Champs Elysées 26
Tuesday Decr 20th 1842
My dear Henry
Do pray execute your project of coming over here in January – It will be so snug to have you here as well as Mamma & Horatia <1> & will besides be exceedingly good for you – It will also be the best means I should think of settling the affair of the Patent in the way you wish – for it seems a difficult matter zu behandeln <2> without you – Do come; you can never have a better opportunity than now when we are all here. – Apropos of Calotypes, I want to ask if it would be consistent either with your rights, or with the prospect of an advantageous sale of the Patent, if I were to offer for sale some of those you have given me at the Polish Bazaar <3> – it first struck me as une idée lumineuse; <4> but I afterwards reflected it might be injurious to yr interests, & subject me to be prosecuted with the utmost rigour of the law. If you think otherwise, let me know by return of Post – for tho’ the Bazaar begins on the 26th yet as it goes on for 4 days, I might still have yr reply before it closes – If I hear nothing of course I shall not sell any. – Jane <5> went yesterday, in order to spend Christmas at Merthyr Moor <6> – Mr N. <7> arrived a few days before; & on Saturday they dined with us, as well as Caroline de Bonneval & Amandier <8> – & exceedingly merry we all were. She had only 3 children with her; Lucy, Christina & Judy – Ilted <9> came on leave for a few days on his return fm Quebec; but was was obliged to go back to join the Pique at Portsmouth. It is all settled about Valletort’s <10> Holidays – David <11> set off on Sunday & was to meet him this evening at Dover, where Wright <12> was to take him from School. –
I saw Mlle Rachel <13> the other day for the first time; in Marie Stuart <14> – I like her extremely; tho’ in the scene where she comes out into the open air for the first time, she was much less effective than Mlle Duchesnois <15> – Her interview with Qn Elizabeth, <16> & the last scene were exceedingly fine –
Lebe wohl, lieber Bruder <17>
Yrs very affly
Caroline
[envelope:]
Angleterre
Henry Fox Talbot Esqre
Laycock Abbey
Chippenham
Wilts
Notes:
1. Lady Elisabeth Theresa Feilding, née Fox Strangways, first m Talbot (1773–1846), WHFT’s mother, and Henrietta Horatia Maria Gaisford, née Feilding (1810–1851), WHFT’s half-sister.
2. To deal with.
3. See Doc. No: 04660.
4. A bright idea.
5. Jane Harriot Nicholl, née Talbot (1796–1874).
6. Merthyr Mawr, Glamorgan, on River Ogwr.
7. Dr John Nicholl (1797–1853), MP.
8. Caroline Bonneval, née Payne (d. 1858), wife of Count Lionel de Bonneval. Amélina Petit De Billier, ‘Mamie’, ‘Amandier’ (1798–1876), governess and later close friend of the Talbot family [See Amélina's journal].
9. Iltyd Thomas Mansel Nicholl (1828–1885), son of Jane Harriet Nicholl.
10. William Henry Edgcumbe, ‘Val’, 4th Earl Mt Edgcumbe (1832–1917), JP & Ld Steward of the Royal Household; WHFT’s nephew ‘Bimbo’.
11. Servant.
12. James Wright, footman to the Talbots & Constable for Lacock.
13. Mlle Rachel, née Elisa Felix (1820–1858), actress. See Martin Banham, ed., Cambridge Guide to the Theatre (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1992, pp. 801–802).
14. Mary or Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots (1542–1587).
15. Catherine Joséphine Rafuin Duchenois (1777–1835), actress; created the role of Marie Stuart, 1820.
16. Elizabeth I, Queen of England (1558–1603).
17. Keep well, dear Brother.
18. See Doc. No: 04535.