My dear Mr Talbot,
I would give us much pleasure to accept your kind invitation to Lacock & if you will give us as early notice as you can whenever in the course of the Summer or Autumn it may suit you to receive us, we will endeavor to make our engagements suit – We have entirely given up all thoughts of London this spring & hope in a very few days to see our poor Harriet <1> & her Children here. She has probably left there this very day with her Father & Brother <2> – the latter was suddenly called to London on business & went from thence to Paris – They return home by Havre & take the I. of Wight in their way their journey from Rome has been prosperous & rather rapid, as they only left in on the 14th of April & arrived at Paris on the 6th having encountered dreadful weather & some difficulties between Genoa & Nice – This county is in a great ferment with the contest going on, but happily we have heard of no more tumult as there was on the day of nomination – I am afraid Mr Bankes <3> will be beat, which I shall much regret, altho most of my family & Mr Seymer at their head, are inclined for reform. I must add how-ever that notwithstanding this we all wish for Mr Bankes, which you will think very inconsistent – & that Mrs Seymer had intended giving one of her votes to him & the other to Mr Portman <4> – Pray remember us kindly to Lady Elizabeth & Your Sisters <5> –
Believe me sincerely yrs
Harriet Ker Seymer
Hanford <6> May 12th
Probably the newspapers tell you the state of our poll it stands thusPortman 605
Calcraft <7> 507
Bankes – 410
Henry F. Talbot Esqre
31 Sackville Street
London
Notes:
1. Harriet-Marcia Duffward, née Ker Seymer (d. 1864), daughter of Harriet Ker Seymer. She her recently lost her husband the Rev James Duffward.
2. Henry Ker Seymer (1782–1834), and his son Henry Ker Seymer (1807–1864), JP & MP.
3. Henry Bankes (1757-1835), politician; he was soon to be replaced by Calcraft (see note 7).
4. E. Berkeley Portman (d. 1888), MP; created Baron Portman, 1837 and Viscount Portman, 1873.
5. Lady Elisabeth Theresa Feilding, née Fox Strangways, first m Talbot (1773–1846), WHFT’s mother, Caroline Augusta Edgcumbe, née Feilding, Lady Mt Edgcumbe (1808–1881); WHFT’s half-sister, and Henrietta Horatia Maria Gaisford, née Feilding (1810–1851), WHFT’s half-sister.
6. Dorset.
7. John Hales Calcraft (1796–1880), MP; Sheriff of Dorset, 1867.