Belle vue ^<1> –
Tuesday 29. –

My dear Henry

I have received two letters from you this morning; the one which you wrote on Sunday ^<2> & sent round by London having travelled quicker than its companion – but what a lingering traveller Saturday’s letter ^<3> must have been, not to arrive till Tuesday! – I am very glad that you have heard from Nice, & that they were actually preparing to set out – they cannot now change their minds, but they do do not seem to intend making very rapid progress – You will rather envy them the passage of the Col de Tende at this season when the flowers are in all their glory – but perhaps it may be a very little too early for them, especially after the cold winter. – I am quite contented with your report of the growth of my flower seeds – I did not expect that such a number would have already made their appearance – I suppose Fitzsimmons ^<4> has not touched my flower garden – Why should you not go to Abbotsbury ^<5> for a few days if you can spare time? – I think it would do you good, & my Sisters ^<6> are not afraid of my remaining too long with them, even if you should not be able to fetch me at the end of three weeks – so pray do go, that is, if you feel inclined. – I suppose we may expect your Mother ^<7> home towards the end of April, if she does not remain herself at Paris – but of course we shall hear as she draws nearer home. – Will there be time for our tour in Glamorganshire before she comes? – we must not contrive to absent ourselves from Lacock just at the wrong moment – I am much surprised to hear that you have had warm weather at Lacock – here we have been rather complaining of cold & grumbling at the high winds. – And from your account the verdure must be forwarder than it is here – at least in our garden there is very little to admire – The letter which you enclosed to me was from Miss Cotton, ^<8> full of kind enquiries. –

I do not think I have much to tell you today only I do wish the postage of your letters was not so very slow, because my it prevents my knowing so soon what you are going to do –

Adieu; I have had shocking pens & ink – Ela ^<9> is very well & will adopt your idea about the ball –

Do go to Abbotsbury –

Your affectionate
Constance. –

I was not aware of the promise made to Harriet ^<10> about raising her wages, nor do I even know what she receives at present – so I cannot at all judge whether her request is a reasonable one – but I suppose she is in no immediate hurry to have it determined. – I have been thinking that Price’s ^<11> wages are very low for a housekeeper & Lady’s maid, & I mean to ask you about encreasing them. – She is very modest & content not to have mentioned the subject herself. –

Henry Fox Talbot Esq^re
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham

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Notes:

1. Belle vue house, a private residence in Southampton.

2. Not located.

3. Doc. No: 03232.

4. Cornelius Fitzsimmons, Scottish gardener at Lacock Abbey.

5. Abbotsbury, Dorset: home of William Thomas Horner Fox Strangways.

6. Laura Mundy (1805– 1 September 1842); Emily Mundy (1807– 5 November 1839); Marian Gilder, née Mundy (1806 – 14 October 1860); m. 6 August 1844 William Troward Gilder (d. 1871), Army Surgeon (ret); WHFT’s sisters-in-law.

7. Lady Elisabeth Theresa Feilding, née Fox Strangways, first m Talbot (1773–1846), WHFT’s mother.

8. A flower-painter. [See Doc. No: 03318].

9. Ela Theresa Talbot (1835–1893), WHFT’s 1^st daughter.

10. Housemaid.

11. Mrs Sarah Henneman, first m Price ( ca.1811–1848), housemaid at Lacock Abbey.