TALBOT2320

London
Saturday
17^th March

My Dear Henry

Mama ¹ is gone out with Caroline ² & has left me this to finish Papa ³ has got a fit of the gout so we shall not be able to go Tuesday; which nothing else could have prevented us doing. We shall probably be at Laycock Wednesday but it is not certain as we cannot tell how soon he will be well again. It is not a very bad fit however but it depresses his spirits. Caroline is a little better today. We were at a ball last night at M^rs Heneage’s ⁴ – a very nice house & just the sort of ball you like – not very fine La Duchesse de Dino ⁵ has one next Friday which we shall not be here for. Amandier ⁶ is going Tuesday with Me^lle de Longchamp ⁷ to Calais, in spite of the untempting description of the Quarantine house that Will Gallwey ⁸ wrote Papa. However they prefer it to the long sea voyage by Haore & perhaps they are right. I am sorry you think of leaving Laycock so soon – it was scarcely worth while to be in such a hurry to get there – & if you meant to spend only ten days there, you might as well have waited for us – But you are a drôle de corps ⁹ always. Addio – believe me notwithstanding

your very aff^te sister
Horatia

I am sorry to hear there are nothing but snowdrops & crocusses in bloom – I expected hyacinths narcissuses, tulips & what not – Pray tell all my flowers to bestir themselves a little against I come, or else another time I will not abandon the gaieties of London to go & visit them in the Spring.

W. H. Fox Talbot Esq^re
Laycock Abbey
Chippenham
Wilts