Londres
15 Mai 1854
Chère Mlle Amélina
Voilà que M. Gaisford <1> est venu me voir et m’a dit force nouvelles de toute la famille. Caroline <2> vient ce soir pour le bal de la Reine, elle se loge chez Madame Nicholl, où se trouve aussi Louisa Gallwey<3> delogée de chez son frère Philippe par le mariage du dernier. Philippe est riche cultivateur du café dans l’ile de Ceylon. il est architecte de sa propre fortune, grand chasseur d’éléphans qui l’ont fort maltraité à son tour. Il aurait des notes à comparer avec votre capitaine à Keswick qui a mangé le tigre. Theresa Nicholl s’est faite Catholique Romaine, son frère Iltid l’était déjà. Les Nicholl partent bientôt pour les Pyrénées, la santé de Lucy en est l’excuse. Torquay <4> ne lui a pas convenu. Horace se trouve à Oxford chez le Dean son grand-père. <5> Il parle distinctement à présent. C’est fâcheux que Constance et Ela <6> perdront tout le mois de Mai à Greta. Jeudi elles doivent partir pour Margate <7> par voie de mer! dont elles reviendront Lundi 22 pour aller à Lacock le soir même. De Lacock elles reviendront à Londres lundi 29, et repartiront pour Gréta le même soir peut etre. Telles sont à peu près leurs intentions actuelles, [illegible deletion] mais les circonstances pourront y apporter quelque changement.
Adieu, toujours à vous
H. F. Talbot
Translation:
London
15 May 1854
Dear Mlle Amélina,
And so Mr Gaisford came to see me and told me lots of news about his family. Caroline is coming this evening for the Queen’s ball, she’s staying with Madame Nicholl, alongside Louise Gallwey who has moved out of her brother’s home because of the latter’s wedding. Philippe is a rich coffee plantation owner in the island of Ceylon. He has made his own fortune, a great hunter of elephants who then badly mistreated him. It would make a good comparison with your captain from Keswick who ate the tiger. Theresa Nicholl has become a Roman Catholic, her brother Iltid was already one. The Nicholls left today for the Pyrénées, Lucy’s health is the reason. Torquay was not amenable to her. Horace is in Oxford with his grandfather the Dean. At the moment he speaks distinctively. It is most irritating that Constance and Ela will lose the whole month of May at Greta. On Thursday they must leave for Margate by sea! from which they will return Monday 22nd to go to Lacock that same evening. From Lacock they will return to London on Monday 29th, and leave for Gréta possibly the same evening. These are their approximate arrangements for the time being, [illegible deletion] but circumstance may well bring about some changes.
Farewell, always yours
H. F. Talbot
We have come to an agreement with a housekeeper who spent 4 years with a clergyman on the outskirts of Trent.
I hope that Rosamond received the letter I sent on Saturday in which one from her mother was also enclosed.
Notes:
1. Capt Thomas Gaisford (1816–1898), JP, WHFT’s brother-in-law.
2. Caroline Augusta Edgcumbe, née Feilding, Lady Mt Edgcumbe (1808–1881); WHFT’s half-sister.
3. Louisa Gallwey (1811-1872), dau of Lt Gen Sir William Payne Gallwey, 1st Bart (1759-1831) and Lady Harriet Payne Gallwey (1784-1845), née Quin.
4. Coastal town in Devon, South-West England.
5. Lt Horace Charles Gaisford (1851–1879), WHFT’s nephew.
6. Constance Talbot, née Mundy (1811–1880), WHFT’s wife;Ela Theresa Talbot (1835–1893), WHFT’s 1st daughter.
7. Coastal town in Kent, South-East England.
8. River in Nottingham, East Midlands, Central England.
9. Rosamond Constance ‘Monie’ Talbot (1837–1906), artist & WHFT’s 2nd daughter.