TALBOT1230

21 Dec^r

My dearest Henry

I write you two hurried Lines that Mondays Post may not go without taking something to you - Your sisters ¹ are much better of their Colds, & your Mother ² altogether better - though still so very nervous, that I doubt my being able to get away merely for a week - The Stanleys are however come who she likes, & there is something more going on in the world, so I hope to get her amused - Montgomeries Friend Bailey ³ is here but unluckily only passing through on his way to Nice - he would have been a great resource to her as he is a very agreeable man he will however be a great agremens ⁴ to Charlotte ⁵ as soon as she recovers from the affliction into which they will both be thrown by S^r W. Lemons ⁶ death. They will feel his loss very much - there never existed a better man or a kinder Father - L^d Aberdeen & his Brother Captain Gordon ⁷ who we met at Vienna are also going there for the health of L^d A daughter [sic] so they will have some society at Nice after all - You should take care of your cold - & for GOD's sake if you have any pain in your chest when you draw your breath as if you were swallowing a sharp instrument be bled directly. I hope however by this Time change of Air &c will have set you up & my prescription be unnecessary - We have less chance than ever of any gayeties [sic] at the Embassy as L^d Granville ⁸ expects to be obliged to leave the House himself while it is repairing. I wonder you had not rec^d our last Mondays Letter on Thursday when you wrote - from your Mother & Horatia I hope you got it sooner or later - Tell me what you think of young Richard ⁹. Giovanni ¹⁰ has not yet heard of any Place. There are several who advertize but I do not enquire for them till I hear from you how your present servant goes on - One today who being an Italian speaks Greek Vallachian ¹¹Russian French Spanish German & English with an &c at the end of them which means more I suppose than the Paper will contain I shall see him out of curiosity -

W. H. F. Talbot Esq^r
31 Sackville S^t
Piccadilly