Melbury ^<1>
Dec^r 24.

My dear Henry

the arrival to day, of two portions of Cake from you & your Bride ^<2> to Grandmama & Uncle John, ^<3> claims grateful thanks, and very sincere congratulations from us both, with the warmest wishes for your happiness these feelings are equally participated & I have engaged to express them to you & to beg of you to make them acceptable to M^rs Talbot whose acquaintance I have now a double interest in making, and when in London next I hope I may not be the Invalid I was last year, & have an opportunity of becoming better acquainted with a family I am now so doubly connected with

I cannot help wishing to W^{m <4>} & John the time when they may follow your good example the best road to every happiness & comfort this world can give I am very sure, and that you may both long prove it to be so is the earnest wish of both y^r affec^te Uncle John & also of

y^r truly affec^te Grand Mother
Maria Ilchester

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Notes:

1. Melbury, Dorset: one of the Fox Strangways family homes; WHFT was born there.

2. Constance Talbot, née Mundy (1811–1880), WHFT’s wife.

3. John George Charles Fox Strangways (1803–1859), MP.

4. William Thomas Horner Fox Strangways, 4^th Earl of Ilchester (1795–1865), botanist, art collector & diplomat.