Inverinate
Sunday 18th
My dear Henry
I heard from A. <1> on arriving here & she tells me you are returned home – I hope you enjoyed your tour & beg you will tell me all about it. I fear you never got my letter wh I sent according to your directions to Mt d’or but with small hopes of your ever getting it. We arrived at Glasgow Wednesday night having left Crewe by express at 4 – There finding that Car. Kerrivon could not conveniently hold us for 2 or 3 days we made a giro which filled up the time very pleasantly – sending Wright & the Gepäck by steam to Oban we went Thursday to Tarbet – Friday across to Inversnaid, over the hills to Loch Katrine back to Tarbet & round the head of Loch long & thro’ the pass of Glencrae (very wild & desolate) to Cairn Dow at the head of Loch Fine. There we staid all Saturday & Tom <2> went fishing at Ard Kinglass a very pretty place belonging to Mr Callender who he knows very well – we roamed about the woods & gardens, & Sunday morning breakfasted the with him & went to his pew in the Kirk a rather Soporific proceeding – & on in the evg to Inverary. Next morning was quite an Italian sunshine & we walked in the woods & then proceeded across Loch Awe & in sight of Ben Cruachan a grand mountain, & by Loch Etive to Oban where we found Wright <3> expecting us. Tuesday we spent in visiting Iona & Staffa the greatest expedition of all & very successfully performed & Wednesday came on by Steam (stopping in our way to see Glencoe) to Banavie near Fort William – Here we embarked in the Caledonian Canal & landed at Invergarry – & then by different conveyances thro’ a wild & striking country at last arrived here about 8 – & a dear little place it is, close to the edge of a sea loch with fine mountains to look at & very snug & sheltered under the hill. You have heard of course of Ld Dunraven’s <4> death. It seems to have been rather sudden inflammation in the windpipe
Write here please till further directions.
one feels quite out of the world & yet not the least
The Petrel was gone which was a great disappointment but Sir Charles <5> arrived Friday with Ly Dunstanville <6>– It was quite beautiful yesterday & we drove along the lake & had a fine view of the Skye mountains & afterward went fishing in a boat.
Today is rather stormy– the mountains veiled in mist & the lake covered with white horses. We are trying to persuade Sir C. the weather will be too bad for him to think of going tomorrow, but you know he can never be anywhere. I heard from C. <7> yesterday she was at Bowood <8> & going to Mt E <9> Tuesday. Milord <10> was there already.
We hope to visit you early in Septr I suppose there are vehicles of some kind to be found when one leaves the railway – I think we shall go first to Mr Stanley’s <11> near Whitehaven & then across the country to Keswick.
Love to all. I am so glad to hear such flourishing accomplishments.
Ever yr aff sister
Horatia
Notes:
1. Amélina Petit De Billier, ‘Mamie’, ‘Amandier’ (1798–1876), governess and later close friend of the Talbot family [See Amélina's journal].
2. Tom Valletort. [See Doc. No: 06342].
3. James Wright, footman to the Talbots & Constable for Lacock.
4. Windham Henry Wyndham-Quin, 2nd Earl of Dunraven (1782– 6 August 1850).
5. Sir Charles Lemon (1784–1868), politician & scientist; WHFT’s uncle.
6. Sister of Charles Lemon, Harriet, née Lemon (1777–1864). In 1824, she became the 2nd wife of Francis Basset, 1stBaron de Dunstanville and Basset (1757–1835), MP, FRS, and political writer.
7. Caroline Augusta Edgcumbe, née Feilding, Lady Mt Edgcumbe (1808–1881); WHFT’s half-sister.
8. Bowood House, nr Calne, Wiltshire, 5 mi NE of Lacock: seat of the Marquess of Lansdowne.
9. Mt Edgecumbe, near Plymouth: seat of the Earl of Mt Edgcumbe.
10. Ernest Augustus Edgcumbe, Lord Valletort, 3rd Earl of Mt Edgcumbe (1797–1861), WHFT’s brother-in-law.
11. Edward Stanley (1779–1849), Bishop of Norwich (1837–1849).