[The wrapper for this letter is in a private collection:]
Henry Fox Talbot Esqre
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham
_______________
Penllergare <1>
Feby 9
My dear Henry
I must write a line to congratulate you on the birth of your Son <2> I hope he may grow up a comfort to you both and that you may not have any more anxieties than are inevitable about him. –
Give my kind love to your dear Wife <3> & tell her she has my best wishes for her speedy recovery. I daresay the three Graces <4> are much pleased with their baby Brother. –
Mamma <5> is not very well she has been so much excited lately and feeling so much for poor Emma <6> that it is not extraordinary she should suffer now.
Emma is quite composed and is improving in health now but suffered much from her loss, tho’ of course an infant of little more than a fortnight will not be missed as a pretty little prattler would have been. –
Charlotte & Mr Traherne <7> are here but they go on Saturday. I hope they will meet Aunt Lily <8> at Melbury <9> the week after next as she talked of going there. –
I am your affcte
Coz
Mary
Notes:
1. Penllergaer, Glamorgan, 5 mi E of Loughor: home of the Llewelyn family.
2. Charles Henry Talbot (1842–1916), antiquary & WHFT’s only son.
3. Constance Talbot, née Mundy (1811–1880), WHFT’s wife.
4. Ela Theresa Talbot (25 Apr 1835 - 25 Apr 1893), WHFT's 1st daughter; Rosamond Constance Talbot (16 Mar 1837 - 7 May 1906), 'Rose'; 'Monie'; artist & WHFT's 2nd daughter; died & buried at San Remo, Italy, with a memorial at Lacock; Matilda Caroline Gilchrist-Clark, née Talbot (25 Feb 1839-1927), 'Tilly', WHFT's 3rd daughter.
5. 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.
6. Emma Thomasina Llewelyn, née Talbot (1806–1881), photographer; WHFT’s Welsh cousin.
7. Charlotte Louisa 'Charry' Traherne, née Talbot (1800–1880), WHFT’s cousin, and Rev John Montgomerie Traherne (1788–1860), JP & author.
8. Lady Elisabeth Theresa Feilding, née Fox Strangways, first m Talbot (1773–1846), WHFT’s mother.
9. Melbury, Dorset: one of the Fox Strangways family homes; WHFT was born there.