Hotel Bellevue
Cadenabbia, lake of Como
Sunday June 27
My Dear Charles
We came here last Thursday, intending to stay a week, fortunately we have very fine weather, a little too hot at present. This is a good hotel – we have a beautiful balcony looking on the lake where we can sit and take the air. Your mother <1> likes the tranquillity of this place, after having so long resided in crowded cities.
Ela <2> wrote to you yesterday, and last week from Milan
As your mother and Ela wish to spend at least ten days in Paris, I think I shall return home before they do, to make preparations for them – We must engage a cook and housemaid &c &c before they return. I can’t tell exactly what day I shall return but will write again when I have settled it. Monie & Mlle Amélinéa <3> are established comfortably at the Baths of Lucca – Their address is Hotel du Pelican. It is a quiet spot very pleasant for good walkers but the paths are too steep for anybody else. High mountains in the back ground, covered with alpine flowers. Monie has not settled where they are to go for the winter – perhaps Naples – we are very sorry to hear you were laid up by a bad cold and obliged to take tonics – Your mother recommends you to try sea air, which is so easy in England – Do you ever go to hear the debates in the house of Lords? They are very interesting to read, and the house has done itself infinite credit lately in the opinion of most of the newspapers of all parties. When you write next you had better write to Ela or your mother, as my movements are more uncertain and I might miss your letter
Your affte
Father
Envelope:
Charles H. Talbot EsqNew University Club
St James’s St
London
Angleterre
Notes:
1. Constance Talbot, née Mundy (1811–1880), WHFT’s wife.
2. Ela Theresa Talbot (1835–1893), WHFT’s 1st daughter.
3. Rosamond Constance ‘Monie’ Talbot (1837–1906), artist & WHFT’s 2nd daughter and Amélina Petit De Billier, ‘Mamie’, ‘Amandier’ (1798–1876), governess and later close friend of the Talbot family [See Amélina's journal].