TALBOT1405

N^o 6.

Turin,
Saturday evening 18^th March 1826

My Dear Mother

I came from Lans le Bourg today, and I believe I have time to stay all tomorrow – I cannot undertake a description of the passage of M^t Cenis till I have more leisure; the weather was as fine as possible, the snow extremely deep, the prospect such as you may imagine on a light sunshiny day near the North Pole. – My Carriage runs lightly, & has broken nothing; – Il Cavaliere de S Quintino ¹ is not at home this evening – I have heard nothing of the courier Contini.

You will see by the N^os whether you receive all my letters – The last were from Troyes & Chambery. ² Here is an advertisement from the Turin Gazette. “La nave a vapore il Verbano comincierà il suo regolare servizio sul Lago Maggiore il 15 Marzo – detta nave receve e depone giornalmente i passaggieri à Arona, Angera, Belgirate, Baveno, Isole Borromee, Pallanza, Intra, Laveno, Luino, Canobbio, Locarno, per mezzo di battelli appositamente destinati. La maggior lunghezza del Lago essendo di miglia 40 g da Sesto a Magadino. Dietro le ripetute Sperienze che si sono fatte in presenza di una Commissione nominata del Governo si è accertato che la detta nave percorre 7 miglia all’ora. Per maggior comodo dei passaggieri, detta nave è provista d’un Caffettiere Ristoratore ³ –

Sunday March 19.

M S^t Quintino called on me this morning & took me to the Museum – He is much discouraged by the want of money to publish its treasures. The Diario di Roma contains the following letter from Ancona

“On the 18^th of February the steampacket arrived from Corfu in 2 days & 4 hours, she sailed again on the 20^th with a cabinet courier who had arrived from London in nine days –”

This seems to be the vessel’s first trip, as the writer gives a description of the engine, as of a thing quite new to him –

It is curious that Mr Hay should have known nothing of this cabinet courier, & the vessel that was sent to meet him –

I was very fortunate in crossing M^t Cenis yesterday Today the Alps are wrapped in thick clouds

Your Aff^te Son
H.T.

[address panel:]
Lady E. Feilding
31 Sackville Street
Londra