Albano
Sunday
3rd Septr
My dear Henry
I wrote A. <1> some time ago the account of my attempts to get back to you which ended in failure. I did not like to write word positively I was coming, tho’ at one time I felt quite sure of it having settled to go with Jane & even which steamer we would sail by – but still I thought it possible something might prevent it, as it happened & feared you wd be so much disappointed. As it is I do not think you will – as from A’s last letter to C. <2> she did not seem to be expecting me – indeed hardly wishing me to undertake the long journey in the troubled state of Europe & leave C. out here I should certainly have been very loth to leave her tho’ I so much wished to see you all & aunt Louisa <3> &c & to look after my little concerns in England. It seems such a long time to be away. I am afraid the children <4> will have quite forgotten me. I hear Ela is so grown I cannot say the same of Charlie or Ernestine <5> – but Val <6> gets taller every day. He was rather anxious to go back to Harrow <7> this year – & I think it a pity he did not, tho’ he is certainly not losing his time here, for he goes on very regularly with Mr Graulich, & is very assiduous in drawing which he has most a most decided turn for, besides other scraps of knowledge one always picks up in foreign parts, Italy especially. He is very eager about Roman history & indeed all sorts of information – & riding & driving into the bargain. We have had some very pleasant expeditions in the woods, I on the Sicilian donkey who is an admirable animal – I wish you had such a one at Laycock, he would be a treasure. The chestnut woods near Rocca di Papa are beautiful & the rides up to Mte Cavo, round the lake of Nemi &c The drives as you know are very pretty but limited – I should so like to accomplish an expedition to Tivoli, & perhaps Palestrina, now the weather is a little cooler. Before it was too hot to attempt anything till towards evg. Rome is still very quiet, in spite of the various rumours there have been of impending troubles & insurrections – I don’t think the people are likely to come to anything serious – it all ends in talk. We hope England & France are helping to concoct a peace & settle matters for poor Italy – It has been a great disappointment all the fine promises coming to such a lame conclusion – & I am so grieved at dear Pio Nono <8> losing his popularity – We hear this evg that the expedition has actually sailed from Naples to attack Sicily – 30000 men & 2 Swiss regiments among them, artillery &c It will be too hard if the K <9> K gets them back into his griffes <10> after all. I have not heard from Annie <11> for ages – the post is so very uncertain fm Palermo – but I fear she will be in great trouble, & if the island is conquered I suppose they will have to leave Palermo as her husband has taken such a leading part. – Adieu dear Henry, pray write to me, & tell me all about you & any of the family – the garden, the new greenhouse, & everything – I am grieved to hear dear C. is not flourishing I wish you were all coming to Rome for the winter – It wd do you all so much good. Love to all. Kiss the dear chicks –
Yr aff sister
Horatia.
Notes:
1. Amélina Petit De Billier, ‘Mamie’, ‘Amandier’ (1798–1876), governess and later close friend of the Talbot family [See Amélina's journal].
2. Caroline Augusta Edgcumbe, née Feilding, Lady Mt Edgcumbe (1808–1881); WHFT’s half-sister.
3. Louisa Emma Petty Fitzmaurice, née Fox Strangways, Marchioness of Lansdowne (1785-1851), wife of Henry Petty Fitzmaurice, 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne; Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Victoria, 1837-1838; WHFT's aunt.
4. Ela Theresa Talbot (25 Apr 1835 - 25 Apr 1893), WHFT's 1st daughter; Rosamond Constance Talbot (16 Mar 1837 - 7 May 1906), 'Rose'; 'Monie'; artist & WHFT's 2nd daughter; died & buried at San Remo, Italy, with a memorial at Lacock; Matilda Caroline Gilchrist-Clark, née Talbot (25 Feb 1839-1927), 'Tilly', WHFT's 3rd daughter; Charles Henry Talbot, (2 Feb 1842 - 26 Dec 1916), 'Charlie'; 'Tally'; antiquary & WHFT's only son.
5. Charles Earnest Edgcumbe (1838–1915), JP, WHFT’s nephew and Ernestine Emma Horatia Edgcumbe (1843-1925), WHFT’s niece.
6. William Henry Edgcumbe, ‘Val’, 4th Earl Mt Edgcumbe (1832–1917), JP & Ld Steward of the Royal Household; WHFT’s nephew ‘Bimbo’.
7. Harrow School: WHFT attended from 1811–1815 and his son Charles from 1855-1859.
8. Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti (1792–1878), Pope Pius IX from 1846 to 1878. [See Doc. No: 06135].
9. King Ferdinand II (1810–1859), King of the Two Sicilies; nick-named “King Bomba“, after his preferred method of ruthlessly suppressing insurrections.
10. Clutches.
11. Caroline's husband's niece through his sister, Lady Caroline Sophia Edgcumbe (d. 10 April 1824), who was the first wife of Reginald George Macdonald (d. 1873) - earlier in 1848, Annie Sarah (sometimes Sarah Anne) married Alfredo Salvatori Ruggioro Andrea, Baron Porceilli di Sant Andrea, a Sicilian nobleman. [See Doc. No: 06135].