Dover Street <1>
Monday July 9th 1838
My dear Henry
Thank you for your advice about sightseeing on our way to Buxton – I shall be very glad to profit by it if possible – but Ernest <2> is so utterly disabled from moving, except by being carried about, & indeed suffers so much pain in his feet continually, that he quite dreads the journey & sometimes thinks he shall not be able to accomplish it – I however have no fear in that respect, but on the contrary hope great things from change of air in the first instance – I suppose we shall set off next week about the same time Mama <3> goes to Laycock Abbey. – I heard from Amandier <4> today – en attendant <5> her journey to Laycock, to meet them, she is going to make a little tour which I much envy her – to the Isle of Man! The expedition is only to last 2 days, wh seems a very short time to go so far, but railroads & steamboats facilitent les choses <6> wonderfully. – I was no less fortunate than Horatia, <7> for I got excellent places for Bimbo <8> & myself in the D. of Devonshire’s <9> Stand, to see the procession pass – the Queen <10> looked rayonnante & extremely pretty, & from our situation being so conspicuous, she & all the other great personages naturally looked up, by wh we saw them all to perfection. I want to know if the oak tree I planted instead of the Spanish Chesnut that was injured & died is flourishing? Pray write to me sometimes at Buxton, as I shall know nothing abt you otherwise
Yr affte Sister
Caroline
W. Henry Fox Talbot Esqre
Laycock Abbey
Chippenham
Notes:
1. 46 Dover Street. [See Doc. No: 03742].
2. Ernest Augustus Edgcumbe, Lord Valletort, 3rd Earl of Mt Edgcumbe (1797–1861), WHFT’s brother-in-law.
3. Lady Elisabeth Theresa Feilding, née Fox Strangways, first m Talbot (1773–1846), WHFT’s mother.
4. Amélina Petit De Billier, ‘Mamie’, ‘Amandier’ (1798–1876), governess and later close friend of the Talbot family [See Amélina's journal].
5. Ahead of.
6. Facilitate things.
7. Henrietta Horatia Maria Gaisford, née Feilding (1810–1851), WHFT’s half-sister.
8. William Henry Edgcumbe, ‘Val’, 4th Earl Mt Edgcumbe (1832–1917), JP & Ld Steward of the Royal Household; WHFT’s nephew ‘Bimbo’.
9. Sir William George Spencer Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire (1790–1858).
10. Victoria (1819–1901), Queen of the United Kingdom (1837–1901), Empress of India (1876–1901).