TALBOT3139

San Bartolomeo
27 Septembre

My Dear Henry

I have just received yours from Wales but Whether North or South I cannot guess from the unpronounceable date. What a tempting tour ¹ you have made out for me! but the fates are against me, c’est inutile de lutter Contre le destin. ² There is not the least chance of Gwynne ³ being able to travel these two Months after having had that horrible complaint with Most of the Mortal Symptoms, She began to recover slowly & has since had a relapse. I really think I must give it up, and my only comfort is that the Winter will be short, as M^r F. ⁴ never intended staying here beyond the 1^st March. If I take G. in her weak state, I shall have to take Care of her, instead of her taking care of me, and all this in the depth of winter which it will be. Add to all these contrarieties that Horatia ⁵ has been tormented with more bleedings to an alarming degree. A few days ago it bled more than 16 oz without stopping, & nothing we could do had any effect. Being frightened we sent to Nice for the English Surgeon & he could not find any styptic that was effectual till she fainted, & that always stops it for a time She could very ill spare so much, & has remained weak & cold ever since. All things considered I believe I must much as I long to see Ela ⁶ give it up for the present, as she certainly does not want me so much as Horatia & therefore I will give up my pleasure for my duty – having sacrificed my Summer to Caroline ⁷ I must sacrifice my Winter to Her Sister, but if ever they catch me out of England again! – Caroline left us 3 Weeks fortnight ago, but was prevented going that well-imagined tour by a Cordon having been suddenly placed on the Suiss [sic] frontier. She had at least the Satisfaction of going over the Col de Tande instead of that ugly road through Provence. Her plan was to bathe for a Month either at Dieppe or Dover, they had not determined. They had likewise an idea of Brighton – so that they will not be much in Sackville Street ⁸ during the time it is lent to them. We are going on the 6^th for a fortenight [sic] to Turin, chiefly to try & do Horatia good by change of air – & shall leave Gwynne here under the care of her Doctors. I took a beautiful ride yesterday evening wandering among the Mountains – & amongst other pretty shrubs was struck with the singularity of one they call Lentisque, having two sorts of fruit growing on it at the same time, of quite different shapes. I shall sketch it to shew you. How I wish you were here sitting out with us at Night among the Daturas smelling so sweet – Since Caro went away we have only seen one night the Russians – they often spend the evening with us, make music & go home at Midnight. Our only means of communication is a steep & torturous path among tall Canes & entangled Vines bending under the weight of Grapes, & sometimes shaded by Olives & sometimes by Orange trees. Horatia was much amused with the verses the produce of your wet day at the Gogeradde arms she said they put her in mind of old times

I cannot tell you the sort of desespoir qui s’empare de moi ⁹ when I think of the lazy months before I shall see you again but yet it would be folly to begin such a journey in December, particularly when we are all going home so early in the Spring. What you say of the Comet was word for word in Galignani, ¹⁰ copied doubtless from some of your Astronomical lucubrations in the English Papers. Direct next to Turin.

H. Fox Talbot Esq^r
Laycock Abbey
Chippenham
Wiltshire
Angleterre