Bowood <1>
Thursday 19th
My dear Henry,
I was very much pleased with your long letter <2> from Lyons after the long silence you all preserved, till at last we could not think what had befallen you. I think you were quite right to shew Constance <3> Marseilles & Toulon, instead of coming the humdrum way. I hope you have taken her to see la révolte au sérail <4> which I see such fine accounts of in the papers. I am afraid your homeward journey has been a very cold one & will be still more so in this unpropitious season. Here we have had no frosts but very stormy weather, & at this moment it is blowing uncommonly hard at S.W. I hope before you cross it will have subsided, but I am in great trouble for the poor Gallways, <5> who are at this moment at Sea between Waterford & Bristol in their way to Laycock, where they hope to arrive tomorrow, wind & weather permitting. We came here yesterday to meet Lord & Lady Barrington, <6> who are staying here & Sir John Hippisley – Lord Auckland & Miss Eden <7> are coming tomorrow – Kerry <8> is grown unusually thoughtful & taciturn, I suppose he is musing upon his love – I cannot yet fancy him in the dignified character of a married man. – I have got your money for the District Society carefully locked up against your return, as according to the new regulations each visitor is to distribute the things among the people & Fitzsimmons <9> could not be expected to go the [sic] shops & chuse calico for them – & perhaps Constance may like to do it when she comes. – Will you bring me the Operas of Apostolo Zeno, <10> if you can find them cheap, for I have asked for them in vain in London – even Bodwell failed in getting them. I was rather disappointed at your not being home for Christmas – & the Chippenham Ball!!! however perhaps there will be another & you & your sposi must do double duty at that instead – Adieu give her my best love & also to Amandier <11>
Your affte sister Horatia
Lady Catherine Grimston <12> was married yesterday to Mr Barham. <13> Poverina!.. <14>
Monsieur
Monsieur Fox Talbot
Notes:
1. Bowood House, nr Calne, Wiltshire, 5 mi NE of Lacock: seat of the Marquess of Lansdowne.
2. Letter not located.
3. Constance Talbot, née Mundy (1811–1880), WHFT’s wife, and WHFT were on their delayed honeymoon.
4. This ballet was produced in 1833, by Théodore Labane (1805–1870), and choreographed by Filippo Taglioni (1777–1871).
5. Sir William Payne Gallwey (1807-1881), 2nd Bart, and his wife, Emily Anne, née Frankland-Russell (b. 1822).
6. William Keppel Barrington, 6th Viscount Barrington (1793–1867) and Jane Elizabeth Barrington, née Liddell, Lady Barrington (1804–1883).
7. George Eden, 1st Earl of Auckland (1784–1849), Governor General of India, and probably one of his sisters.
8. William Thomas Fitzmaurice, Earl of Kerry (1811–1836), MP.
9. Cornelius Fitzsimmons, Scottish gardener at Lacock Abbey.
10. Apostolo Zeno (1668–1750).
11. Amélina Petit De Billier, ‘Mamie’, ‘Amandier’ (1798–1876), governess and later close friend of the Talbot family [See Amélina's journal ], travelled with them on this excursion.
12. Lady Katherine Grimston (d. 1874).
13. The marriage of Katherine Grimston and John Barham, MP, actually took place two days before, on Tuesday 17 December, at Gorhambury, nr. St. Albans.
14. Poor dear.