TALBOT1718

Carclew ¹
30 September

My dear Henry,

We begin to think it long since we have heard of you, having only rec^d one letter since you reached Switzerland – I am very sorry you did not find more letters from home at Geneva, but I assure you it was not my fault – 7 have been written & this is the 8^th & now that we direct by “France” as you desire I hope you get them more regularly – We have been very quietly happy, & comfortable here – & by way of a whit been cheered & very much amused by the arrival of the Queen of Portugal, ² which created great enthusiasm amongst the Falmouthians ³ – The spirit seems to h have moved all the Quakers for they exerted themselves excessively. She was rec^d on shore by about 30 little girls prettily dressed, & strewing Flowers before her, & she proceeded to the Portuguese Consuls (a Quaker) where she held a drawing room, & where your mother & sisters ⁴ were presented & kissed her little hand – poor thing!! I fear the Throne at the Quakers is the only one she will ever ascend – her landing was a very pretty sight & the day most beautiful – she is not handsome – something like P^ss Charlotte, ⁵ german in short – The King ⁶ sent his Carriage & Lords of the Bedchamber ⁷ to receive her as a Queen & as in his Speech he says he shall be guided by the wishes of the head of the House of Braganza ⁸ – I do not see how we are to resist Pedro’s ⁹ appeal if he makes it in despight [sic] of the calmant ¹⁰ which has been administered to him in the shape of L^d Strayford[?] ¹¹ – Freemantle ¹² who came straight from the cottage at Windsor says that it is quite evident something must be done about the Catholics, which means I suppose concession for his own [illegible] The Duke of Newcastle ¹³ would recommend the reamendment of all the Penal Laws. ¹⁴ I hope by the bye that some Paper you may see will contain the Dukes Letter. it will amuse you (it appeared in the Papers of 23^d Sep^r) – & shock you at the same Time to think that any man, & particularly a man representing the opinions of a considerable body should have such ideas in these days – my own opinion is that they will do something, but so little & so ungraciously as to be insufficient as to calming the irritation which exists, & that they will turn round on us & say, “see the more we do the more they want & the worse they are” – The Girls will have told you how pleased they were with Kingston Hall ¹⁵ & Plymouth & Saltram ¹⁶ – They enjoy themselves here very much, & are as fond of Sir Charles ¹⁷ as he deserves they should be – for he is kindness itself to them besides being the most amiable man in the world coughs are certainly better since we have had mild westerly winds – but not quite well yet – we leave this the end of the week & go to Lady de Dunstanville ¹⁸ for a few days – & then to Melbury & Moreton, ¹⁹ at one or other of which places I cannot but hope you will join us ²⁰ – John ²¹ is not arrived but poor Lady Ilchester ²² is in Town hourly expecting him, & jumps up every Time the bell rings – We thought it possible he might arrive by the Malta Packet at Falm^th & your mother wrote him a Line to say we were here – You will have seen that L^d Belmore ²³ is named Governor of Jamaica – an appointment which surprizes every one – & must create great dismay in Dorsetshire –

God bless you my dear write soon to your affectionate
C. F.

Here is a charade for you.
Wherever your Fancy takes its flight,
From east to west, from Pole to Pole,
I’m dark, I’m light, I in day, I in Night,
My whole is half, my half is whole –

Mon^r
Mon^r Fox Talbot

Switzerland by France
Post restante
Genéve