13 Gt Stuart St.
Friday 25th <1>
My dear Papa
As Mama <2> is much occupied today in looking over house hold Matters &c I will send you a line just to let you know how G <3> is getting on. The Doctor’s report this morning is most favourable Goodwin is keeping perfectly quiet and composed – he takes his food regularly and sleeps a good deal – The attendant Campbell an excellent elderly man and an abstainer left yesterday as you are already are of, if you received the telegram we sent you yesterday to report Goodwin’s progress – and this morning Mama received a letter from Monie <4> to say they would come tomorrow, Saturday, which we shall be very glad of – as it is so much better to talk over things than to write long histories and Henriette’s <5> assistance will be likewise very useful in getting things into order in the house. In her letter received today Monie gives John’s impressions respecting the state of the case, which is that he thinks an immoderate and over-frequent use of the Quinine wine the medicine prescribed by Mr Crisp for Goodwin may have [illegible deletion] produced effects similar to those of intoxication and that then a very small amount of brandy or other stimulant taken in his weak state of health before the journey may have brought on the attack of delirium. it seems so impossible to believe that G who bore such a high moral character should have been indulging for years and years in intemperance without any body’s finding it out – and Mama means next time she sees Dr Moir <6> himself to ask him if this is not possible – (This morning it was the partner that called) both Dr M and Mr C are agreed that it was a highly improper medicine that Goodwin was taking, which shows that Mr Crisp had quite mistaken his case. At the same time Mr Campbell is of opinion that G was given to habitual intemperance and that both his bad health and bad temper were produced by that cause and that cause alone. the difficulty will be to ascertain the truth. Since G has recovered his senses he is quite unaware of the state he has been in – has expressed no contrition – nor any annoyance as he would have done if he thought anything had gone wrong with him, and knows only that he has been ill. We are anxiously expecting a letter from you, poor Papa – I am sure you will feel much grieved about poor Goodwin’s state but I really think that John’s hypothesis may be the true one for how can Dr Watson of Bath<7> have been mistaken who has seen Gn many times, though not perhaps quite lately – but he approved of Mr Crisp’s medicine and treatment generally and that I do’nt understand either. We are expecting a man in today on a job recommended by Mr Campbell as temporary butler. We have therefore had no need to inquire for a footman.
I am glad to hear that Mr Roach <8> keeps well and is going to be inducted soon – You should go to hear him self read himself in, and send us a report of the Sermon! –
I heard today from Charles, <9> he speaks of variable weather but I suppose the place is agreeing with him as he is staying on – Weather today mild & rather stormy. I see they have been building a good deal, the other side of Dean Bridge. On Wednesday and Thursday it was so foggy we could see nothing. –
Good bye dear Papa Yr affecte daughter
Ela
Notes:
1. For WHFT’s response to this letter see Doc. No: 09729, which dates this document to November 1870.
2. Constance Talbot, née Mundy (1811–1880), WHFT’s wife.
3. George Goodwin (d. 1875), footman at Lacock Abbey.
4. Rosamond Constance ‘Monie’ Talbot (1837–1906), artist & WHFT’s 2nd daughter.
5. A servant.
6. Dr John Moir (b 1809), French-born to British parents, MD, 52 Castle St, Edinburgh.
7. Dr James Watson (1792-1878), a Scottish-born doctor, practising in Bath and resident at 13, The Circus.
8. Edwin Osmond Roach (1828-1876), Irish-born Vicar at St Cyriac's, Lacock, 1870-1876; Asst Provincial Grand Chaplain, Freemason.
9. Charles Henry Talbot (1842–1916), antiquary & WHFT’s only son.
10. Her great-aunt, Eleanor Newton, née Stephenson (1788-1880), widow of Sarah Leaper Newton's brother, Robert Newton Leaper-Newton (1775-1846); she continued to live at Marle-Hill House, Cheltenham.