Hotel Bellevue
Cannes
Alpes Maritimes
Friday Feb^y 23^rd 1866

My dear Henry

I hope you will soon put in execution your project of coming out here. I wrote a long letter to Amandier ^<1> last Monday, the day after our arrival, describing our journey – so you are au fait ^<2> of our movements. This place is looking lovely! Immediately under our windows are beautiful double pink Stocks, pink & scarlet Geraniums, mignionette, large pink carnations, & a splendid Passion flower of a brilliant scarlet colour – besides roses, red, pink & buff; & the whole face of the country covered with orange trees in bloom! In fact the season is too forward – In the fields are anemones of all colours – & what seems to me a variety of the Hortensis, which I don’t remember in former days – one of a pink colour, very bright – the other a beautiful Geranium colour – As they have narrow petals, I conclude they are the Hortensis I shall try & enclose them. I also send a specimen of a white flower which grows in clusters on a shrub with very large leaves, near the entrance to our Hotel. Saturday This is a charming situation on a level with L^d Brougham’s ^<3> Villa, & the next to it on its’ East side. Two minutes walk thro’ a garden takes us to Val’s ^<4> house, the Villa Beaulieu – just above us – & by far the best house in Cannes. The garden adjoins L^d B’s grounds above the house – in fact a charming hill planted with junipers & Pinasters which are growing into tolerable sized trees – & look about the age they would be if planted by L^d B. when he first came to Cannes 30 years ago. He gave leave to Val to knock a hole in his wall & to walk about his grounds as much as he likes. The white heath in flower abounds every where – & yesterday we met several carriages full of people who had been out Narcissus hunting at some distance, & brought back no end of bunches!

Katie ^<5> is pretty well – certainly stronger & more lively & alert. They share the Villa Beaulieu with the Abercorns ^<6> – a pleasant arrangem^t for them – & a good thing for their purse. The house is large enough to hold them all comfortably, except the youngest daughter, & two dear little Boys – who are in this Hotel with their Governess.

I am sure that Rosamond ^<7> & Ammandier will be glad to hear a piece of news – as they both liked Carry Edgcumbe ^<8> so much. She is going to be married to a son of L^d Ravensworth ^<9> – the 5^th & youngest – (grandson you know of our old L^d R.) She has been staying all the winter with Lady Durham ^<10> who most kindly invited her when she was down in the West at Christmas. There she made M^r Atholl Liddell’s acquaintance. He was in the army, but is now cultivating a farm. They will be very poor at first, I fear – but he will be better off in time. The great thing is that L^d R. & all the family are delighted I don’t know when it is to be – as it is only just settled – Her father has been at Ravensworth to talk ab^t affairs – & brings her home this week. They all seem very happy about it – & she extremely so. Now do come soon dear Henry. This Hotel is tolerably full – but people are constantly coming & going – & if I knew what day you were coming I could no doubt secure you a room; & unless you wished particularly for privacy, you could share our Salon. Give my love to Constance & the girls ^<11> & Ammandier.

Y^r aff^te Sister
Caroline

The Estrelles are much grander from here than from Nice – being so much nearer. There are not many people at Nice I hear – Cannes is more in vogue. Katie hopes you are coming as She has never made your acquaintance yet.

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Notes:

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

2. Aware.

3. Henry Peter Brougham, Baron of Brougham & Voux (1778–1868), Lord Chancellor.

4. William Henry Edgcumbe, ‘Val’, 4^th Earl Mt Edgcumbe (1832–1917), JP & Ld Steward of the Royal Household; WHFT’s nephew ‘Bimbo’.

5. Lady Katherine Elizabeth Edgcumbe, née Hamilton (1840–1874), wife of William Henry Edgcumbe.

6. Louisa Jane Hamilton, née Russell, Lady Abercorn (1812-1905), widow of James Hamilton, 1^st Duke of Abercorn (1811-1845) and some of their fourteen children.

7. Rosamond Constance Talbot (16 Mar 1837 - 7 May 1906), 'Rose'; 'Monie'; artist & WHFT's 2^nd daughter; died & buried at San Remo, Italy, with a memorial at Lacock.

8. Caroline Cecilia Edgcumbe, niece of Ernest Augustus Edgcumbe, Lord Valletort, 3^rd Earl of Mt Edgcumbe (1797–1861), WHFT’s brother-in-law.

9. Athol Charles Liddell son of Henry Thomas Liddell, 1^st Earl of Ravensworth (1797–1878), statesman and poet.

10. Beatrice Frances Lambton, née Hamilton, Lady Durham (1835–1871), wife of the 2^nd Earl of Durham.

11. Constance Talbot, née Mundy (1811–1880), WHFT’s wife; Ela Theresa Talbot (25 Apr 1835 - 25 Apr 1893), WHFT's 1^st daughter; Rosamond; Matilda Caroline Gilchrist-Clark, née Talbot (25 Feb 1839-1927), 'Tilly', WHFT's 3^rd daughter; m. John Henry Gilchrist-Clark 16 Jun 1859.p>