Lacock Abbey
Thursday.
My dear Henry
I am very sorry that you found Horatia <1> so unwell – but these Influenzas are really serious complaints, – & reduce the strength so suddenly! – It is very unfortunate that Dr Ferguson <2> should happen to have it at the same time. – I hope you will soon be able to send me a better account – & I also hope to hear that the others of the family have escaped – Above all, do not catch it yourself, for it would not be worth while as you only mean to stay a week in London.
It has really been quite Summer weather since you left us & reminds me of last Spring, only it is about a month earlier –
We had a lovely day Tuesday for our drive to Bath, & the children <3> behaved as well & were as happy as possible all the time – Their Great uncle & Aunt <4> were very kind to them, & especially admired Matilda <5> whom they had never seen before. – My Aunt looked very pale & weak, but was cheerful & extremely pleased by our going over to see her. – And it gave me also great pleasure to see such kind friends again, after an interval of three years –
I had a letter yesterday from Mina <6> to express her thanks for & her admiration of the Photographics. She says in conclusion – “We have talked much of the railroad that leads your way, & you must not be surprised to see us arrive some day – we should so like to see your home & your dear children, to say nothing of yourselves” – I have written in reply that their coming would please us well, but that I hoped to have notice enough to prepare their beds, as of course they wd not think of passing by without stopping. – If you like to call on Mrs Chambers, <7> she is at 19. Park Street. – I am going to write a description of the ladys maid I saw yesterday & enclose it with this – that you may judge of the proper moment to give it to Horatia, if she is well enough to be troubled with such matters.
Your affectionate
Constance
Notes:
1. Henrietta Horatia Maria Gaisford, née Feilding (1810–1851), WHFT’s half-sister.
2. Robert Ferguson (1799–1865), physician.
3. Ela Theresa Talbot (1835–1893), WHFT’s 1st daughter, Rosamond Constance ‘Monie’ Talbot (1837–1906), artist & WHFT’s 2nd daughter and Matilda Caroline Gilchrist-Clark, ‘Tilly’, née Talbot (1839–1927), WHFT’s 3rd daughter.
4. Their great-aunt, Eleanor Newton, née Stephenson (1788-1880), widow of Sarah Leaper Newton's brother, Robert Newton Leaper-Newton (1775-1846); she continued to live at Marle-Hill House, Cheltenham.
5. Matilda Caroline Gilchrist-Clark, ‘Tilly’, née Talbot (1839–1927), WHFT’s 3rd daughter.
6. Sister of Richard Charles Mellish (d. 1865), a clerk in the Foreign Office from 1824 to 1855.
7. An Aunt of Mina and Richard Mellish.