Southampton
Thursday March 31.

My dear Henry

I have taken advantage of M^r Strangways ^<1> being at Southampton last night to ask him for a frank for you & another for Aunt Matilda ^<2> to whom I have just been writing. – Was it not very kind & thoughtful in M^r Strangways to send up his card from the George Inn with an intimation that he was proceeding to Moreton ^<3> at 10-o’clock today – in case my Father ^<4> should have anything to send. – We were all charmed with the attention & especially with the delicate way in which he made the offer. – I wrote him a note of thanks & told him that I hoped you would meet him at Abbotsbury ^<5> – will you not – it would do you much good. – Thanks for your letter ^<6> of yesterday, it arrived quite correctly this morning – I have already acted upon your permission to put the Servants into mourning ^<7> as regards the 2 maids in London & the housemaid at Lacock, by desiring Price ^<8> to write to them about it – The enclosed letter to Harriet ^<9> is on this subject – but if you think that by asking for an advance of wages she has any idea of leaving the family it would be better to ascertain this point before you give her the letter – I have no reason to suppose such a thing likely – only it would be useless in such a case to give her the clothes. – For George ^<10> I should think the cheapest way would be to order his things from the tailor at Lacock or Notton who made his last suit – and James ^<11> might take them with him to London when you go – that will be quite soon enough for him – & James of course must not have any as he is going – The expense for each of the maids will be about three pounds – which is not a very anxious sum – I am much gratified by your giving me such a ready assent to my wishes – when I mentioned it I did not imagine that you had bestowed a thought on the subject – And now a word about Nurse’s affairs – I am very glad that you have done nothing about the advertisement for she has changed her mind since I talked to her – & never told me of it till yesterday on my mentioning to her a delightful place that I had just heard of through Miss Ford of Bath – it was in every respect the kind of place which she had told me she wished for, wages 12 guineas & Miss Ford answered for its comfort & respectability – I felt delighted at the thought of establishing her in such a perfect situ family & only feared that she might not be approved considered worthy of it – But in consequence of her decision I wrote immediately to Miss Ford to decline it – Nurse now thinks that a kitchen maid’s place under a good Cook in a large family would give her the best chance of improving in her business & rising higher at a future time – M^rs Apps & M^rs Cobham, the cook & the housekeeper who are leaving my Father’s service & expect to be in London soon, have promised to enquire for a place for her among their friends – & she thinks there is no doubt that they will succeed – therefore I think we need not trouble ourselves about advertising for her – to do so here would not be of the slightest use to her because she is bent upon a place in London, on account of being near her child. – I do not think she is altogether wrong in her ideas only I wish she had considered it the subject [sic] thoroughly before we took any steps in her service. I will do your commission at M^r Pages’s ^<12> [sic] when there comes a fine day, but with weather like this one can hardly venture to any distance from the House – Shall you wish his list of plants sent to you; or will it do when you come? – M^r Strangways tells you he was going there this morning – I hope you have not overlooked his short epistle in the envelope –

My Sisters ^<13> have not succeeded in any negociation for a Cook & housekeeper – Miss Ford says there are none to be had in Bath – If you should hear of a chance one, pray mention her –

Ever dear Henry your affect^e
Constance. –

Ela ^<14> is rather fidgetty about her teeth, but looks quite well – & is as merry as usual – she has had two walks today – My Sisters are glad that they did not send her away in a hurry & they say besides that you are quite right in your conjecture of my Society being a comfort to them. – They desire their affectionate love –

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Notes:

1. William Thomas Horner Fox Strangways, 4^th Earl of Ilchester (1795–1865), botanist, art collector & diplomat.

2. Matilda Feilding (1775-1849), WHFT's 'aunt' - sister of Charles Feilding, his stepfather.

3. Moreton, Dorset: home of the Frampton family.

4. Francis Mundy (1771–1837), politician and father of Constance Talbot.

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

6. Not located.

7. For the death of Sarah Leaper Mundy, née Newton (d. 10 March 1836), WHFT's mother in law.

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

9. Harriot Georgiana Mundy, née Frampton (1806-1886), WHFT’s cousin & sister-in-law.

10. George Goodwin (d. 1875), footman at Lacock Abbey.

11. Servant.

12. Nurseryman.

13. 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.

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