Lacock Abbey
Sunday Oct 11^th

My dear Henry

Your letter from Brussels ^<1> was a great pleasure to me to receive this morning – On Friday I rec^d the one from Ghent & answered it the same day ^<2> – but without forwarding any of the numerous letters which are awaiting you here, because I could not take upon me to decide which were of sufficiently paramount importance – How could you impose such a hard task upon me? & again in your letter today?– I write immediately, as you direct me, to Coblentz – as you seem to wish to hear that we are all well but I have no further news – & indeed my letters will be stale & uninteresting by the time you get them. – Our weather is just as stormy & bad as yours – I think rather worse, since you complain much less than I expected – Perhaps this arises from your bearing it philosophically – but nothing can be more vexatious for you – & there seems no prospect whatever of any change – & indeed one can scarcely expect the wet season to be short after such a long continuance of splendid Summer weather. –

M^lle Amélina ^<3> caught cold without going out of doors & is confined to her bed at present, but I think she is already better & intends to get up for dinner today – fortunately it is a mere cold, without any return of rhumatism. – Though you cannot take views, I hope this journey will have done you good – Have you seen any tempting residence in those parts? for you have been quite over the ground that you thought of occupying – on two occasions – namely this last Spring & a former one. I suppose you make memoranda of all the interesting subjects for Talbotypes ^<4> that may be taken on a future occasion either by yourself or Henneman, ^<5> if you should chuse to send him.

M^lle Amélina wishes you would bring home with you M de Lamartine’s speech on the actual state of affairs – the Montpensier marriage &c, which appeared a few days ago in a newspaper called l’Aime du bien publique – She thinks it may probably be procured without difficulty in any French town that you pass through on your way home –

Rosamond ^<6> is well though still thin & sometimes looking pale – the rest of us are all well –

Wright ^<7> thinks of going to M^t E. ^<8> tomorrow –

Your affectionate
Constance

I think you will understand by what I said about letters, that I have forwarded none either to Ghent or to Coblentz because I could not distinguish the most pressing – Tuesday 13^th This letter was returned to me this morning from the dead letter office for want of the postage being paid – The Postmistress of Chippenham should be au fait of this. – M^r Mansel Talbot ^<9> wrote to me this morning to offer himself after next Saturday if you would be at home at that time – I have answered that you are absent now & that I do not expect you home so soon as that – but if that he likes to rest here on his way home – I hope he will – I thought I could not do otherwise than express my readiness to welcome him – but I do not imagine he will feel inclined to come.

Y^r aff^te
Constance.

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Notes:

1. Not located.

2. Doc. No: 05746.

3. Amélina Petit De Billier, ‘Mamie’, ‘Amandier’ (1798–1876), governess and later close friend of the Talbot family [See Amélina's journal].

4. WHFT often entered such ideas into his research notebooks and travel diaries. A compilation of them, while a daunting task, would be an interesting indication of his thinking.

5. Nicolaas Henneman (1813–1898), Dutch, active in England; WHFT’s valet, then assistant; photographer.

6. Rosamond Constance ‘Monie’ Talbot (1837–1906), artist & WHFT’s 2^nd daughter.

7. James Wright, footman to the Talbots & Constable for Lacock.

8. Mt Edgecumbe, near Plymouth: seat of the Earl of Mt Edgcumbe.

9. Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot (1803–1890), immensely wealthy landowner, mathematician & politician; WHFT’s Welsh cousin.