TALBOT2758

Laycock Abbey
Tuesday 5^th Nov^r

My dear Henry

I write according to your wish on a venture to Lyons but I will not make it a long letter as there is small chance of your ever getting it. I wonder at your coming back to these high latitudes just as winter is setting in – but every one knows their own affairs best & we shall be very glad to see you all. It was very nice meeting Caroline ¹ again at Genoa, & I have no doubt she enjoyed it very much. We have had the most beautiful weather possible, but it is now setting in very cold & regular Nov^r weather. We were at Bowood ² 2 days ago to meet Lord & L^y E Grosvenor³ & Henry Fox & his bride⁴ who I was very curious to see, she is a little fat thing very merry & bien gentille with fine black eyes et un pied mignon. ⁵ They seem extremely happy as yet I do not know how long it will last, but I should not think him likely to make the best of husbands. – Henry Fitzmaurice ⁶ is returned from Germany where he spent the Summer with M^r Guthrie ⁷ studying & learning German – the greatest part of the time they were at a Pastor’s in Saxony which put them exactly in mind of the deutsche Kleinstädter ⁸ – quantities of frau obersteuereinnehmerin & frau bergräthin ⁹ &c

I had hoped that by answering Constance’s ¹⁰ letter so promptly I should have engaged her to write me another, but I have been hitherto disappointed – however I hope she has been sketching instead & that she will shew me her drawings to make up for it. Pray tell her so with my love

Y^r aff^te sister
Horatia

I suppose you have heard of Captain Ross ¹¹ turning up after all quite safe. They [filled?]¹² Drury Lane the other day by putting about that he was to be there, & it was a hoax after all.

Poor Mama ¹³ has been suffering from a toothache & is gone to Bath this horrid day to have it drawn.

Monsieur
Monsieur Talbot

Poste restante
à Lyons