Croix de Malte Genoa
Thursday March 19th
My dear Papa,
I received your letter on Sunday, and was glad to hear you had such a pleasant visit at Penrice <1> – I am sure you must have wanted a little change after so much of Lacock, and perhaps this move will induce you to think of a longer one, and encourage you to set out and join us by & bye. I daresay, when you do so, that your movements will not be quite so rapid as those of Aunt Caroline, <2> who spent one day in Paris, started from there by night train, arriving at Lyons for breakfast; drove about the town all day; rose next morning at 3 for the early express, and arrived at Cannes the same evening! They will make but a short sojourn there, as Aunt C. wants to attend the drawing-room on the the early in May, so that it hardly seemed worth while to go out so late. You will perhaphs [sic] be surprised to find that we are still at Genoa. But we are so happy and comfortable here, and found that we had still so much to see, that we determined to stay another week : and it is lucky we did so, as the weather has become very unsettled. We have had four thoroughly wet days since we have been here, but not never yet two together; but since yesterday morning it has never ceased to pour with rain; in the night there was a severe thunderstorm, and this morning does not show the slightest symptom of clearing – So we have nothing to do but wait patiently till it is often over. One gets so spoiled with perpetual fine weather that you do not at all expect this sort of thing! On the whole, I think, the change of air has done Mama <3> good, and Ela <4> has almost got rid of her cold and gets about as usual. We now propose to start early next week, and I suppose shall curtail the length of our stay at Pisa in proportion as we have lengthened our time here. You are so good, dear Papa, to have always agreed to all we have proposed in our changes of plan, and to write always such kind letters; To have turned back from San Remo without seeing anything more of Italy would indeed have been a pity, whereas now we shall carry away so many recollections of interesting places and glorious works of art, which will form a new source of pleasure for the rest of one’s life. For my part, at least, I can say that I thoroughly enjoy my travels, not to mention that I have never been stronger or better in my life; indeed everybody says I am growing too fat!
We have got a number of fine photographs here, of the principal buildings &c – Wouldn’t Charles <5> be envious! Only fancy large, beautiful photographs sold at 20 francs a dozen – about 1/5 a piece – and the small, carte de visite size 3 each! We have had no celebrities since the departure of Mr Peabody – the company at dinner is often very small but hardly select. Such odd-looking people, American chiefly, – Mexicans, french Canadians, Germans – a medley of all nations; but luckily they never stay long and are not troublesome, as they hardly ever open their lips during the dinner. The only constant guest, an Italian for a wonder!, is the the Vice-Consul of Turkey at Milan, Il Cavaliere Ponti: with him we have formed a sort of acquaintance, as he is a civil, good natured looking man, though rather heavy for an Italian. He is extremely warm in his attachment to Victor Emanuel, <6> (as indeed is the case with most of his subjects;) and gives a much more favourable opinion of the present state of Italy, than the newspapers do. He says they are growing daily more alive to the advantages of union under their wise gouvernment, [sic] and that rivalries between the different states is much exaggerated. Not one of them would return willingly to the old régime. As to Rome, give them sufficient time, and that knotty question will arrange itself without disturbance, and especially without foreign interference –
I suppose Charles is still at Lacock as he had no plans settled yet. Please tell him I will write to him next.
Everybody sends their love to you and to him, and believe, me, dear Papa, your most affectionate daughter
Rosamond
Notes:
1. Penrice Castle and Penrice House, Gower, Glamorgan, 10 mi SW of Swansea: home of Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot.
2. Lady Caroline Augusta Edgcumbe, née Feilding (1808- 2 Nov 1881); WHFT's half-sister; Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Victoria, 1840–1854 & 1863–1865; m. 3rd Earl Mt Edgcumbe 6 Dec 1831.
3. Constance Talbot, née Mundy (1811–1880), WHFT’s wife.
4. Ela Theresa Talbot (1835–1893), WHFT’s 1st daughter.
5. Charles Henry Talbot (1842–1916), antiquary & WHFT’s only son.
6. Victor Emmanuel II (1820–1878), first king of united Italy (1861–1878) and last king of Piedmont-Sardinia (1849–1861).
7. Amélina Petit De Billier, ‘Mamie’, ‘Amandier’ (1798–1876), governess and laterally a close friend of the Talbot family.