TALBOT1466

Pratolino
19 August.

My dearest Henry -

I am not very well this evening & have indeed very little to say to you - but as it is possible my letter to Coblentz may not have arrived before your passing through, I send you a few lines that you may receive one letter from me on the road - I cannot tell you how we are all enjoying this beautiful place & delightful air. your sisters ¹ are perfectly well, as indeed they have been ever since they have been in this country - I was disappointed at not having a letter from Calais yesterday - The Paris Newspapers of the 27^th came so if you had written so late as the 25^th even, I should have rec^d it, & unluckily the Post from Brusselles is 2 days longer on the road than the one from London, so if you have delayed writing till you get there it will be still some Time before I hear of your being safe over the water - I feel very ignorant of your plans of proceeding or of how long you intend staying in the different Towns, & have not the most distant idea where you are at this moment - This letter must I think be at Verona before you & that is the ne plus ultra ² of my calculation - We were unlucky about the eclipse, & stupid I suppose about the Comet for without your assistance we cannot find it - I wrote you word that there is a good Astronomer & observatory ³ here - at least so I am told & promised an introduction which I shall apply for when you come - I am afraid you will find the heat oppressive, travelling, & that your Mother ⁴ will be plagued with Mosquito's, & you too - I hope you bought the blue spectacles I recommended. They are absolutely necessary when exposed to the glare - William Strangways ⁵ being fixed at Naples with I conclude the power of coming to see us at Rome is a great piece of luck for us all all [sic] & you in particular - I should think it a blessed change if I were in his situation to be moved from Constantinople & to Naples - I am learning Italian, but very lazily - I have got the length however of buying books - The Box from England is not yet arrived, but will come soon I hope, 2 Months or 10 weeks is about the usual time - Your periodical publications ⁶ seem to arrive very regularly - I have taken great care of them - I hope by the bye you have not forgotten to leave word at the Post Office to have your letters forwarded I am anxious to hear that your Courier turns out useful, & that you like him - Adolphe ⁷ does so well & gives me so little trouble, that my disappointment about Nicolle ⁸ is not so great. The Russels ⁹ have not yet had an answer about their a house at Lucca, & I do not therefore know if I can have theirs here - it will be a disappointment to me not to have it after all, it is so much the best & coolest here.

GOD bless you my dear HY^r ever aff friend

C. F

my love to your Mother who will find a letter at Bologne, & to Montgomerie ¹⁰ -

Mons^r
Mons^r Talbot

Poste Restante
Verona