Lacock Abbey
June 12^th –

My dear Henry

I enclose M^rs Chambers’s ^<1> answer received yesterday – you will observe that she does not give the number of her friend’s house in Up^r Brook St, but I suppose you will be able to make it out. I promised her in your name, a copy of the Athenæum to accompany the engravings – I hope you took one up with you. – We have had some nice rain since you left – to the great delight of Wilkins. ^<2> This morning was bright & pleasant again; but the sky clouded over about twelve, & the evening is showery.

Ela & Matilda ^<3> are both still very poorly, Rosamond and Mlle Amélina ^<4> are better. –

I hope you have employed today in paying visits to your friends, and relations. – You can have nothing else to do; Sunday not being a day of business –

Your affectionate
Constance

[envelope: wax seal "Lacock Abbey Chippenham"]
H. F. Talbot Esq^re
Athenӕum Club
London.

M^r Fortune^<5> proposes to get forward with the painting of your log house – Will you please to say what sort of color you would prefer for the door, & for the window frames? – Or will you choose to leave it to my taste? – He will await an answer through me, before laying on the last coat.

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Notes:

1. An Aunt of Richard Charles Mellish (d.1865), a clerk in the Foreign Office from 1824 to 1855.

2. George Wilkins (b. 1814), gardener at Lacock.

3. Ela Theresa Talbot (1835–1893), WHFT’s 1^st daughter and Matilda Caroline Gilchrist-Clark, ‘Tilly’, née Talbot (1839–1927), WHFT’s 3rd daughter.

4. Rosamond Constance ‘Monie’ Talbot (1837–1906), artist & WHFT’s 2^nd daughter and Amélina Petit De Billier, ‘Mamie’, ‘Amandier’ (1798–1876), governess and later close friend of the Talbot family [See Amélina's journal ].

5. See also Doc. No: 07761