TALBOT1192

Southampton
July 1^st 1824

My dear Henry

As I conclude you are now at Baden, I have some hopes this letter may reach you, but you never told me where to direct in yours – I am here for the purpose of laying down the new vessel to go to the Mediterranean, her lines are now being drawn under my superintendance & I flatter myself she will be practically if not theoretically, the “Solid of least resistance”. She is to be called the Calisto, which, I have just found out gives (when anagrammatized) O sail CT. & La I cost! I have received two letters directed to Strangeways Fox Talbot Esq^{r 1} I presume they must be for you, they contain a notice that the person to whom they are sent has been elected a member of the Athenæum ² – Possibly you may know something of such a society. From the name I imagine they must be literati. I dined at the dinner of the horticultural society the other day, with the exception of the fruit, there was nothing remarkable in the proceeding –

I have frequently regretted the opportunity I lost of travelling with you from Genoa to Baden, it is one which will probably never recur, as I shall not be so much my own master in future as I have been – Nothing human however shall prevent me from going to the Mediterranean, & I shall be happy to offer you a birth [sic]. – I have heard nothing of John Strangways ³, except that he is in Sicily – I owe him a grudge for traducing me. I find he accused me of caprice for giving up our intended journey, whereas he well knew I was obliged to do so by the powers that were I have engaged Masson as my servant (who you may remember lived with Jane & Nicholl ⁴) he is to perform the office of steward to the yacht, ^for which he is well-qualified, being a good french cook, & free from sea-sickness

I have lost the fine chesnut hunter I had, which you rode to Swansea – he died in consequence of a severe run we had in Northamptonshire, there are many Christians whose loss I could have borne better – Sir Chris^r my mother & sisters ⁵ are now at Malvern ⁶ Charlotte⁷ remains much the same as when you were at Penrice. I hope the trip to Malvern may be of service to her – Pray let me hear from you when you are likely to be in England. I long to see you again and to assure you with what truth I am

Your Aff^te cousin
Ch^r Talbot

PS Pray present me to your mother & sisters. ⁸

W. H. F. Talbot Esq^r
Captⁿ Feilding’s ⁹
Poste Restante
Baden
Radstadt
Munchen ¹⁰