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Document number: 1723
Date: 10 Oct 1828
Postscript: 12 Oct
Recipient: TALBOT William Henry Fox
Author: EDGCUMBE Caroline Augusta, née Feilding
Collection: British Library, London, Manuscripts - Fox Talbot Collection
Collection number historic: LA28-78
Last updated: 21st December 2011

Trengwainton <1>
10th October 1828 –

My dear Henry

I received the other day your letter <2> from Geneva, which is only the second that any of us have had since your arrival there; I cannot help thinking that some of yours must have been lost, for you must surely have answered more than twice all our numerous letters to you.

I am very glad you have made two such nice expeditions; you cannot think what agreeable sensations were awakened in us by the mere names of the places through which you passed; however we also have been spending our time very agreeably at Carclew; <3> Sir Charles <4> is so good-natured and amiable! Horatia <5> is much better for the air of Cornwall, which has driven away her cough; & I think riding agrees with her too; Sir Charles lends us a nice little black poney, the gentlest creature in the world, who never started in his life but once, upon which occasion he threw me off; I was not much hurt luckily, & rode home. We went to Falmouth, (which is only five miles from Carclew,) last Saturday, to see the Queen of Portugal <6> land. The day was lovely & the sea covered with boats ornamented with flags, & she disembarked amidst the firing of cannon & cheers of the people; she then walked under a triumphal arch of laurels, preceded by young girls dressed in white & strewing her path with flowers, to the house of the Brazilian consul, where she held her court. We were presented to her & kissed her hand; the portuguese subjects knelt down; among them were the unfortunate Colonel Valdez & his wife, <7> who escaped from Madeira with six little children, & have lost almost every thing they possessed.–

Carclew 12th

We returned here yesterday, after a very pleasant excursion to Trehiddy, Ld de Dunstanville’s <8> place, & St Michaels’s Mount, <9> which is an exceedingly picturesque rock rising out of the sea, & crowned with a curious old castle, famous for having been the last place that held out for Charles 1st <10> – We slept there and proceeded next day to the Land’s End, but could see nothing of the fine rocks, as it poured with rain, & slept at Trengwainton, which belongs to Sir Ross Price. I hope you will return as soon as you intended in your last letter, & come & join us at Moreton or Melbury <11> where we are going just few days; that would be a delightful arrangement; I hope you will approve of it & not stay dawdling at Paris, but come & amuse us. I am very sorry to leave Carclew, we have been so happy here – we go to-day to Tregothnan, & from thence to Moreton. –

Addio, carissimo, fratello, <12> I have no more time to write, only pray come to Moreton where they will all be so glad to see you,

& believe me your very affectionate Sister
Caroline –

Horatia received yesterday your letter <13> from Geneva –

Monsieur W.H.F. Talbot
Poste Restante
Dieppe
France


Notes:

1. Two miles northwest of Penzance, Cornwall.

2. See Doc. No: 01717.

3. Carclew, Cornwall, 3 mi N of Penryn: seat of Sir Charles Lemon.

4. Sir Charles Lemon (1784–1868), politician & scientist; WHFT’s uncle.

5. Henrietta Horatia Maria Gaisford, née Feilding (1810–1851), WHFT’s half-sister.

6. Maria II (1819–1853), House of Bragança, she was only 9 years old, her uncle Miguel acted as Regent until she came of age. [See Doc. No: 01718].

7. See Doc. No: 01714.

8. Francis Basset, 1stBaron de Dunstanville and Basset (1757–1835), MP, FRS, and political writer. In 1824, his second marriage was to Harriet, née Lemon (1777–1864), WHFT's aunt.

9. Cornwall.

10. Charles I (1625–1649), executed for treason.

11. Moreton, Dorset: home of the Frampton family, and Melbury, Dorset: one of the Fox Strangways family homes; WHFT was born there.

12. Goodbye, dearest brother.

13. See Doc. No: 01717.

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