Lanelay <1>
Friday
My dear Henry
We are very sorry to hear that your reason for not coming further off now is anxiety on Mr F’s <2> account again, we hoped he was gradually tho’ slowly mending, your poor Mother <3> must be worn out both mind & body I am sure, most sincerely do I feel for her & all of you. – I had written you a note to the Cardiff P. O as you desired saying how glad we should be to see you & how much Isabella <4> wished you to come to see her in her own house. & we still hope tho’ put off the visits are not lost. – What an eventful year this had been in our family. I wish the mercies we have received made as clear an impression as the afflictions do. Christiana Nicholl’s <5> escape is not likely to be forgotten nor I hope the bulk of the little treasures that have been added to the general stock of the family but there are many others which are too soon lost to sight & I fear to our recollection too. – Poor Stavordale’s <6> death is indeed a heavy blow to his Father <7> & all, Stephen <8> will feel it deeply for they were strongly attached to each other both were of remarkably affectionate dispositions I think. – Christopher & Lady Charlotte <9> are at Penrice <10> & I hope recruiting from the toils & annoyances of the Election &c in the peace and quiet which are some of the great charms of Penrice. –
Your Aunt Mary <11> has been remarkably well considering her anxiety for others, and the hot weather which is in general too much for her. We had hope [sic] to shew you many things even in our poor Garden foreign importations & natural beauties transplanted from the hills. we have made a kind of Rock work round a little pond partly for safety least [sic] any one should tumble in & partly for plants. John Llewelyn <12> in his return from Bath called at Millers & brought us a present of a quantity of pretty little things, they are mostly over now but the Campanula Hostii continues to look gay & the orange Anagallis is flourishing very nicely. – My cuttings from your Nice Honeysuckle failed owing I suppose to the cold weather (for I have no heat & the hot bed was not made then). I wish you would get your Gardener to strike some next spring. – My love to my cousins big & little. <13> Ela must be very amusing now I am sure. We have four of Jane’s <14> Children here & there are three at Merthyrmawr <15> with their Governess; the two Eldest are going abroad with them for a few weeks. Mr Nicholl <16> is better & I hope the tour will do him good, they were to start for Rotterdam on the 19th of this Month – I do not know where they have positively settled to go. – There has been a great blight on fruit trees again this year & now the plums which did set have been falling off so I suppose we shall have none, I conclude it was a wind, for in sheltered places the trees have not suffered so much. This is charming weather for the Harvest. –
I am your affate coz
Mary
H. Fox Talbot Esqre
Laycock Abbey
Chippenham
Notes:
1. Llanely, or Lanely, Glamorganshire: home of Lady Mary Cole and Mary Thereza Talbot.
2. Rear Admiral Charles Feilding (1780–1837), Royal Navy; WHFT’s step-father.
3. Lady Elisabeth Theresa Feilding, née Fox Strangways, first m Talbot (1773–1846), WHFT’s mother.
4. Isabella Catherine Franklen, née Talbot (1804–1874).
5. Christiana Judy Nicholl, of Merthyr Mawr.
6. Henry Thomas Leopold Fox Strangways, Lord Stavordale (1816– 11 August 1837).
7. Henry Stephen Fox Strangways, 3rd Earl of Ilchester (1787–1858).
8. Stephen Fox Strangways (1817–1848).
9. Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot (1803–1890), immensely wealthy landowner, mathematician & politician; WHFT’s Welsh cousin, and Charlotte Talbot, née Butler (1809–1846).
10. Penrice Castle and Penrice House, Gower, Glamorgan, 10 mi SW of Swansea: home of Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot.
11. Lady Mary Lucy Cole, née Strangways, first m. Talbot (1776–1855), WHFT’s aunt.
12. John Dillwyn Llewelyn (1810–1882), Welsh photographer, JP & High Sheriff.
13. Ela Theresa Talbot (1835–1893), WHFT’s 1st daughter, and Rosamond Constance ‘Monie’ Talbot (1837–1906), artist & WHFT’s 2nd daughter.
14. Jane Harriot Nicholl, née Talbot (1796–1874).
15. Merthyr Mawr, Glamorgan, on River Ogwr.
16. Dr John Nicholl (1797–1853), MP.