TALBOT3013

Lacock Abbey
Nov 2^d

My dear Henry

I am very sorry to hear that you had such a miserably cold journey – but glad you arrived quite safe – Had you been travelling today you might have been a little less cold, perhaps, but I think you would have had an excellent chance of being blown over – How good you were to write me such a nice letter when you were still suffering so much from your cold journey!! We are all thriving here, only we have been extremely tormented by smoking chimneys all the mor[e>] – & After wandering from one room to anoth[er] actually sitting with open windows to avoid [being]¹ stifled, I have at length found recovered the enjoyment of a pure atmosphere in the Dining room of which I made trial in a fit of despair after giving up all the others. – But every now and then the rain pours down in such dense columns that I am almost in darkness, so you must not expect more than a short letter from me – Did you get a thick packet from Chippenham ² which I enclosed to M^r Strangways ³ yesterday? – Pray send me due notice of Lady Elisabeth ⁴ in coming home, that I may get the rooms properly aired –

y^r aff^te
Constance

The wind is blowing in very strong gusts from our mischievous quarter the South west but I don’t perceive any trees falling down at present.

H. F. Talbot Esq^re
Sackville Street