TALBOT1698

Calais, Hotel Rignolle

7^th August 1828

My Dear Mother

Yesterday I went from London to Dover by a very slow coach, but as I was not pressé d’arriver ¹ it did as well as a faster one. The day was rainy & foggy. We had a high wind this morning, but as it was fair I decided to embark. We had a squally passage, but were safely landed at Calais in two hours & a half. M^rs and Miss Villiers ² & two of her brothers Hyde and Edward ³ were on board – They all proved very bad sailors, & as their domestics were no better, they were glad to recognise an old acquaintance in my servant, who waited on them with much zeal.

For my part I lay down on deck and fared pretty well except when a shower of rain came which obliged me to muffle myself up in my cloak. – The afternoon is now turning out fine & I hope to reach Montreuil today. All the diligences being full, I must either stay 24 hours at Calais or take the post. I think I shall prefer the latter. – Will you desire Macphail ⁴ to save all the seeds he can; I dare say Car. & Hor. ⁵ will make themselves useful in that department. I am reading Moliere ⁶ again, I have already got through Tartuffe & George Dandin ⁷ since I left Town. –

Your aff^te Son

H. Talbot

Lady E. Feilding
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham
Angleterre