TALBOT1851

Temple Newsam ¹

27^th August

My Dear Henry

I have just received your letter from Penrice, ² & am sorry to find the same bad weather pursues you to the West that has followed us to the North. It has been one continued storm ever since we have been here & one goes on thinking every day that the Wind & rain must be exhausted. This is a fine old Place & once belonged to the Knights Templars, so that an Antiquary would find ample amusement in exploring the archæologia of this really most curious House. She ³ lives here en Autocratrice ⁴ & She gains much by being seen en intimité, ⁵ being very agreeable and well informed, with a thorough Knowledge of the world. I am extremely sorry you do not go to Lord L's, ⁶ you would have seen a fine place which I have always heard a great deal about, & pleasant people, which is more to the purpose. Your not having time amuses me, for I cannot perceive what hurries you besides in a land of pleasure one should make time for the s<ame> ⁷ reason (quite enough) of cultivating amiable society, of which there is a plentiful scarcity dans ce bas monde. ⁸ I hope you will go to P. Castle, & you will always be time enough to meet us, because we shall stay a fortnight or 3 weeks at L. From hence we go to see Bolton abbey, ⁹ where I believe the D. of D. ¹⁰ now is, & then to Bowness to meet Amandier, ¹¹ so that we shall be at least 3 days getting to L. We went to see poor Burley ¹² - he looked very melancholy

Henry Fox Talbot Esq^r