Torquay
10 Hesketh Crescent
Novr 28th 1853
My dear Henry
I have been wishing to write to you for several days – but have always been hindered. Since my correspondence with Sir Peter Laurie, <1> (which I never gave him leave to publish) I have received an astonishing number of begging letters, all of which I have referred to the Mendicity Society <2> – a most invaluable Institution. They all turn out to be impostures. One of them in particular was unique of it’s kind. A man wrote from Cheltenham in favour of a poor widow, begging the answer might be sent to her address – Cumberland Villa. The Mendicity answer says: “Cumberland Villa is a lodging house for tramps of the worst character – & the present owner is in prison for a Garotte robbery!” – Is it not too bad! It was a mistake of the papers saying that Val, <3> was at Mt E. <4> Charlie <5> it was who received the Duke & Dss of Brabant – & elicited the approbation of M. Van de Weyer for the way in which he did the honours. Val, was all the time at Oxford preparing for his Mathematical Examination. I am afraid you will regret, as I did, that he has given up, trying for honours in that branch – But he intends doing so instead in Modern History, bye–&–bye.
How much Ernestine <6> & I wd have liked to see the Charades! – By–the–bye I think I told you that Val passed his Classical examination successfully a few days before his birthday – did I not? It consisted of Plato, Livy & Divinity. He was very nervous about it because he formed, a week before the time, that the Examiners had tacked on without notice, a 5th Book of Livy to the 4 previously given out. – Lucy Nicholl <7> inhabits No 11 next door to us – Her brother Edward <8> escorted her here – but he is gone back to Town, where he also is reading for Oxford. Christina & Kate <9> came down for two days last week, & are now at Carclew <10> with the Trahernes. <11> They will see Mt Edgcumbe on their way back, & perhaps pay Charles a visit. He & his tutor are staying there all alone. We get lovely flowers from them every week – Besides two or three green house things such as cacti, crimson amabile & camellias, we have from the open air: Roses, Petosporum, Violets, reseda, myrtle still in flower, sweet scented Verbena, Yellow Jassamine & scarlet Geraniums! Is not that pretty well for the end of Novr? I believe this place is much warmer even than Mount E. Today we have a gale; & the breakers are dashing up a magnificently against the rocks, in veins of our windows. We have not yet made acquaintance with the Captn Scoresby <12> you mention. – Ly Brownlow <13> is staying in our crescent, with her little black-eyed Baby. She is the image of Annie <14> – I never saw so strong a likeness in a Child – & I shd imagine exceedingly quick & clever; & no doubt difficult to manage as she grows older.
Ld Mt E. <15> has been a little better lately – & I am convinced he wd not have been so well at Mt E. He can use his hands a little more, tho’ not enough to feed himself. Tuesday 29th I send you two flowers, very pretty, that grow in the Bishop’s Garden near here. The white one is Physianthus Alba, a greenhouse plant. It grows all up the side of the house, & flowers in abundance. The other must be I think some kind of Lychnis or Chatch–fly – & is extremely ornamental in masses – particularly as it flowers so late in the year. It is of the brightest pink or cerise colour. –
I hope Ammandier <16> is getting better again – & that you are all flourishing in spite of the neighbourhood of the North Pole! Give them all my best love – I hope I shall hear again soon from you – & from A – when she is well enough, pray tell her – next time you write I wish you wd explain once more your process of engraving by Photography I have had occasion to explain it to several people but so badly, having no head for science, that I am quite ashamed; & don’t forget to describe the charades. Ernestine sends her love to Rosamond, <17> & thanks for her nice long letter. She hopes soon to write an answer.
Yr affte Sister
Caroline
[envelope:]
Henry Fox Talbot Esqre
Greta Bank
Keswick
Cumberland
Notes:
1. Sir Peter Laurie ( ca.1779–1861), Lord Mayor of London.
2. The Society for the Supression of Mendicity formed in 1818.
3. William Henry Edgcumbe, ‘Val’, 4th Earl Mt Edgcumbe (1832–1917), JP & Ld Steward of the Royal Household; WHFT’s nephew ‘Bimbo’.
4. Mt Edgecumbe, near Plymouth: seat of the Earl of Mt Edgcumbe.
5. Charles Earnest Edgcumbe (1838–1915), JP, WHFT’s nephew.
6. Ernestine Emma Horatia Edgcumbe (16 Aug 1843-1925), WHFT's niece.
7. Lucy Mary Nicholl (1824-1876), of Merthyr Mawr.
8. Rev Edward Powell Nicholl (1831–1902), Vicar of Lacock from 1864 until his resignation in 1870; photographer.
9. Christina Nicholl and Kate Nicholl.
10. Carclew, Cornwall, 3 mi N of Penryn: seat of Sir Charles Lemon.
11. Rev John Montgomerie Traherne (1788-1860), JP, antiquary & author; and his wife, Charlotte Louisa 'Charry' Traherne, née Talbot (1800–1880), WHFT’s cousin.
12. William Scoresby (1789–1857); made a voyage to Australia, 1856, to carry out magnetic observations and published scientific works chiefly relating to the Arctic seas.
13. Lady Brownlow, wife of John Cust (1779–1853), 1st Earl Brownlow.
14. Annie Sarah (sometimes Sarah Anne) Porcelli, née Macdonald, Caroline's husband's niece - in 1848, she married Alfredo Salvatori Ruggioro Andrea, Baron Porceilli di Sant Andrea, a Sicilian nobleman and revolutionary commander. [See Doc. No: 06863].
15. Ernest Augustus Edgcumbe, Lord Valletort, 3rd Earl of Mt Edgcumbe (1797–1861), WHFT’s brother-in-law.
16. Amélina Petit De Billier, ‘Mamie’, ‘Amandier’ (1798–1876), governess and later close friend of the Talbot family [See Amélina's journal].
17. Rosamond Constance ‘Monie’ Talbot (1837–1906), artist & WHFT’s 2nd daughter.
18. At the start of the Crimean War (1853–1856).