[written on the same sheet as a letter from Caroline - see Doc. No: 01062]
10 Maggio 1823. –
Grande Locanda Letto
Villa di Londra Napoli
She <1> is gone to bed & has left me to finish her Letter. The ill luck which Mr F. <2> thinks pursues him induced Sir H. W. <3> to underlet the house he had taken for us, but on such bad terms that we have to pay half which is provoking as things have turned out. The Orange garden at Mola is the most charming thing I ever saw, the perfume of the blossoms the singing of the birds, the view of the sea, & the ruins of Cicero’s Formian Villa <4> are altogether enchanting. and there we saw the Acanthus in bloom & a flower worthy of such a leaf. Notwithstanding the discomfort of not having a house (after having brought Adolphe & Domenico & Antonio with us, who are all now useless) I shall I am sure be very sorry to leave Naples, & wish the Winter was beginning that we might stay on here. – William <5> was quite out in saying that we should have a choice of apartments because Naples was growing empty, it is true there are few English left, but many Russians & the Austrian Officers seem to have established themselves in the best houses. We wondered what became of you & Wm in the wood & were very sorry not to take leave of either of you, but Giovanni <6> said you were sans doute après les fleurs, <7> and we could not wait, & as it was were only just in time to see the Sun set on the Volscian hills, with a lilac hue which was very beautiful, and the Town of Velletri picturesque at a distance but disappointing on a nearer approach.
We have never ceased wondering how we could have missed you & William in the wood, & suppose you must have gone on to Nemi; but still how you passed us without our seeing you in the wood at Gensano <8> has been the theme of our Wonder. Mr F wishes every day for you & hopes you will write often & tell him [illegible] direction but pray write long before you get to Genoa.
God Bless you My Dearest Dear Henry
Monsr H.W.F. Talbot
Poste restante
Roma
Notes:
1. Caroline Augusta Edgcumbe, née Feilding, Lady Mt Edgcumbe (1808–1881); WHFT’s half-sister. [See Doc. No: 01062].
2. Rear Admiral Charles Feilding (1780–1837), Royal Navy; WHFT’s step-father.
3. Probably Sir Henry Watkin Williams Wynn (1783–1856), diplomat.
4. See Doc. No: 01049.
5. William Thomas Horner Fox Strangways, 4th Earl of Ilchester (1795–1865), botanist, art collector & diplomat.
6. Giovanni Percij.
7. Doubtless after flowers (botanising).
8. See Doc. No: 01048.