Genova
li 22 Novembre 1823.
Mon cher Henri, <1>
J'ai reçu dernièrement une lettre de ta part, datée de Lyons, dont je te remercie beaucoup, et à laquelle je m'empresse de répondre. - Nous sommes établis depuis un mois à l'hotel de la Villa, mais nous allons bientôt changer de demeure. <2> - We had some thoughts of taking a very nice house outside the walls, (in a faubourg <3> called Albara) which belongs to Lord Byron, <4> & which he had lent to one of his friends here, during his absence in Greece; one of the greatest advantages this house possessed, was in having at our disposal Lord Byron's library, consisting of more than 1000 volumes. They shewed us in the garden the tree an ilex against which he used to lea, & the bench on which he sat for hours together every day. -
A few days ago, I made an expedition with Mama & Mr Montgomerie <5> to La Spezia, for the purpose of sketching; the road between Genoa & Sestri, is quite lovely & surpassed my expectations; & the Castle of Lerici, (which was the limit of our excursion,) is in the most picturesque shape imaginable, & I think , made Mr Montgomerie perfectly happy while he was drawing it. - At la Spezia, we saw your name written upon a paper stuck against the wall, amongst those of the Personaggj nobili <6> who had slept there; it was spelt thus: Henri Fon Talbot - Lord Dudley & Ward <7> was here some time ago; but he is now at Rome; Mr & Lady G. Neville <8> are gone to Paris; Captain Stuart & the Baron de Zach<9> are almost the only persons here we know. - We saw a good deal of Angioj <10> at first, but he is now gone to Acqui for two months. - He begged to be remembered in our next letter to you. -
I have lately heard a shocking story that happened in Switzerland some little time ago; some fanatics in one of the protestant cantons had heated the imaginations of the people by their pernicious doctrines to such a degree, that they had at last persuaded them that nothing but a sacrifice could redeem their sins; they accordingly crucified a young girl of fourteen, <11> who offered herself voluntarily, & with the consent of her parents, for the public good. - They are going to be tried for murder, but we have not yet heard the result. -
Adieu, mio caro fratello, <12> believe me always your affectionate
Caroline August Feilding -
W. H. F. Talbot Esqr
31. Sackville Street
London
Inglhilterra
Notes:
1. My dear Henry.
2. I have lately received a letter of your's, dated from Lyons, for which I thank you very much, and to which I hasten to reply. We have been staying for a month at the Villa Hotel but we are going to change residence soon.
3. A suburb just outside the city walls.
4. George Gordon Byron (1788-1824), poet.
5. Lady Elisabeth Theresa Feilding, née Fox Strangways, first m Talbot (1773-1846), WHFT's mother, and Rev. George Stephen Molyneux Montgomerie (1790-1850), close friend of Talbot family, artist, Rector of Garboldisham, near Thetford, Norfolk.
6. Noble personages.
7. John William Ward, 1st Earl Dudley (d. 1833).
8. Lady Georgiana Neville. [See Doc. No: 01112].
9. Franz Xaver, Baron von Zach (1754-1832), Hungarian astronomer.
10. See Doc. No: 00921.
11. She refers to the voluntary execution of Margareta Peter (1794-1824), which took place in the hamlet of Wildenspuch, canton of Zurich, in March 1823.
12. Goodbye, my dear brother.
13. Henrietta Horatia Maria Gaisford, née Feilding (1810-1851), WHFT's half-sister.