[The envelope for this letter is in a private collection]:
Henry Fox Talbot Esqre
Laycock Abbey
Chippenham
____________
Champs Elysées 26
Jany 4th 1843
My dear Henry
I was much touchée <1> at your writing me those two letters about Valletort, <2> & should have written directly to tell you of his safe arrival, only I heard you were to be at Melbury, <3> & wd therefore know all about him from Mamma <4> He had a long passage of 6 or 7 hours, & was very sick – but arrived exceedingly flourishing nothwithstanding – I wish you wd make up your mind to come with Mamma, else you will find us almost gone. You know my waiting is the middle of February Besides I am anxious you should conclude the affair abt the Patent <5> [illegible deletion] it was before it is too late – the Post is just going so addio – with best wishes to you & Constance & the Chicks <6> for the new year, & many more happy ones – I am
Yr affectionate Sister
Caroline
Notes:
1. Touched.
2. William Henry Edgcumbe, ‘Val’, 4th Earl Mt Edgcumbe (1832–1917), JP & Ld Steward of the Royal Household; WHFT’s nephew ‘Bimbo’.
3. Melbury, Dorset: one of the Fox Strangways family homes; WHFT was born there.
4. Lady Elisabeth Theresa Feilding, née Fox Strangways, first m Talbot (1773–1846), WHFT’s mother.
5. See Doc. No: 04660.
6. Constance Talbot, née Mundy (1811–1880), WHFT’s wife; Ela Theresa Talbot (25 Apr 1835 - 25 Apr 1893), WHFT's 1st daughter; Rosamond Constance Talbot (16 Mar 1837 - 7 May 1906), 'Rose'; 'Monie'; artist & WHFT's 2nd daughter; died & buried at San Remo, Italy, with a memorial at Lacock; Matilda Caroline Gilchrist-Clark, née Talbot (25 Feb 1839-1927), 'Tilly', WHFT's 3rd daughter.