Naples.
April 29. 1846.
My dear Sir,
Many thanks for the copies which followed me here quite safe, and look quite as well as I expected.
I had intended writing to you before we left this, to express Mrs Jones’s <1> and my own sincere regret at the sad loss <2> you have sustained, which I full well know how to appreciate: we have been suffering much lately, watching, anxiety and sorrow have had so deep an effect on your Cousin, <3> that we much feared he wd be seriously ill, poor Lady Elizabeth’s death added severely to his suffering, we persuaded him to call in a Doctor last week and he is now better. The Nicholls <4> came here from Rome very kindly to meet him, and as we have now given him to his sister’s charge and she is a great comfort to him we intend leaving him on our way homewards (which we shd not otherwise have done). We cannot go away yet, as the youngest little girl has not yet sufficiently recovered from her severe illness.
I hope the Alpine breezes may benefit you, and hope that we may meet, in furtherance of which I will tell you what we propose doing. We hope to be at Rome next Monday, and as I trust it will prove a very fertile field for subjects, intend to stay a fortnight or till about the 20th six days [illegible] will take us to Florence, where I hope to be occupied a good week or till the 1st June; six more days will enable us to reach Milan, where I should like to stay till the 10th or 12th and then we start to cross the Alps and so on by Basle and the Rhine. I grieve to say that I have [illegible] 90 sheets of paper left, though Mr Bridges <5> kindly let me [illegible] 30 of his. I have above 50 more large views, and many small some of them at [illegible] and these are I hope very fine and interesting. I spent yesterday at Pompeii and did some beautiful subjects but unluckily spoilt several by inevitable carelessness arising from hurry. I am going again today, and trust to redeem what I lost; I intend henceforth leaving all my views a much longer time in the Camera.
I now hope that you will not have sent me any paper to Malta, as I left no directions and shall have great uncertainty in getting it.
I shd be very glad of some at Cologne to do the Low Country cities and shall be very much obliged if you will write to me P.R. Milan and tell me to what person you have consigned me some, either at Cologne or any other town on the Rhine which may be more convenient to you.
I instructed Mr Bridges, who proved a most kind and good man (especially in endeavouring to afford comfort to your poor Cousin); he begged me to tell you that he should be exceedingly obliged if Henneman <6> wd spare him some paper and send it to Malta as soon as he could.
In your letter to Milan pray tell me what your plans are, that we may manage a meeting if possible. I must prepare for my expedition and remain
yours most truly
Calvert R. Jones.
Henry Fox Talbot Esqre
31. Sackville street
London.
Inghilterra.
Notes:
1. Jones’ wife Anne.
2. Lady Elisabeth Theresa Feilding, née Fox Strangways, first m Talbot (1773–1846), WHFT’s mother. Lady Elisabeth died on 12 March 1846.
3. Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot (1803–1890), immensely wealthy landowner, mathematician & politician; WHFT’s Welsh cousin.
4. Jane Harriot Nicholl, née Talbot (1796–1874) and Dr John Nicholl (1797–1853), MP.
5. Rev George Wilson Bridges (1788–1863), photographer & traveller.
6. Nicolaas Henneman (1813–1898), Dutch, active in England; WHFT’s valet, then assistant; photographer.