TALBOT2957

Dover

20^th July

My Dear Henry

Here we are still – waiting for good weather, though anybody in good health could have crossed twice every day since we came. But the tides have served unluckily either early in the Morning or late in the Evening neither of which could Horatia go and the waves besides very high & Wind fresh, And we cannot get her on board in the rain. Yesterday it was a decided storm & nothing went except the Mail. We have been out of luck to waste all that quantity of fine weather the whole of the Month of June, and to have made all this long & expensive journey on purpose to secure a calm passage for her, and then to be kept here so many days & doing her no good, for she is not so well as when she got here, which we attribute to the damp of these last two days. Ma, Basta – cert’ore di maninconia <sic> non paghano un quattrino. ¹ She has just parted with her favorite Garde Malade, ² M^rs Butcher of Bowden Hill, ³ who she desired would call on you & give you the last account of her. She is a most comfortable person & I wish we could have carried her farther, as she would have been of great use at some of the bad Inns, being full of resources, & always making Horatia ⁴ comfortable. I cannot help envying M^rs B. having the pleasure of seeing the abbey again so soon. I hope you have enjoyed it – There never was a place so suited to hot weather which you had at first and now it is rainy you have time for your experiments & to write your discoveries. My parting request is that you should (if you spend the autumn at Laycock) write & print. There you will have time, & it is a happier line to be distinguished in, in these days, than politics. We live in hopes of going tomorrow, but at this moment neither Sea nor Sky look very favorable –

Then Adieus to old England, thy White Cliffs adieu

May the gale be propitious that bears me from you!

Tell Constance ⁵ I left out several Albums in case she liked to copy anything in them. Now don’t forget this message.

I hope she found many Vases à fleurs strewed about the house, as I know she likes to surround herself with flowers. I am so afraid the length of the Session will prevent your coming to us at les Delices. ⁶ The Cushions are arrived.

Henry Fox Talbot Esq^r M.P.
Laycock abbey
Chippenham
Wilts