85 Wimpole Street <1>
Monday –
My dear Henry
You have given me the greatest pleasure this morning by your letter – for you have offered me so generously the one day more that I begged for yesterday. – We had some difficulty in finding the post office at Kensington – and shd have had much more today – for there is a very thick & yellow fog – All the other days that I have been here were bright enough. – Today I think Marian <2> will not venture to remain out long in the carriage. – She is better I fancy since I came – She desires me to send her love & tell you how very much pleased she is to keep me till Wednesday – I have bought the “Peacock at home” <3> – & will get the envelopes today & I have met with a few little french books suited to Ela & Rosamond’s <4> age – & 4 charming little sketch books for young artists – I have also bought the ‘History of Robin Hood’ <5> which I hope is well done – Marian & I are so very comfortable together! – I like her house better each day – Lady Elisabeth & Horatia <6> came to see it yesterday – but at ½ past 4 it was already too dark to appreciate its beauties –
I don’t think Wright <7> can have heard of a servant yet – for he has not communicated with me on the subject – I believe it is an unlikely time of year to hear of one – I hope the children <8> have behaved themselves prettily in my absence – their little letters this morning pleased me very much. – I am glad to receive such a good account of all – especially Charles –
Your own affectionate
Constance –
[envelope:]
H. F. Talbot Esqre
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham
Notes:
1. London.
2. Her sister, Marian Gilder, née Mundy (1806 – 14 October 1860); m. 6 August 1844 William Troward Gilder (d. 1871), Army Surgeon (ret).
3. Catherine Ann Turner Dorset, The peacock “at home”, or, Grand assemblage of birds (Philadelphia: Wm. Charles, W. McCulloch, 1814).
4. Ela Theresa Talbot (1835–1893), WHFT’s 1st daughter, and Rosamond Constance ‘Monie’ Talbot (1837–1906), artist & WHFT’s 2nd daughter.
5. The Adventures of Robert, Earl of Huntingdon, commonly called Robin Hood, the famous English archer being a complete history of all the merry adventures and valiant battles... (Baltimore: William Warner, 1812).
6. Lady Elisabeth Theresa Feilding, née Fox Strangways, first m Talbot (1773–1846), WHFT’s mother, and Henrietta Horatia Maria Gaisford, née Feilding (1810–1851), WHFT’s half-sister.
7. James Wright, footman to the Talbots & Constable for Lacock.
8. Ela, Rosamond, Matilda Caroline Gilchrist-Clark, ‘Tilly’, née Talbot (1839–1927), WHFT’s 3rd daughter, and Charles Henry Talbot (1842–1916), antiquary & WHFT’s only son.