My dear Henry
I am very glad to hear such a good account of your new little daughter and her Mamma <1> pray give very kind love to her and tell her how much we rejoice in the addition to the little family. – It was very kind of you to send me the Photogenic drawing or picture of the little Campanula, <2> I admire the delicacy of the flower stalks beyond every thing, nothing can be more natural than it is. John Llewelyan <3> who is much bitten by Chemistry at present is delighted with your discovery & Emma <4> writes me word that his is so busy following in your steps now, she herself & some other drawing people (I must not call them artists) are perfectly crazy about it! – We are still at Margam <5> & until Kit & Lady C <6> are obliged to go to London they will keep us here I suppose. the Garden is very bare indeed but the snowdrops & coloured Primroses ornament the Grove as in days of yore and many a bunch I bring in for old acquaintance sake. I never feel comfortable in passing by the old Cottage and envy the Gardener & other inhabitants in the bottom of my heart in spite of the large rooms & comforts as well as luxuries with which this house abounds. I have been scrambling up to the top of the Wood today and enjoyed the walk when I found it for I was obliged to confess to myself the toiling up did not suit me quite as well as it did thirty years ago! – Mamma <7> is pretty well and Lady Charlotte sits out on the Terrace whenever we have a Sunshiny day. It is now very cold again but last week it was like Summer & the birds seemed to enjoy it & were singing all day long. –
I hope Horatia has returned from Brighton in good looks and that Caroline’s boys are quite well where are they now
My kind love to Aunt Lily & your sisters Ela & Rosamond. <8>
I am your affate Coz
Mary
March 6. –
Taibach March eight 1839 CRM Talbot
WHF. Talbot Esqr
44 Queen Anne St <9>
London
Notes:
1. Matilda Caroline Gilchrist-Clark, ‘Tilly’, née Talbot (1839–1927), WHFT’s 3rd daughter, was born on 25 February to WHFT and Constance Talbot, née Mundy (1811–1880), WHFT’s wife.
2. This photogenic drawing was probably made in November, 1838, before the public announcement of photography - see Doc. No: 03845.
3. John Dillwyn Llewelyn (1810–1882), Welsh photographer, JP & High Sheriff.
4. Emma Thomasina Llewelyn, née Talbot (1806–1881), photographer; WHFT’s Welsh cousin.
5. Margam Park, Glamorgan: home of Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot.
6. Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot (1803–1890), immensely wealthy landowner, mathematician & politician; WHFT’s Welsh cousin, and his wife Charlotte, née Butler (1809–1846).
7. Lady Mary Lucy Cole, née Fox Strangways; (1776- 3 Feb 1855); married Thomas Mansel Talbot in 1794; married Capt Sir Christopher Cole (d. 1836) in 1815; WHFT's aunt.
8. Lady Elisabeth Theresa Feilding, née Fox Strangways, first m Talbot (1773–1846), WHFT’s mother, Ela Theresa Talbot (1835–1893), WHFT’s 1st daughter, and Rosamond Constance ‘Monie’ Talbot (1837–1906), artist & WHFT’s 2nd daughter.
9. 44 Queen Ann Street: London home of the Mundy family and a frequent base for WHFT.