Rome.
Saturday 25^th Nov^r 1848.

My dear Henry

I write a line in case you sh^d be in trouble about us to say we are all well & in good spirits & the town quiet as yet. The Pope ^<1> left Rome last night but it was not known till this morning – at first we thought he was gone to the Bull Dog ^<2> at Civitavecchia – but Cap^tn Key ^<3> has just been here, & he thinks he is certainly gone on board the French Steamer Tonnerre & this is confirmed by the Duc d’Harcourt ^<4> having also disappeared yesterday ev^g leaving word he was gone alla caccia ^<5> for a few days. Cap^tn K. thinks he is gone to Malta – where he had directed the Cardinals to go already – I wish he had chosen an English ship – tho’ I am glad to have the Bulldog still to watch over us – The ministers have proclaimed that they will maintain order &c – nothing in the shape of a row is visible as yet – & I am going to take a turn with M^r Nicholl & the girls ^<6> – so I will leave the pen to C. ^<7> Pray write some of you

Y^r aff sister
Horatia

M. [Bonteneff?] is packing up & the Spanish & Bavarian ambassadors gone already. I suppose they could not stay any longer according to diplomatic etiquette. M^r Temple is arrived at last & proceeds to Naples tomorrow. It is hoped that he has powers to settle the affairs of Sicily – time will shew – I hope we shall not have to leave Rome now we are just settled so comfortably –

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Notes:

1. Giovanni Maria Mastai–Ferretti (1792–1878); Pope Pius IX from 1846–1878.

2. HMS Bulldog . [See Doc. No: 06087].

3. Sir Astley Cooper Key (1821–1888), admiral; commanded the Bulldog steamer in the Mediterranean, 1847–1850.

4. Probably Georges Douglas D’Harcourt-Olonde, Marquis d’Harcourt (1808–1883), politician.

5. Hunting.

6. Dr John Nicholl (1797–1853), MP, and his girls.

7. Caroline Augusta Edgcumbe, née Feilding, Lady Mt Edgcumbe (1808–1881); WHFT’s half-sister.