TALBOT2095

Sackville Street ¹
Dec^r 3^rd 1830

My Dear Henry

I did not write before, because Mamma ² was so very exact in writing every day, that I thought I should have nothing left to tell you. The only news I have today is the appointment of William Ashley ³ to be Vice Chamberlain to the Queen, to the great disappointment of Lady Ilchester, ⁴ who thought Uncle John ⁵ might had had it, if it had been known of in time, & the violent indignation of all the Whigs, particularly Aunt Louisa. ⁶ They think it a great shame that L^d Melbourne ⁷ should have given any thing to the son of a tory, & such a tory as L^d Shafesbury ⁸! I think it very hard too upon Uncle John; as it is only ^£600 a year, it is just a sort of thing that might have been asked for; but somehow they never think of asking in time, but allow all the other greedy & hungry people to snap up every thing first. John is now at Melbury, ⁹ helping Uncle Harry ¹⁰ – things are quiet in the immediate neighbourhood; they have taken several prisoners at Castle hill near Mintern [sic]; L^d Corry ¹¹ has also gone to assist in the defence. Moreton is bricked & barred up & barricaded in every possible way, garrisoned with 12 militia, & Stores of brickbats & other missiles collected in the garrets, to be hurled by Aunt Harriot ¹² on the heads of the assailants. – Louisa Frampton, Theresa, Caroline & Elbelle ¹³ are in Burlington S^{t 14} – Have you heard that M^r Neeld ¹⁵ is going to marry Lady Caroline Ashley? ¹⁶ how delighted L^d S. ¹⁷ will be, to get a place for his son, & rid of his daughter at the same time. C’est trop de bonheur pour ce vieux Harpagon. ¹⁸

We had a very amusing soirée the other day at Lady Dudley Stuart’s; ¹⁹ acting tableaux, singing, dancing, an improvisatore, the Tripolitan Envoy, Sidi Rey [text missing] Omar, &c &c. – I hear the tumults have [illegible]²⁰ Leicestershire. – We all approve extremely your proclamation – Uncle William ²¹ wishes you would send one into Dorsetshire as a hint. – Addio, carissimo fratello, ²² pray answer me –

y^r aff^te Sister
Caroline

There have been riots at Dulverton – L^d Porchester ²³ has been out with the yeomanry – Isabella ²⁴ is better –

Henry Fox Talbot Esq^r
Laycock Abbey
Chippenham
Wilts