Novr 30th 1863
My dear Henry
I have never yet thanked you for the little Photographic engraving <1> You sent me while I was at Thanckes. It is very soft & pretty – but is it not the same sort of thing you did 3 or 4 years ago, & that you got the medal for at the Exhibition <2> last year? Will you explain this – because I am anxious you would now try your hand at something on a larger scale, to make you a name for photographic engraving – among the Public in general – what the Germans call ein respectable Publicum <3> I lent your Assyrian inscription to our clergyman at Cotehele, <4> who was much interested in them. I heard to-day from Katie; <5> She does not mention her health, but writes in very good spirits, & says she has taken several charming rides – & that in exploring the country they come upon such beautiful bits of scenery. I am just reading a book called “ Letters from Cannes <6>” – It is a very simple unpretending account – but the descriptions bring back all that country so forcibly to my recollection – amongst other places she mentions Grasse, which I am sure Amandier <7> remembers, & the fields of roses, violets, jonquils &c for perfumes. It is by Miss Brewster, who must be a daughter of Sir David’s <8> I guess: & was written in 1857 – before so many odious railroads were finished. Katie’s little Girl Alberthe, <9> the second, is a match for your little Grandson. <10> She begged her Mother the other day to give them what she called some “moking pipes” – She said : “big boys have ‘em, so me fink big girls ought to have ‘em too.” She said “big girl” being aged 2 years & 8 months. The weather at Cannes is glorious. – I heard also today from Louisa Gallwey, <11> She also has been abroad for 6 weeks with her brother Philip & his wife – They lost 2 little children in the Scarlet fever this year, & were in great need of change of scene.
Louisa said she should not have recognized Nice – Instead of being a nice small place, as we also knew it, it is now an overgrown town.
She was quite delighted with Venice – they had glorious summer weather (now, quite lately,) and used to sit out on the Piazza San Marco till nine at night.
Goodbye; love to all & please thank Amandier for her last letter, I am so glad she is better –
Yr affte Sister
Caroline
Notes:
1. Photographic engraving had been WHFT's name for his first major photogravure process of 1852. In 1858, he called his second one photoglyphic engraving. Here, his sister uses it as a generic term for his latest advances.
2. 1862 Great London Exposition/International Exhibition, London, England.
3. One/a respectable public.
4. Cotehele, Cornwall: ancient house, seat of the Earl of Mt Edgcumbe, now a National Trust Property.
5. Lady Katherine Elizabeth Edgcumbe, née Hamilton (1840–1874), wife of William Henry Edgcumbe.
6. Margaret Maria Brewster Gordon, Letters from Cannes and Nice (Edinburgh: T. Constable, 1857). Although Caroline Edgcumbe states that this is by a Miss Brewster, Gordon would have been her married name. Incidently, there exists a Hill and Adamson calotype of Margaret Maria Brewster Gordon, taken ca.1845.
7. Amélina Petit De Billier, ‘Mamie’, ‘Amandier’ (1798–1876), governess and later close friend of the Talbot family [See Amélina's journal].
8. Sir David Brewster (1781–1868), Scottish scientist & journalist.
9. Alberta Louisa Florence Edgcumbe (1861–1941).
10. John Henry Gilchrist-Clark, ‘Jack’ (1861–1902), WHFT’s grandson.
11. Louisa Gallwey (1811-1872), dau of Lt Gen Sir William Payne Gallwey, 1st Bart (1759-1831) and Lady Harriet Payne Gallwey (1784-1845), née Quin.
12. She refers to the conflict between Denmark and Prussia over Schleswig-Holstein, northwestern Germany.
13. Frederick Charles, Prince Of Prussia (1828–1885).
14. Princess of Hohenlohe Langenburg Adelheid (1835–1900) was married to Friedrich Christian August Schleswig Holstein (1829–1880).