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Document number: 3686
Date: Mon 04 Jun 1838
Recipient: TALBOT Constance, née Mundy
Author: TALBOT William Henry Fox
Collection: British Library, London, Manuscripts - Fox Talbot Collection
Collection number historic: LA(H)38-002
Last updated: 1st September 2003

London

June 4th 1838

My Dear Constance

I have engaged Mrs Groves – I was chiefly decided by her having lived 16 years with her former mistress Mrs Storey –

You had better give warning to Mrs C. and as I before suggested, take to sleeping yourself in the inner nursery for a little while, giving as your reason, that you wish to accustom the children to the change, that they may not think themselves left alone among strangers.

Altho’ we are under no necessity of considering what is to become of Mrs C. yet if she seems in distress she may be advised to go to London, & take a small cheap lodging, until she finds means of placing herself, which in this great metropolis may be possible, thro’ the agency of some of the offices for hiring servants; As she can produce no testimonials, it follows that she must content herself somewhere with very low wages – If this attempt fails, she had better emigrate to Sydney in New South Wales; There employment is certain & plentiful, & a good character not required, such is the low state of morality in that colony –

I expect to return Friday morning or evening, shall I bring the nurse with me, or send her before, or let her follow after?

Your visitor Lady Julia Howard <1> is daughter of the Earl of Suffolk & lives at Charlton near Malmesbury 13 miles from us. Lady Hunloke <2> who is a relation of theirs, is doubtless on a visit at Charlton.

I believe I have got George <illegible> into service, I recommended him very much to a lady who called here; but I suspect he will find small pay & much work. Have you had any thunderstorms? We had one; and great plenty of rain. Mr Moore <3> is much astounded by the Animal Magnetism <4> which he went to see Yesterday.

Your affte

Henry


Notes:

1. Lady Elizabeth Howard (d. 1845), daughter of Thomas Howard, Earl of Suffolk (1776–1851), MP.

2. Lady Anne Hunloke, née Eccleston (1788–1872); after 1860, known as Lady Anne Scarisbrick.

3. Thomas Moore (1780–1852), Irish poet.

4. A presumed intangible or mysterious force that is said to influence human beings. The term was applied by the German physician Franz Anton Mesmer to the hypnotism that he used in the treatment of patients. He believed that it was an occult force or invisible fluid emanating from his body and that, more generally, the force permeated the universe, deriving especially from the stars.

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