Sunday July 26 –
My dear Henry
If you are still in London I wish you would cause the General Post to scold the Chippenham <1> office for their extreme ignorance & inattention. – Here is a Foreign letter (for America) which Mlle Amélina <2> sent from hence, with directions that the proper postage should be paid to Bristol. – The Chippenham office persisted in saying that the postage was only a penny, & sent it off in that way without receiving the correct postage, or knowing what the amount of postage was – The letter is therefore returned to Mlle A. this morning with the cover, which we enclose for your perusal. – And pray observe & cause the authorities to observe that the directions in the latter part of the circular, were in this instance strictly attended to & that the fault rests with the Chippenham Post office – Harriot <3> & her sposo seem very comfortable, though sorry that you were obliged to go away just at this moment – We wish you had left the keys of the Museum & Tower <4> – as they never saw the former. – They have not fixed their day for going – My Brother <5> is in a hurry but H. wishes to see her Aunt Lady Lansdowne, <6> & I am going to send over tomorrow & enquire when she is realy [sic] coming –
Yr affte
Constance
H. Fox Talbot Esqre
31 Sackville Street
London
Notes:
1. Chippenham, Wiltshire: largest town near Lacock, 3 miles N.
2. Amélina Petit De Billier, ‘Mamie’, ‘Amandier’ (1798–1876), governess and later close friend of the Talbot family [See Amélina's journal].
3. Harriot Georgiana Mundy, née Frampton (1806-1886), WHFT’s cousin & sister-in-law.
4. Lacock Abbey.
5. William Mundy (1801-1877), politician, WHFT’s brother-in-law.
6. Louisa Emma Petty Fitzmaurice, née Fox Strangways, Marchioness of Lansdowne (1785-1851), wife of Henry Petty Fitzmaurice, 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne; Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Victoria, 1837-1838; WHFT's aunt.