Genoa
Saturday 17th May
My dear Henry
I was very glad to get a letter from you, after the ages you have all been without writing to me – & to find you had such a successful expedition to the Exhibition. <1> It must really have been a magnificent sight, enough to reward your energy in attempting it. We left Rome on Wednesday with great regret, chiefly on account of leaving poor Jane <2> in such a sad plight where it would have been such a comfort to her to have me a little longer. I don’t know if the accounts of her accident have reached you – it was a most frightful one but thank God had no very serious results. They were driving on the new road by the Tiber (inside the [illegible deletion] Ponte [illegible] road) & the horses starting at something, the carriage was literally turned over completely twice down the steep high bank into the river! Jane, Lucy Spencer, & Mr Henn were thrown out in some wonderful way on the ground where they stuck, it being wet & muddy – but Theresa <3> was dashed into the water & out of sight for a time – she first rose under the carriage & sunk [sic] again – & when she reappeared Mr Henn jumped in & saved her – but had been so hurt himself that he had only just strength to get to the edge, when a French soldier ran down & helped to drag her up. & afterwards a good many people came & assisted them all in the most kind & active manner It was certainly a most wonderful escape for which we cannot be too thankful – & tho’ of course they were all more or less hurt, there were no injuries of consequence except to poor Jane who strained her side as well as spraining her ancles [sic] & will be obliged to keep her bed for some time They did not intend leaving Rome at any rate till end of June, unless the heat became intense wh there seems little chance of – indeed hitherto we have had nothing like Italian summer weather. We had a good passage particularly the Second night from Leghorn – but tems couvert <4> & the full moon wd not shew her face. We landed here at 7 this morning – & after a good rest & dinner took a drive to the Acquasola – & Villa Doria – which looks sadly neglected with rose bushes mixed with peas & all in wild confusion – but the view beautiful as ever – It always does me good to see it again – tomorrow afternoon we go to Ronco & next day by train to Turin. Mind if you have any commissions to Paris write instanter <5> Posterestante.
Love to all
Yr aff sister
Horatia
We shall stay at least 2 days at Turin to rest. It is quite a pleasure to see the poor bandiera Italiana <6> floating here once more – & no French or Austrian soldiers – We mean to go from Chambéry to Châlon by Bourg wh they say is a very good road & cuts off the angle to Lyons – The railroad was to have been opened to Dijon by this time but it is now put off till June – however we hope to be at Paris by 30th & rest 2 or 3 days. I hope to see you all soon somehow or other – I have a great longing for Laycock & the roses & shd like so to go there if possible before quite settling in London
How kind of you to give Wright <7> a Season ticket for Exhibition – I am sure nothing could have pleased him more in the world!
Henry Fox Talbot Esqre
Laycock Abbey
Chippenham
Windermere Lodge <8>
Ambleside
Westmorland
Inghilterra
Notes:
1. The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of all Nations, Crystal Palace, popularly known as The Great Exhibition or The Great Exhibition of 1851; Hyde Park, London. This letter has not been located; however, WHFT copied a summary of it for his wife Constance: see Doc. No: 06409.
2. Jane Harriot Nicholl, née Talbot (1796–1874).
3. Theresa Nicholl.
4. She means ‘temps couvert’: cloudy weather.
5. Instantly.
6. Italian flag.
7. James Wright, footman to the Talbots & Constable for Lacock.
8. Readdressed in another hand.