TALBOT2898

Friday

[this is written on the same sheet as a note from Lady Elisabeth - see ]

My dear Henry -

Pray get me from the H of Commons a Copy of the "first Report of the commission on the commercial Relations between France & England" which I see is just presented to both Houses, & which I should much like to have -

Sunday.

Horatia ¹ had a better Night, & I am much inclined to hope the complaint is on the Turn, but she still suffers a great deal of Pain & is very Helpless - our going is therefore delayed at all events till Thursday 12^th & if beyond that - to an uncertain Period - the Packet does not sail again in the morning till the 23^d -

If my watch is come Montgomerie ² may bring it - Thank Constance ³ for her Note - Horatia's Pain is in every joint, you may imagine how incapable she must be of moving herself even an Inch in bed or from her Back to the side & the Ennui ⁴ which it must create being so helpless - but she is better today - I am very glad you went to Hammersmith ^<5> & hope Constance will go there again some morning - I understand Betsey ⁵ is to go when you leave Sackville S^{t 6} tell Constance, as I answer her Question - I am in trouble about the changes - I regret Aucklands ⁷ appointment excessively - they take him from where he was doing perfectly well & place him in a situation all the Duties of which must be all new to him, & where he has a new Trade to learn - He will not be popular in the profession, in which he hardly knows a creature & his cold distant manner is not calculated to make him Friends - Why did not they persuade Abercromby ⁸ to take some office? he would have added character & respectability to their administration - L^d Carlisle ⁹ will not be less inefficient, for being paid - in short I am vexed that something more substantive has not followed the Change - Then think of Poulett Thomson ¹⁰ President of the board of Trade!! - It was his inefficiency, & the promise he had of the Presidency if Auckland was moved which in great measure created the difficulty & uncertainty as to Auck^ds accepting the Controllership of the Exchequer - Well, I cannot help it - & fretting is useless but it seems to me that we are going astern of ahead [sic] -

God bless you - I am very sorry you are unwell, but every body is I think.
C.F

Betty is gone to Bristol -
M^rs Vickeray [sic]
S^t Philips Plain
Bristol

W. H. Fox Talbot Esq^r M.P.
31. Sackville S^t
London