December
My dear Henry
I quite forgot when I wrote <1> to you a week ago that I had intended to make a request to you, which I hope you will grant – you know dear Henry that you have always been like a brother to us & we have always in a manner considered you as one of us, & as I wish to have all my brothers & sisters at my wedding, <2> at least as many as I can, I must beg that you will honour me with your presence I shall not be able to have Jane or Mr Nicholl, <3> but as the time of year is makes it impossible, besides she will have only just recovered from her confinement & of course not able to travel Now do, dear Henry lend a gracious ear to my petition I shall be so particularly obliged – Uncle Harry <4> will be here, he has promised to come whenever I call him which I propose doing the last week in January – that being the earliest period at which I can hope for Mary <5> to be able to leave Jane – & I hope you will give me your countenance & support – I hope & expect you will comply with my request, so do not think of saying no – I am anxious too that you should soon get acquainted with my Inamorato I think you will approve. of course I think him all perfection nothing less would tempt me to leave my dear home where I have lived all my life so happily & anybody else has failed in so doing so he who has succeeded must be something extraordinary – Kit <6> is here he is going to Melbury <7> shortly to shoot & hunt with Uncle Harry – I cannot say exactly how long he is going to stay, but I hope not long for I cannot spare him & the time is so short now that remains for me to stay here I grudge every day spent out of his society – All good folks desire their love –
believe me dear Henry your very loving coz
Isabella Talbot
Swansea Decr eight 1829 Chriser Cole. <8>
Henry. F. Talbot Esqre
31 Sackville Street
London.
post office
Stanford [sic]
Lincolnshire
Notes:
1. Closest surviving letter is Doc. No: 01896.
2. She married Richard Franklen in late January 1830.
3. Jane Harriot Nicholl, née Talbot (1796–1874), and Dr John Nicholl (1797–1853), MP.
4. Henry Petty Fitzmaurice, 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne (1780–1863), MP, WHFT’s uncle.
5. Mary Thereza Talbot (1795–1861), WHFT’s cousin.
6. Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot (1803–1890), immensely wealthy landowner, mathematician & politician; WHFT’s Welsh cousin.
7. Melbury, Dorset: one of the Fox Strangways family homes; WHFT was born there.
8. Sir Christopher Cole (1770–1836), Captain, MP & naval officer.