Penrice <1>
January
My dear Henry,
Will you be so good as to take this letter to my Aunt, <2> I am very sorry I forgot to give it to you before you went or I should not trouble you with it now. I am glad to be able to say that Charlotte <3> continues getting better. I hope she will not have a relapse. We have looked out three or four times for the Comet but though we could see all the stars in Ursa Major at it was too haze [sic] to see any Comet. Two of your seeds are come up one is the Vicia Grassica & I do not know what the other is. They all send their love to you & by you to Harriot & Louisa <4> if you should chance to see them & to all Aunts Uncles & Cousins of every description & now having faithfully delivered my message I remain my dear Henry
your very affectionate cousin
I. Catharine Talbot. –
W. H. F. Talbot Esqr
Melbury
Notes:
1. Penrice Castle and Penrice House, Gower, Glamorgan, 10 mi SW of Swansea: home of Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot.
2. Probably Lady Elisabeth Theresa Feilding, née Fox Strangways, first m Talbot (1773–1846), WHFT’s mother.
3. Charlotte Louisa 'Charry' Traherne, née Talbot (1800–1880), WHFT’s cousin.
4. Harriot Georgiana Mundy, née Frampton (1806-1886), WHFT’s cousin & sister-in-law; and Louisa Charlotte Frampton (1805-1885), author.