TALBOT2953

Dover
18^th July

My Dear Henry

I cannot think Antonio ¹ has passed the season when people usually take Foreign Servants – the end of July & till the middle of august they are continually going abroad, & we only took him upon trial. He has very gentlemanlike manners, and I was quite touchée ² when he took leave of me at the carriage door as I was leaving the Abbey that Morning. He is not active enough for us, but there is no harm in him, & I wish him well. M^r F. ³ [illegible deletion] gave him a very good certificate which you may confirm – and said he had no objection to his lodging in Sackville S^{t 4} if you gave him leave, tho’ he does not want him to plant himself there for the rest of his life. As to Lady H. Gallwey ⁵ we by no means wished her to be there only she wrote so often & pressed it so much – it was difficult to refuse, & so M^r F. said he could not without your leave, and that as Parliament was so uncertain you might be occupying the house yourself, so do not give leave fancying that we wish it. She seems to think it very ill natured to refuse, at the same time her French Maids will annoy Fanny extremely & all their ways. And if she writes to you, you may tell her the Furniture will be taken down when you go, which it will, & the beds.

Enclosed are our forgots.

Since I was here last they have built a large clock on the Pier exactly opposite these windows – it is lit at night and has a very striking effect amidst the surrounding darkness – When Horatia ⁶ & M^r F. are gone to bed I sit contemplating the hand that goes round only too quick and seems to remind of the lapse of time & flux of life more than any clock I ever saw in the day light. It looks even quite awful – as if it were a warning

Henry

Henry Fox Talbot Esq^r M.P.
Laycock Abbey
Chippenham
Wiltshire
The Cushions are just come Saturday ⁷