4 Circus <1>
March 16th Thursday –
My dear Henry
Recognising the envelope of the Charity Voting Reform Association, I addressed to you, I have opened it to see what they want: very naturally being in want of money to carry out their object s they request a donation – Now as I drew this affair upon you, I particularly wish to give the guinea myself this time, but of course in your name as before – I think the Reform is much needed, but I don’t think they are getting the subject pressed home as quickly as we might have expected, considering how very simple a thing it is – I enclose also the previous circular to which reference is made in the present note. I think I must ask you to read both – and if you judge best to give them further assistance let it be in the way I saw, and I will repay you the guinea when you come to Bath.
We wish Caroline <2> had written a line to say how she got through her journey – it was such rough weather for travelling – On Monday night she had fixed to sleep at Exeter, in order to be in good daylight at Plymouth for crossing on Tuesday to Mount Edgcumbe: – but we fancy it may have been impossible for her to cross either Tuesday or yesterday. Has she written to you? – What disasters by sea and on land fill the columns of the Newspapers these three last days! yesterday it blew hard here all the morning with a fair allowance of sunshine, off & on, until 5 o’clock when we had the blackest cloud I ever saw. rising in the west or north West – We expected a heavy snow storm, but instead of this we had the loudest explosion of thunder & vivid lightening, just as the cloud passed over our heads – which was awfully startling – no snow, but a good down pour of rain & hail – Then the wind fell entirely – and we have had it comparatively calm ever since. May we exp credit the Equinox with all these winds? –
You heard of Jack’s <3> convalescence at Eton after measles? He appears to have got through them favorably – and now he is ordered to have change of air for I forget what period (ten days or something of that kind) – and Mrs Maxwell <4> has very kindly volunteered to take him to Bournemouth, travelling down from Scotland on purpose – This is really very kind of her, & very convenient & acceptable to John & Matilda <5> – It may very likely be thought useless for Jack to return to Eton for the remainder of this half, Easter being so near but nothing is decided about that at present.
Your affectionate
Constance
Notes:
1. 4 the Circus, Bath; frequent summer home of Constance Talbot, now a Museum of Costume.
2. Caroline Augusta Edgcumbe, née Feilding, Lady Mt Edgcumbe (1808–1881); WHFT’s half-sister.
3. John Henry Gilchrist-Clark, ‘Jack’ (1861–1902), WHFT’s grandson.
4. Mary Maxwell, née Clark.
5. John Gilchrist-Clark (1830–1881), Scottish JP; WHFT’s son-in-law, and Matilda Caroline Gilchrist-Clark, ‘Tilly’, née Talbot (1839–1927), WHFT’s 3rd daughter.