Brighton
15th February
My Dearest Henry
It is always my fate to have to communicate to you melancholy news, whether your absence be short or long. We have received a letter from William <1> telling us of the death of dear Giles, <2> at Abbotsbury <3> last monday, owing to the rupture of a blood vessel & all was over in a few minutes. He had been so extremely ill lately that it was unexpected to nobody but Lady Ilchester, <4> who being a sanguine person the shock was dreadful to her. Harry <5> & William being with her, & her own brother Mr Wm Digby & Mrs Campbell <6> I hope she will receive as much comfort as she can do till John’s <7> return which now only depends upon the convoy. William has been at home now near two Months & an inexpressible comfort it must be to him to have been of use & pleasure to the last, he says that Giles had no hopes of ultimate recovery for a long time, & his has been a life of suffering for the last eight years, ever since his first accident. Having written to you so lately I have nothing to tell you of ourselves, except that Horatia’s <8> health is not near so good here (at this wholsome <sic> place) as it was at Paris, so that it seems amusement is more necessary to her than air, in which she is not peculiar for there is no doubt les distractions & i passa tempi <9> are very good for the digestion & everything that prevents the thoughts dwelling too much on the state of one’s own health. I forget whether I told you that Mrs Chichester (Harriot Fellowes) <10> came to Meurice’s Hôtel <11> after you were gone, & told us of the death of her cousin Louisa Sherrard <12> ( la piccola rossa d’Angioj, <13> whom he used to talk so much about) She died in three weeks of what’s called a gallopping <sic> cons<umption> <14> & this affected Horatia péniblement, <15> She did not get over it for some time. Sir Charles Lemon <16> is going to be Sheriff for Cornwall, whether the exertion will do him good or wear him out, <17> is very doubtful.
You will not see the beautiful environs of Dresden la Suisse Saxonne <18> to advantage
God bless you My dearest dearest Henry
Monsr
Monsr W. H. F. Talbot
Poste Restante
à Dresde
en Saxe
in Berlin <19>
Allemagne
Notes:
1. William Thomas Horner Fox Strangways, 4th Earl of Ilchester (1795–1865), botanist, art collector & diplomat.
2. Giles Digby Robert Fox Strangways (1798–1827).
3. Abbotsbury, Dorset: home of William Thomas Horner Fox Strangways.
4. Juliana Maria Strangways, née Digby (d. 1842).
5. Henry Stephen Fox Strangways, 3rd Earl of Ilchester (1787–1858).
6. Alicia Campbell, née Kelly, ‘Tam’ (1768–1829).
7. John George Charles Fox Strangways (1803–1859), MP.
8. Henrietta Horatia Maria Gaisford, née Feilding (1810–1851), WHFT’s half-sister.
9. Amusements and pastimes.
10. See Doc. No: 01525.
11. Paris. [See Doc. No: 01525].
12. Louisa Sherrard (d. 1827).
13. Angioj’s little redhead.
14. Text torn away under seal.
15. Terribly.
16. Sir Charles Lemon (1784–1868), politician & scientist; WHFT’s uncle.
17. He had recently lost his wife.
18. The Saxon Switzerland.
19. Readdressed.