TALBOT1331

My dear Henry

I am the last of the family to whom you should write if your object in so doing is to get an answer, but if you disinterestedly wish to give pleasure I can venture to say that I am as worthy of a letter as any of the rest. I suppose before this you will have heard of Kit’s ¹ safe arrival and bilious complexion and also of all the curiosities he has brought with him – which if you have not write to Penrice ² for the particulars the ignorance which you say exists in Dorsetshire about us all is a deserved return for their never sending us word of Stavy’s & Ste’s ³ illness I have a great mind to parody a piece of Hamlet upon the occasion, which I saw acted the other night “there’s ne’er a friend in all Dorsetsh: but – &c I say no more – ⁴

My german master amuses me extremely – I am reading a most admirable tragedy of Schillers Wallenstein ⁵ – do you know it Maryanne & Kate Nicholl ⁶ take their lesson at the same time with me which adds a great deal to my pleasure in it – I have just been writing my exercise, and find almost as much trouble in turning my english as I had in doing the german – I hope you do not mean to give Emma ⁷ a translation though I dare say she would like it as well

Mama ⁸ has had the rheumatism in her back very much, the others are well – they have just been to an electioneering sort of ball at Swansea we shall have plenty of that in the spring I imagine, Nobody can say we shall come to London till we are actually on the road – such is the happy uncertainty of our plans for the future – we never like to look forward and indeed I think we are all the happier for it – Mama thinks no reason but the children’s health can be sufficient for leaving Penrice though when once separated from the loadstone [sic] the attraction is not so apparent

Aunt H’s ⁹ message delights me never was a letter reopened to better purpose – Pray do not settle your plans for the spring without trying whether they will not coincide with Kits for he would be so happy in your company – Jane ¹⁰ is pretty well – they go to Penrice this Christmas – Bella ¹¹ & Emma would I doubt not joyfully come to London (they think journeys no trouble) purely to get acquainted with Caroline & Horatia ¹² whom they are so prepared to love and admire – Aunt Louisa ¹³ came to see us yesterday – they had a very rough passage but she was not ill Aunt C. ¹⁴ is better again – the Nicholls & the children are all well –

Yours very affectionately
Charlotte Talbot

I hear that the stories related by Kit & his men are marvellous & interesting in the superlative degree – Pray write to somebody at Penrice for you have not written I think since you sent me the mutter und ihr kind ¹⁵ [sic] which diverted me very much –

London Dec^r six 1825 J. Nicholl
Henry Talbot Esq^re
Moreton
Dorchester
Dorset