queen’s approaching Review at Edinburgh that he pressed them particularly to stay with Tilly till after his return from Edinburgh, so we shall not get them back here before next Thursday – when they will have had a most comfortable visit of three weeks – He had also a great deal to do with the great Agricultural show which took place at Dumfries on the 1st – being one of the Stewards – the town was crammed full of people from all parts of Scotland, the Dukes of Atholl – Buccleugh and Montrose were there with a large party from Drumlanrig and Ld Dalkeith was at the ball though most of the grandees had left before the concluding festivities – but they were most unfortunate in their weather for it poured the whole day I cannot say much for ours here at present – it has taken to raining every morning though we generally have fine afternoons – the School feast at Barrow on Thursday was expected to have been a failure, but it cleared just in time Luckily, as it would have been an awkward thing to put off and they could not possibly have had it in the rain – Mrs Spedding of Mirehouse was kind enough to take us to it in her carriage and we met a good many people deal of company – I think people are fond of going there and walking about the beautiful grounds –

I suppose you heard that the young Shakespears are staying at <?waite> during Hope;s holidays – they had not had very good accounts of Mr Shakespear lately nor of the baby who had been very ill but the last report was more favourable – Mr S is full judge now.

Charles goes out every day on his poney which is a nice quiet and intelligent beast, not particularly handsome, being piebald, and his strong contrasts of colour make him visible at a great distance – Riding seems to have done Tal a great deal of good, besides the convenience of enabling him to get about at first when he was not up to much walking By the time you come back, I hope you will find him looking much stronger than you expected. – This evening he is going to dine at Greta Bank to meet his friend Mr Eyre who is reading with a tutor in Newlands –

In your next letter dear Papa I suppose you will give us some idea of how soon we may expect to see you – do you mean to stay long at Lacock? You see I take it for granted you intend going there first, but you should make haste and come and take possession of a comfortable sitting room, down stairs, which is now unoccupied unless when we happen to go in and have a game of ball there, that the servants may see it is not quite abandoned – You cannot think how much too large the house appears now that we are such a small party.

good bye

Yr affectionate daughter

Ela.

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