17. Somerset St
Sunday night. <1>
My dear Henry
as all the Melancholy Arrangements for my dear lost Brother, <2> of course fall on you - you will forgive my troubling you with this, to say - that my Son, <3> will (D.v.) arrive in England (from Germany) on Wednesday - & that I trust you will reserve a Place for him, to follow among the Mourners, for his dear Uncle.
my beloved Charles, <4> came all the way from Boulogne, purposely to follow my loved Husband <5> to the Grave - he also attended my Angel Girl to hers - & it would grieve me beyond expression, that George should not follow his dear Remains.
need I say, how earnestly I should wish to do so myself, if any Woman did. - but I know it is not usual; & I would not, to gratify my own feelings, wish to interfere with the arrangements, you & your poor dear afflicted Mother <6> may have thought the best./
but - after the dreadfully painful Separation of the last wretched Twelve Weeks, you may believe it would be doubly painful to his two unhappy Sisters, not to have my Son attend - & that our dear dear Charles should seem to be forsaken by the whole of his own family, while their Hearts are breaking for the Loss of him!!
believe me ever yrs most truly
Augusta Sophia Hicks
George FitzGerald <7> is in Ireland - so that my George, is the only one of his Sisters' Sons, who is within reach. -
H. F. Talbot Esqr
at Lord Lansdownes Villa <8>
Richmond Hill
Notes:
1. 3 September 1837.
2. Rear Admiral Charles Feilding (1780-1837), Royal Navy; WHFT's step-father. The funeral was to take place on Friday 15th.
3. George Hicks Jr.
4. Capt Feilding, her brother. See Doc. No: 00890.
5. George Hicks.
6. Lady Elisabeth Theresa Feilding, née Fox Strangways, first m Talbot (1773-1846), WHFT's mother.
7. George Fitzgerald (1809-1853), nephew of Charles Feilding.
8. Henry Petty Fitzmaurice, 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne (1780-1863), MP, WHFT's uncle.