TALBOT2128

Brighton
January 14^th

My dear Henry

We had a very pleasant dinner yesterday, consisting of Charlotte Butler, ¹ M^r Shelley, M^r Beauclerk & M^r Law, & in the evening a very agreable [sic] party, the Ellissons, Gents, M^r & M^rs Vernon, Montagues, ² &c. M^rs Vernon & Miss Gent sang together & I accompanied, & it went off remarkably well. We ended by dancing Mazurkas & Galloppes when almost every body was gone, old M^rs Gent playing for us. Francis Baring ³ came in the evening, & was very agreable [sic] as usual. – John Ivory’s ⁴ description of Laycock Abbey, has given Mamma ⁵ a longing desire to go there; for my own part, I think this the best place to spend this particular disagreeable time of year, & I would return to Laycock in the spring as did John Ivory. However I do not know what we are to do, I believe nothing is decided yet. – May I subscribe the sum of one penny in your name, towards ^£1000 that a Lady is to collect for a hospital? She laid a wager with another lady that she would collect the said sum in penny pieces, in the space of a year & a day. If successful, the amount of the wager, which was ^£500, was to be added to the charity; but nobody may give more than a penny, & the year expires next May. We went today to the Dutch Fair, where there is a lottery, all prizes; I got a very nice pocket-book. – Is it true that Metternich ⁶ has been turned out at last? We have made acquaintance with Signor Pecchio, a very agreable [sic] Milanese refugee, a great friend of Charles Fox’s – he told me he had great hopes for his country, ⁷ & that before three weeks we should probably hear of some change in that quarter –

Addio carissimo fratello, ⁸ write me a letter from Melbury

Yr affectionate sister
Caroline –

Leben Sie wohl, Liebster Bruder! ⁹

[envelope:]
William H. Fox Talbot Esq^r.
Melbury
Dorchester
Dorset
Not Known
Laycock Abbey
Chippenham
Wilts'
Brighton January fourteen 1831