TALBOT2599

L. abbey
19^th Feb^y

My Dear Henry

Pray bring down with you that book containing those two letters of yours, I should like to see them. You can either send it down by Caroline ¹ or bring it with you at Easter. I should prefer the former.

Gwynne ² has an idée lumineuse ³ she begs me to communicate to you. She thinks that our upper Kitchen maid (having studied now for a year under Delorme ⁴) would do very well for a Cuisiniere ⁵ for your small ménage ⁶ after Easter when you part with Jane. If you think this at all desirable, she would make Delorme take pains to improve her between this & then. She is an honest good sort of person, and would of course expect very low wages. Answer this when you have time. Upon your name appearing in the Globe in the Majority, it was announced in the house that you had made a speech, & I received a deputation from the servants to beg to be allowed to read it. Betty Vickery & Fitzsimons ⁷ [sic] were particularly anxious on this subject. Betty is very happy here with the Baby ⁸ which is a great amusement to her. She told me she thanked the Lord you were blessed with a good young Lady. I invited her to stay till you come down that she might see her.

Do you find the H. of Commons as amusing as you expected? What a number of strange vulgar names get up every night to speak! The Member for Bath disgusts me. It is blowing again to night & raining as if “Chaos was come again” ⁹ – I am obliged to think of how many years these chimnies have stood this conflict of the elements to strengthen my nerves for the wind is awful & the rain pattering loudly. I have written to M^r Moore ¹⁰ & settled it all as you wished. He will think no more about it

aff y^rs
Elis^th F

M^r F. ¹¹ has kindly given me a quantity of large Evergreens with which I shall proceed to beautify the shrubbery

Henry Fox Talbot Esq^r M.P.
31. Sackville Street
London