TALBOT3132

Monday evening Sep^r 7^th

My dear Henry

I hope this will reach you before you leave Lacock because I want you to tell Fitzsimmons ¹ not to send any more grapes if they will keep till my return home – My Mother ² says she is quite sure that our hothouse will be cleared in less than no time if they continue to cut the fruit so fast. – and this would be a great pity as we are rather over-stocked at the present moment & more are expected to arrive shortly from Markeaton. ³ – Peaches may as well come as usual & melons, as they will not keep. – I hope you have done full justice to the peaches – they are magnificent indeed & amply redeem the character of our garden for fruit, which en fait de groseille ⁴ you may remember was rather deficient. – Here at Cowes, ⁵ in M^rs Corbet’s ⁶ garden we have delicious figs & the mulberries which we sometimes purchase [sic] from the green grocer are the ripest I ever tasted. – How charming the weather is grown now dear Henry is it not? – perfect for your touring, which I hope soon to hear you have really commenced. – We have bright clear days without that excessive heat which a little while ago was really too much for any one – This evening (for I am writing to you in my own little parlour before going to bed) we, that is the ladies of our party, my Father ⁷ having declined to enter into so romantic a scheme, have been out above an hour on the water, rowing in the bright moonlight. – We were fully rewarded by the beauty of the scene – so much prettier everything looked than by daylight, though by daylight too Cowes is a pretty place. – The colouring reminded me a good deal of some of your shadows, ⁸ especially of the moonlight scene at Venice. – I wish you could have taken the outline of the castle & fine elms behind just as I saw them – but I think you told me you could not produce the desired effect by any light except that of the sun – Shall you take any of your mousetraps with you into Wales? – it would be charming for you to bring home some views. –⁹

I am thriving so well here you cannot think – I take a shower bath every other morning before breakfast & find it wonderfully refreshing as well as circulating – I am afraid I shall grows [sic] so fond of it as to wish for one at Lacock – & it certainly would be worth while to get one if it would prevent my feeling so chilled in the winter. I have all sorts of comfortable projects for Lacock, some of which perhaps you will allow me to put in execution. – one [sic] is to convert that pretty tower room which is now used only for lumber, into a snug little morning room for myself, where I may be quiet & warm & studious whenever it suits my inclination. – If M^lle Amélina ¹⁰ comes to see us, I think some such retreat as this will be almost indispensable. – I hope you will not forget to tell me whether I should allude to her coming when I write to her – She will expect me to write to her very soon, & it will appear strange perhaps if I say nothing about it – but I will do exactly as you wish. – A thunderstorm came on the other evening when the Coles ¹¹ &c should have drunk tea with us – they have however promised themselves for tomorrow & I hope we shall not be disappointed again –

I am growing fond of sailing at last. I did not like it 2 or 3 times that I tried, owing partly to the heat of the sun – but we had a delightful day on Friday last & were out nearly six hours – Our object was to reach Alum Bay ¹² & look at the Needles ¹³ – but though we were prevented from accomplishing this by a fresh breeze which arose against us & occasioned so much delay that we lost the tide, we had a very pleasing expedition & inhaled a sal large portion of salubrious air. – My Father has some thoughts of treating for a small ya[cht] ¹⁴ which is at liberty for the next month. – if [sic] he should succeed in hiring it & we should have any very beautiful settled days, I dare say you would not object to Ela ¹⁵ & her nurses accompanying us occasionally. – We should never think of taking her when the weather was not very promising, & if a shower or cool breeze should come on unexpectedly of course she would retreat to the cabin. – If you have the smallest objection pray say so; but we her Mother & Grandmother cannot think but that the sea air would benefit her considerably. – My Sisters ¹⁶ are become so doatingly [sic] fond of her, that they will be quite in despair when I am obliged to take her away, & my Mother begins to think that she acted rashly in inviting her here at all!!

Tuesday morning –

We are just going to set out on a grand expedition to Shanklin, ¹⁷ the under-cliff &c &c. therefore how fortunate that I felt inspired to write to you last night- The post is not yet come in but I have some hopes that it may bring me a letter from you- Do the Parliamentary accomodations suit you?¹⁸ Love from your darlings two - Mamma & Baby¹⁹

Y^r affec^ate
Constance

I was just going to seal my letter when yours arrived- many thanks for it.- I am please withyour arrangement about M^lle Amelina.- O how sorry I am that you still feel indisposed from your late fatigues!!

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Henry Fox Talbot Esq^re
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham