TALBOT1238

Redlynch, ¹
Friday night Jan^ry 14^th 1825

My Dear Mother,

We are here a shooting party Lord I. Sir C.C. H^y Murray ² & I - We came this morning from Melbury ³ & return Tuesday We had most excellent sport today which I should have enjoyed very much, but happened to be not very well, however I killed a hare. I am writing as you see with an execrable pen, which I have now changed for the better in a small degree. Our Melbury party has lost L^y George, Emily, and Kit ⁴ and gained Aunt Susan ⁵ who is in excellent spirits, talks of never seeing you more, but in a tone of voice that shews she does not really believe so. All the party has been assailing me with questions what you mean in your letter to Charry ⁶ "that very likely you shall not return to England this year" I of course cannot explain it, as you have not said a word of it to me. I shall be extremely sorry at any such determination which seems to me to be unattended with any advantage correspondent to the inconveniences which you must see it would produce. - I hope you have written to Montgom. ⁷ Here is a Genuine Irish Bull for you, taken down from the mouth of Lord Dunraven ⁸ the other day when they were shooting. "Arrah my Honies (N.B. this commencement is apocryphal) There goes a Woodcock and Nobody saw him!!!" Have you seen in the paper the story of the sailor in the streets of Edinburgh during the late gale. An iron chimneypot fell near him, recovering from his astonishment he exclaimed to his companion I tell you what, Jack, you'll never catch me on shore again in a Gale of Wind!! Lady Ilchester ⁹ is quite delighted at John's ¹⁰ luck in making acquaintance with Capt Hamilton. ¹¹ W^{m 12} is by this time at Brussels. - The Lemons ¹³ have no idea of returning to England sooner in consequence of Sir W's ¹⁴ death: - I am going to Moret[on]¹⁵ for a day or two, mean to be in Town the 24^th & in Paris the 1^st of February. - We are in great Hope that Charry will be prevailed upon to come over from bath. I am not going to Bowood, ¹⁶ they have left it already. - Caroline ¹⁷ has not written me a word since I saw her. - Miss Elbors' ¹⁸ complain they never write to her. I told her I thought they had. Good bye I am tired with a long & fagging walk. -

y^r aff^te son
H. Talbot

Lady E. Feilding
Hotel de la Terrasse
R. Rivoli
Paris