My dear Henry
If you have leisure to think about me at all I am afraid you will think me very remiss and ungrateful in not having before thanked you & Mrs Talbot <1> for the excellent wedding cake <2> you have sent me it followed us to Penrice <3> where we are now staying and enjoying ourselves very much as we have got quite a family party – Kit – Bella & Mr Franklin <4> & their children Mama <5> is in very good spirits & I really think stronger than I have seen her for some time past. and every thing is so exactly as it used to be formerly that you may easily bring us before your minds eye – I daily bless God for allowing me to enjoy so much happiness & I am sure this feeling is common to every individual of our party – We all think the sound of Mrs Talbot very pretty and only wish there was another person with a similar name I fancy there will be one Miss T. the fewer before very long but I have not been authorized to mention the circumstances – I long to be acquainted with Mrs Talbot & hope you will like a dutiful cousin bring her into Glamorganshire where she may run through a gauntlet of houses from one end of this county to the other of her new connections & relations – beginning at Ruperra & ending at Penrice Mr Traherne <6> desires his best thanks & good wishes may not be forgotten –
Your aff cousin
Ch T.
Notes:
1. Constance Talbot, née Mundy (1811–1880), WHFT’s wife.
2. From WHFT’s marriage on 20th December 1832.
3. Penrice Castle and Penrice House, Gower, Glamorgan, 10 mi SW of Swansea: home of Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot.
4. Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot (1803–1890), immensely wealthy landowner, mathematician & politician; WHFT’s Welsh cousin; Isabella Catherine Franklen, née Talbot (1804–1874); Richard Franklen.
5. Lady Mary Lucy Cole, née Strangways, first m. Talbot (1776–1855), WHFT’s aunt.
6. Rev John Montgomerie Traherne (1788–1860), JP & author.