Cotehele House
Jany 4th 1870 <1>
My dearest Henry
It is not too late to send one's good wishes for the New year within the first week - & I therefore wish you a very happy New one & good health to enjoy it. - I was so much obliged to you for warning me of the coming eclipse, which I should otherwise have known nothing about. - I was alone on Mount E <2> - & saw it very well from the Kiosk thro' a smoked glass - for the Sun was shining brightly at the time.
The light on the Sound & on the iron clads, was not dim, or dark, as I expected - but pale & ghastly - & a schooner passing thro' the Sun's broad path on the waters, looked as black as ink & it's [sic] shadow equally so - There was certainly something "no canny" in the aspect of things. Ernestine saw the Eclipse well from Pamflete, <3> & Val <4> from Bournemouth. Did you see it?
We spent Christmas at Pt Eliot - where Ld St G. <5> gave a Ball for his grand daughter, May Ponsonby. I have just heard from Ly. Emily Hankey, <6> who has had a letter from Brooke Greville at Florence, wanting a carte de visite of you for a photographic Artist there, who wants to enlarge it, & place it alongside of one of Daguerre, <7> & of another great man, whose name I can't read. Can you, & will you give one? We go on Saturday, for a few days, to Boconnoc nr Lostwithiel ( George Fortescue's <8>) - & thence to Plymouth for a Ball - Afterwards I believe to Bournemouth & Melbury <9> - Ernestine sends her best love & good wishes for the new Year -
Ever my dear Henry yr affte Sister
Caroline
Notes:
1. Although the 1870 is written very clearly, it is almost certain that the author fell into the common New Year's trap of writing the previous year. There was no major eclipse near the end of 1869 or early in 1870. However, there was a spectacular solar eclipse on 22 December 1870, one to which Talbot alerted many people. Thus, a 4 January 1871 date is more likely for this letter.
2. Mt Edgecumbe, near Plymouth: seat of the Earl of Mt Edgcumbe.
3. Ernestine Emma Horatia Edgcumbe (1843-1925), WHFT's niece. Pamflete, Devon, was the home of John and Emily Bulteil.
4. William Henry Edgcumbe, 'Val', 4th Earl Mt Edgcumbe (1832-1917), JP & Ld Steward of the Royal Household; WHFT's nephew 'Bimbo'.
5. Edward Granville Eliot (1798-1877), diplomatist; succeeded as 3rd Earl of St Germans, 1845.
6. The sister-in-law of Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot (1803-1890), immensely wealthy landowner, mathematician & politician; WHFT's Welsh cousin. [See Doc. No: 08973].
7. Louis Jacques Mandé Daguerre (1787-1851), French artist, showman & inventor.
8. Probably a descendant of Hugh Fortescue, Viscount Ebrington and 2nd Earl Fortescue (1783-1861), politician.
9. Melbury, Dorset: one of the Fox Strangways family homes; WHFT was born there.