Sackville Street <1>
Wednesday Octr 31st
My dear Henry
To my great amazement the other day, I found Mamma <2> had despatched to you an unfinished letter of mine, <3> so that I still owe you half a one. I am afraid you must be very dull at Laycock Abbey all alone, after such a continued round of dissipation – had you not better come here till you know if you can be received at Melbury <4> or Abbotsbury? <5> Papa’s <6> room [illegible deletion] is free, at least for the present; if you like to take the chance of finding it still unoccupied, we should be charmed to have you – there is no bed for Franklin, <7> but I suppose he could get one out. Uncle John <8> is gone to Abbotsbury, to meet Horatia <9> & Papa, who arrived there last Monday – Aunt Mary <10> is gone to Bath – Uncle Harry <11> arrived in town last night – he is looking very well & tanned, which is becoming – I suppose you too are a good deal sunburnt after your peregrinations. I want to know if it was the Comet we saw on the 14th as we were driving into London. It was in a South Easterly direction, & resembled a star surrounded by a mist. It kept continually changing its appearance & shape – sometimes the star was so bright that the mist was no longer visible, & at others the fog grew so thick as completely to obscure the star – if it was not the Comet, what could it be? pray inform me soon –
Yr affte Sister
Caroline
Notes:
1. 31 Sackville Street, London residence of the Feildings, often used as a London base by WHFT.
2. Lady Elisabeth Theresa Feilding, née Fox Strangways, first m Talbot (1773–1846), WHFT’s mother.
3. See Doc. No: 02440.
4. Melbury, Dorset: one of the Fox Strangways family homes; WHFT was born there.
5. Abbotsbury, Dorset: home of William Thomas Horner Fox Strangways.
6. Rear Admiral Charles Feilding (1780–1837), Royal Navy; WHFT’s step-father.
7. Franklin, servant.
8. John George Charles Fox Strangways (1803–1859), MP.
9. Henrietta Horatia Maria Gaisford, née Feilding (1810–1851), WHFT’s half-sister.
10. Lady Mary Lucy Cole, née Strangways, first m. Talbot (1776–1855), WHFT’s aunt.
11. Henry Stephen Fox Strangways, 3rd Earl of Ilchester (1787–1858).
12. Brother-in-law.
13. George Edgcumbe (1800–1882), son of the 2nd Earl of Mount Edgcumbe.