My dear Henry
I had written you a little note this morning before the arrival of yours to say I was very sorry not to see you, but we find our route lies in exactly the opposite direction as we go to Ullswater <1> today & intend sleeping at Carlisle, so that it will be quite impossible for us to accept your kind invitation much as we should have liked doing so, but we are to be at Closeburn Hall <2> on Friday so we cannot allow ourselves any further liberty. We are to remain in Scotland for a fortnight or 3 weeks but I do not think we shall return this way – We had a beautiful drive up Borrowdale & over by Honiston Craggs yesterday & I only regret we are such birds of passage that we are obliged to take in the beauties in the gross, which so well deserve to be seen in detail – Please remember me very kindly to Mrs Talbot <3> & believe me dear Henry
your affecte cousin
Isabella Franklen
Notes:
1. Cumbria.
2. Closeburn Hall, Dumfriesshire, the seat of Sir James Menteth.
3. Constance Talbot, née Mundy (1811–1880), WHFT’s wife.