Laycock Abbey
Saturday 11th
My dear Henry
We left London Tuesday & got to Highclere<1> just as they were sitting down to dinner. There were Mr & Ly E. Susey, Mr & Ly H. Stapleton & Mr & Mrs Algernon Herbert <2> with their respective babies. Mrs Villiers, <3> Lady Allen, Mr Pierrepoint & Niemcewicz <4> the venerable Polish patriot & poet, who I wished particularly to get acquainted with. Wednesday we walked about the gardens & drove in the woods - what a beautiful place it is! I had not been there since the winter of 1820 & it looked very different. The gardens are very pretty, but I was rather disappointed in the quantity of flowers - There was a most lovely red Bignonia in the conservatory - We did not find it very amusing, & Mama was longing to be here, so we would come away Thursday & pursued our journey through a broiling sun & got here perfectly baked about 5 o'clock. We spent the evening in the garden - it was delicious, & followed by a beautiful moonlight night I never knew Laycock so hot - Everything was dried up with it. Yesterday it rained & today is very fine indeed with a pleasant air. We expect Ly H. Galway <5> to-day - & I suppose Papa <6> will come this evg - Our water party with Sir George <7> was very pleasant - besides us there was Lady Ashburnham & her 2 daughters, Mr & Ly Barbara Ponsonby, Charles Bagot, <8> Jemmy Macdonald, Lionel Ashley, <9> Mr Warrender Mr Cholmondeley, Mr Montgomerie & Count Zamoyski. <10> We rowed to Blackwell where we dined, then to Vauxhall, & then supped with Sir George
In return for this you must give an account of your proceedings
Addio your affte sister Horatia
W. Henry Fox Talbot Esqre
Post Office
Cowes
Notes:
1. Highclere Castle, near Newbury, Berkshire, home of the Talbot family's distant relative, Henry Herbert, 2nd Earl of Carnarvon (1772-1833).
2. Algernon Herbert (1792-1855) was the brother of the 2nd Earl.
3. Probably the families of Thomas Stapleton, 8th Baron Beaumont (1778-1854); Algernon Herbert (1792-1855); Sarah Sophia Villiers, née Fane, Lady Jersey (1785-1867).
4. Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz (1757-1841), Polish scholar, poet and statesman and Adjutant to Kosciusko in the fighting against the Russians.
5. Lady Harriet Payne Gallwey (1784-1845), née Quin, widow of Lt Gen Sir William Payne Gallwey (1759-1831), 1st Bart.
6. Rear Admiral Charles Feilding (1780-1837), Royal Navy; WHFT's step-father.
7. Sir George Warrender, 4th Baronet. [See Doc. No: 02395].
8. William Francis Spencer Ponsonby (1787-1855), and his wife Lady Barbara Ashley Cooper Ponsonby; Sir Charles Bagot. [See Doc. No: 03397].
9. Probably Anthony Lionel Ashley-Cooper (1813-1836).
10. Rev George Stephen Molyneux Montgomerie (1790-1850), close friend of Talbot family, artist, Rector of Garboldisham, near Thetford, Norfolk; Count Wladyslaw Zamoyski (1803-1868), Polish patriot.