TALBOT2251

Coedriglan ¹
Nov^r 15^th

My dear Henry,

I do not think it is quite correct in me to write my congratulations to you as you desire but but [sic] I am not unwilling to do so because I am so much better acquainted with you than with Caroline, ² so I hope she will receive my hearty good wishes for her happiness as kindly as if directly addressed to herself – what a beautiful home she will have – I remember particularly a seat there which I dare say will suit her fancy as much as it did mine – it is a stone seat with a green glade in front sloping down to the sea – woods on each side all the busy shores shut out & only the beautiful blue & restless yet silent ocean before you – it is quite a place of contrasts which makes it the more interesting I think when we were there the french garden as it was called was extremely pretty but it is now many years ago & I do not know whether that is kept up – Then Cothele ³ is a very pretty place – the Spanish chesnuts in the wood there are as fine as any I ever saw except in the Val Levantina – I shall certainly invite myself to pay her a visit & revive my ancient recollections – one of these days – almost my first sketches were made there – Your letter was a sad contrast to what those you used to write to us some fifteen years ago – I assure you many of those are now extant and most amusing compositions they are – written quite close all over the sheet while this begins in the middle & ends at the bottom of the first page as if you thought that like Frederic the great ⁴ I could not bear to turn over a leaf – the information conveyed was I will own sufficiently weighty & important but I should like to have a full true & particular account of the wedding when it takes place, not omitting dresses & decorations and it is only on condition you will write me this that I can forgive the conciseness of your first communication – I wish I had ever even seen Lord Valletort ⁵ but I hope we may be acquainted some time or other – I consider h[im]⁶ a very fortunate man for so charming a person as Caroline is I don’t mean only in appearance but also in disposition is very rarely met with – beauty without vanity – accomplishment without pretension & exigeance – an easy placid temper that is the very jewel of every day life – you see I know something of her though I do not feel so well acquainted as I am with you, simply because we have never been long enough together for me to practise my arts of insinuation upon her & become her friend – M^r Traherne ⁷ desires his sincere congratulations to all the parties concerned on this happy occasion

We were very sorry you did not happen to be at home when we were at Lacock – what a delightful room you have made of the gallery. Pray give my love to Aunt Lily M^r F. ⁸ Caroline & Horatia ⁹

& believe me your affectionate twin-cousin
Charlotte Traherne

W. Henry Fox Talbot Esqr
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham
Wilts