Laycock Abbey
September 25th
My dear Henry
We arrived here last Wednesday after a very pleasant journey which we spun out to three days - Mt Edgcumbe <1> looked more beautiful than ever just as we were crossing over & took our last view of its white temples & beautiful woods, with the blue sea in the distance & Britannia lying in the Sound. - We found the Gallweys <2> still here which I was very glad of, & Niemcewicz <3> - the next day the Mundys <4> arrived to my great surprize, for I understood they had appointed to meet you at the Peak. - The next day Mr Vivian & Count Zamoisky <5> arrived & we had tableaux - You have no idea what capabilities of stretching this house possesses, & how well it accomodates [sic] itself to circumstances. On Saturday we had the most famous tableaux of all, & they were honoured by the presence & approbation of no less personages than Ld & Lady Lansdowne, the Lady Louisa Fitzmaurice, <6> Mr Rogers & Mr Luttrell. <7> - Ld Valletort <8> & I represented a scene of Brigands, being costumés <9> to admiration, & Caroline Galwey <10> [sic] looked beautiful as Raphael's St Cecilia, <11> in which picture the whole corps dramatique <12> were grouped. - Gale <13> erected a charming little theatre at the end of the gallery under Ld V.'s directions, & further distinguished himself by producing in the course of an hour, a Pan's pipes for St Cecilia, exactly like Raphael's. There were various others, too long to describe, but all of which had the most unbounded & deserved applause. Unluckily Papa <14> was obliged to go to London Friday, & therefore did not see them, & Ld V. set out very early Sunday morning on his canvassing tour. Amandier <15> came that same evening, & Mr Moore <16> & Mr Lutrell [sic] are expected tomorrow; so that the old Abbey never witnessed before such a succession of visitors & festivities - or to express myself in the language of the day, never before was a scene of such unexampled gaiety & splendour, honoured by such a numerous assemblage of rank & fashion. Ld Lansdowne says he expects every day to hear of Operas being performed here - I like your description of Alton Abbey <17> very much; but what on earth put into your head that I had seen it, I cannot divine - I never was near it. - Harriot <18> hopes you will stay at Markeaton <19> till she arrives there - I have brought from Mt Edgcumbe two flourishing young Stone pines, 5 years old, in pots, for Mamma <20> - she is charmed with them - Mary Barnes <21> & all the old women were so delighted to see me again, & asked after my lord Valentort. Addio car fratello <22> - write to me again soon & describe your séjour <23> at Alton Abbey -
Yr affte Sister
Caroline
W. H. Fox Talbot Esqr
Markeaton
Derby
Post Office <24>
Bangor
North Wales
Notes:
1. Mt Edgecumbe, near Plymouth: seat of the Earl of Mt Edgcumbe.
2. Sir William Payne Gallwey (1807-1881), 2nd Bart, and his wife, Emily Anne, née Frankland-Russell (b. 1822).
3. Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz (1757-1841), Polish scholar, poet and statesman and Adjutant to Kosciusko in the fighting against the Russians. [See Doc. No: 02399 and Doc. No: 02409].
4. William Mundy (1801-1877), politician, WHFT's brother-in-law; and his wife, Harriot Georgiana Mundy, née Frampton (1806-1886); WHFT's cousin.
5. Sir Richard Hussey Vivian (1775-1842), politician, and Count Wladyslaw Zamoyski (1803-1868), Polish patriot who came to live in London, where he was involved in the emigré organisation set up by his uncle, Prince Adam Czartoryski, to work for a free Poland. He is mentioned in the Correspondence particularly during the early 1830s.
6. Henry Petty Fitzmaurice, 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne (1780-1863), MP, WHFT's uncle; his wife, Louisa Emma Petty Fitzmaurice, née Fox Strangways, Marchioness of Lansdowne (1785-1851), Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Victoria, 1837-1838, WHFT's aunt; and their daughter, Louisa Howard, née Fitzmaurice.
7. Henry Luttrell (d. 1851), poet.
8. Ernest Augustus Edgcumbe, Lord Valletort, 3rd Earl of Mt Edgcumbe (1797-1861), WHFT's brother-in-law.
9. Costumed.
10. Caroline Gallwey (d. 1858), sister of Lt Gen Sir William Payne Gallwey (1759-1831), 1st Bart, later married Count Lionel de Bonneval.
11. St Cecilia with Saints Paul, John Evangelist, Augustine and Mary Magdalene, 1513-1516.
12. Cast; body of actors.
13. John Gale, carpenter at Lacock.
14. Rear Admiral Charles Feilding (1780-1837), Royal Navy; WHFT's step-father.
15. Amélina Petit De Billier, 'Mamie', 'Amandier' (1798-1876), governess and later close friend of the Talbot family [See Amélina's journal].
16. Thomas Moore (1780-1852), Irish poet.
17. Staffordshire. Known as Alton Lodge until 1811 when it was renamed as Alton Abbey during extensive renovations, though having no formal religious connections. It has since been renamed Alton Towers, which it is known as today. [See Doc. No: 02424].
18. Harriot Georgiana Mundy, née Frampton (1806-1886), WHFT’s cousin & sister-in-law.
19. Markeaton Hall, Derbyshire, NW of Derby: home of the Mundy family.
20. Lady Elisabeth Theresa Feilding, née Fox Strangways, first m Talbot (1773-1846), WHFT's mother.
21. See Doc. No: 02361.
22. Good bye dear brother.
23. Stay.
24. Readdressed in another hand.