Lugano,
20th September 1833
My Dear Mother
We expect to meet Caroline <1> in a few days at Varese, as I have indirectly heard that her horses are arrived there. I have no direct intelligence of her since the 29th August, at which time she was at Frankfort. I met Ld Carnarvon and his wife <2> on the Montanvert, in a narrow rugged mountain path: we were very near passing without recognising each other, for on meeting their party I stepped out of the road to let them pass – We have almost given up the idea of going to Sicily, for want of time to enjoy it when we got there: and the désagrément <3> of a winter journey home, to be on time for the meeting of parliament.
We now think of returning by Genoa, Nice the grande Chartreuse and Paris, and be at Lacock in November. Another reason for our change of plan is the intelligence that you are going abroad next spring, and therefore we should see nothing of you for an exceeding long while, unless we spend this winter in England. Adieu, I give no description of our adventures in this letter, because of want of time this morning; and because I doubt whether it will reach you safely –
Direct to Genoa.
Yours affly
Henry
Lady Elisth Feilding
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham
Wilts
Angleterre
Notes:
1. Caroline Augusta Edgcumbe, née Feilding, Lady Mt Edgcumbe (1808–1881); WHFT’s half-sister.
2. Henry John George Herbert, 3rd Earl of Carnarvon (1800-1849) and his wife, Henrietta Anna, née Howard (1804-1876).
3. Inconvenience.