20 Feb.
London
Dear Mr F.
Have you any objection to Constance <1> having your Chair sometimes when she goes out of an evening?
Ought I to allow my servants beer money besides their board wages?
The weather is very cold & wretched – Valletort <2> is not very well in consequence.
The Lords <3> are making quick work with the Bill, <4> when it reaches us we shall have a tiresome because useless resistance to it from the Irish Members who will form themselves into relays of Speakers for the purpose of wearying us out.
The Library of the House of C. <5> I intend in future to make my place of refuge from Hibernian oratory-<6>
Yours affly
Henry
Notes:
1. Constance Talbot, née Mundy (1811–1880), WHFT’s wife.
2. Ernest Augustus Edgcumbe, Lord Valletort, 3rd Earl of Mt Edgcumbe (1797–1861), WHFT’s brother-in-law.
3. The House of Lords
4. The Irish Church Reform Bill. [See Doc. No: 02600, Doc. No: 02624, Doc. No: 02725].
5. The House of Commons.
6. Irish.