TALBOT2421

Laycock Abbey
September 25^th

My dear Henry

We arrived here last Wednesday after a very pleasant journey which we spun out to three days - M^t Edgcumbe ¹ looked more beautiful than ever just as we were crossing over & took our last view of its white temples & beautiful woods, with the blue sea in the distance & Britannia lying in the Sound. - We found the Gallweys ² still here which I was very glad of, & Niemcewicz ³ - the next day the Mundys ⁴ arrived to my great surprize, for I understood they had appointed to meet you at the Peak. - The next day M^r Vivian & Count Zamoisky ⁵ arrived & we had tableaux - You have no idea what capabilities of stretching this house possesses, & how well it accomodates [sic] itself to circumstances. On Saturday we had the most famous tableaux of all, & they were honoured by the presence & approbation of no less personages than L^d & Lady Lansdowne, the Lady Louisa Fitzmaurice, ⁶ M^r Rogers & M^r Luttrell. ⁷ - L^d Valletort ⁸ & I represented a scene of Brigands, being costumés ⁹ to admiration, & Caroline Galwey ¹⁰ [sic] looked beautiful as Raphael's S^t Cecilia, ¹¹ in which picture the whole corps dramatique ¹² were grouped. - Gale ¹³ erected a charming little theatre at the end of the gallery under L^d V.'s directions, & further distinguished himself by producing in the course of an hour, a Pan's pipes for S^t Cecilia, exactly like Raphael's. There were various others, too long to describe, but all of which had the most unbounded & deserved applause. Unluckily Papa ¹⁴ was obliged to go to London Friday, & therefore did not see them, & L^d V. set out very early Sunday morning on his canvassing tour. Amandier ¹⁵ came that same evening, & M^r Moore ¹⁶ & M^r Lutrell [sic] are expected tomorrow; so that the old Abbey never witnessed before such a succession of visitors & festivities - or to express myself in the language of the day, never before was a scene of such unexampled gaiety & splendour, honoured by such a numerous assemblage of rank & fashion. L^d Lansdowne says he expects every day to hear of Operas being performed here - I like your description of Alton Abbey ¹⁷ very much; but what on earth put into your head that I had seen it, I cannot divine - I never was near it. - Harriot ¹⁸ hopes you will stay at Markeaton ¹⁹ till she arrives there - I have brought from M^t Edgcumbe two flourishing young Stone pines, 5 years old, in pots, for Mamma ²⁰ - she is charmed with them - Mary Barnes ²¹ & all the old women were so delighted to see me again, & asked after my lord Valentort. Addio car fratello ²² - write to me again soon & describe your séjour ²³ at Alton Abbey -

Y^r aff^te Sister
Caroline

W. H. Fox Talbot Esq^r
Markeaton
Derby
Post Office ²⁴
Bangor
North Wales