Nice
May 16th
My dear Henry
I am afraid you will have thought me rather tardy in my congratulations, but as all the others were writing I thought I would wait a little & then I should be able to tell you something decisive about our plans, which were so altered from day to day that there was no guessing what they would end in. However it seems to be settled at last that we are all to stay abroad, which certainly is the wisest plan for Caroline, <1> as it would have been too great a risk for her to undertake that immense journey to England in her situation [illegible deletion] with the chance of Ld Valletort <2> being laid up somewhere on the road. He is not even sufficiently recovered yet to take an airing, & the weather is singularly unfavorable this spring, more like an English May than what one expects here. I am very glad of this change as far as I am concerned as who knows whether we shall ever come abroad again & I like to make the most of it – but I am sorry to see Mama <3> is longing for home & seems to have lost all her taste for travelling which is a very great pity. We did talk of going to Florence or making a tour somewhere in the North of Italy but now that is given up, & we are only going to Genoa – I shall be very glad to see the Corniche <4> which I have heard you all rave about so much We mean to set off Monday but we shall not be there very long, & you had better go on directing here as our letters will be sent to us. I am sure I need tell you how pleased I was at the joyful news of the birth of your little daughter & how heartily I wish you & Constance <5> joy, & pray she may prove a blessing to you both. We were very much vexed at hearing that poor Constance had had an attack of fever, your last letter to Papa <6> was a great relief as you said she was better, & I do hope that we shall soon have a still more favorable account to put an end to our [illegible deletion] anxiety about her; Pray give her my tenderest love, & tell her I mean soon to write to her & offer my felicitations. Give my little niece <7> a kiss de ma part. I am so glad you have chosen a pretty name for her. I hope in due time to be informed of the color of her hair eyes which particulars you have not yet supplied, Addio,
your very affte sister
Horatia
There is a new steamboat arrived here from London which is to run between Sardinia & Terra ferma – it came here Thursday evg having left Spain the day before, is not that marvellous?
How came Lord John <8> to lose his election? I cannot understand it.
Since writing the above Papa has received yours of the 9th it is very good of you to write so often & tell us about dear Constance – I am very glad she is better but still very anxious to hear again
W. Henry Fox Talbot Esqre
31 Sackville Street
London
Angleterre
Notes:
1. Caroline Augusta Edgcumbe, née Feilding, Lady Mt Edgcumbe (1808–1881); WHFT’s half-sister.
2. Ernest Augustus Edgcumbe, Lord Valletort, 3rd Earl of Mt Edgcumbe (1797–1861), WHFT’s brother-in-law.
3. Lady Elisabeth Theresa Feilding, née Fox Strangways, first m Talbot (1773–1846), WHFT’s mother.
4. The Corniche Road, coastal road from Nice to Genoa with panoramic views. [See Doc. No: 03016].
5. Constance Talbot, née Mundy (1811–1880), WHFT’s wife.
6. Rear Admiral Charles Feilding (1780–1837), Royal Navy; WHFT’s step-father.
7. Ela Theresa Talbot (1835–1893), WHFT’s 1st daughter.
8. Lord John Russell (1792–1878), politician.