St Hilary
March 9th
My dear Henry
I am glad to say that the last accounts I had of Mr Llewelyn <1> were vy much better, & the doctor advises change of air so they were going to take a house at Sydenham whilst their London house 82 Inverness Terrace was being purified – the rest of the family were all vaccinated and are well again – I had a note from Theodore <2> the other day – he is at Ledbury but whether he is able to join the hunt I dont know – When I saw him at Margam <3> in the first week of January his arm, the left, was of of [sic] little use to him he had a difficulty in cutting his meat even and could not hold a gun or a rein, but he had no pain in it the want of strength was the only complaint – I hope it is better by this time
My garden is looking pretty with dogs tooth violets, crocuse [sic] & hepaticas which blow particularly well this year & the Jasminum nudiflorum ornaments the walls – but the weather is very bad stormy & cold, & I have got a bad cold by going out on one of the fine days & getting overheated in walking – We (that is I & the Wallingtons who are staying here – very nice children from eleven downwards) were going to Merthyrmawr <4> this week but my cold prevents it – we hope to go there next week Jane <5> is pretty well & has Lucy & Christiana <6> with her. John <7> & his wife & children are in London at her fathers house there & are thinking of taking a house in Herefordshire but I dont know if they will not change their minds again – I hear C. Mt Edgecumb [sic] <8> is in Dorsetshire – I wish she was coming on here – Kit <9> is at Penrice <10> when he is not at London I have not been to Penrice yet because of my visitors but when they leave me I most likely shall – I have got a housekeeper to please me I think – she was upper housemaid in Burlington St for several years – this I mention because Constance <11> was so kind as to write to me about the woman I asked her about whom I remembered at Lacock – Love to your party
Yours affly
Charlotte L Traherne
Notes:
1. John Dillwyn Llewelyn (1810–1882), Welsh photographer, JP & High Sheriff.
2. Theodore Mansel Talbot (1839–1876), WHFT’s Welsh nephew.
3. Margam Park, Glamorgan: home of Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot.
4. Merthyr Mawr, Glamorgan, on River Ogwr.
5. Jane Harriot Nicholl, née Talbot (1796–1874).
6. Lucy Mary Nicholl (1824-1876) and Christiana Judy Nicholl, of Merthyr Mawr.
7. John Cole Nicholl (b. 1823), eldest son of Jane Harriet Nicholl.
8. Caroline Augusta Edgcumbe, née Feilding, Lady Mt Edgcumbe (1808–1881); WHFT’s half-sister.
9. Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot (1803–1890), immensely wealthy landowner, mathematician & politician; WHFT’s Welsh cousin.
10. Penrice Castle and Penrice House, Gower, Glamorgan, 10 mi SW of Swansea: home of Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot.
11. Constance Talbot, née Mundy (1811–1880), WHFT’s wife.