TALBOT3233

Sunday March 27. –

My dear Henry

Your letter ¹ yesterday was very welcome indeed though you wrote it as if perfectly unconscious that I could have expected it many days sooner – The basket arrived quite safe & was delivered at my lodgings early in the morning before I opened your letter – therefore I dare say that it reached Southampton on Friday evening as you said it ought to do – The heads of brocoli [sic] are considered to be magnificent, & the numerous bunches were of violets are deliciously sweet, & do infinite credit to the patience & perseverance of the person or persons who gathered them. – The next supply, please to say, must be directed to Belle vue house, as I have given up my lodgings & am comfortably established in the house – It made both my Father ² & Sisters ³ uneasy that I should walk home at night during this very tempestuous weather, without absolute necessity – therefore Ela ⁴ & her Nurses have been moved into the vacant room & I & my Maid are in the others. – I am sure you will be glad to think that I am snugly housed, though I really did find my lodgings very comfortable. – I was obliged to have the fly ⁵ 2 nights & one morning & again yesterday to remove my goods –

Your week at Lacock will expire tomorrow – shall you move or prolong your stay there? – Your account of being only tolerably comfortable does not sound quite nice & I shall feel rather glad therefore when you leave – but it is quite incorrect to go to London during the week before Easter! –

Since I wrote last I have been talking to Nurse ⁶ about her future plans – & telling her of your proposal to advertise for her a situation for her, & she seems very grateful indeed. – A plain cook in a small family with about 12 guineas wages, is what she thinks she is best qualified for – Of course it would not matter whether it were a gentleman’s family or respectable tradesman’s – or she might take a kitchen maid’s place in a larger family; but tha she has been accustomed to both, but prefers the former – I suppose you will state in the advertisement that she is young active & healthy & not afraid of work – or something to that effect – The sooner you can conveniently do it, the better, because you know Ela will not want her after the appearance of the fourth tooth. – I do not mean that I shall wean her here, but I dare say it will be quite time when we get home to Lacock –

On Thursday last we all received the Sacrament with dear Marian, & M^r Brown read a us a Sermon afterwards adapted to our peculiar situation. – The whole ceremony was very delightful & very impressive – but very affecting, & I longed to have given way to my feelings more completely than seemed proper on such a solemn occasion – It is a Service in which we seem to hold especially communion with the Spirits of our departed friends – and of those most dear to me on Earth & especially I thought also – and of one more especially as dearer to me than my own soul – and I prayed that we might all share the same inestimable blessings of perfect pardon & peace, and happiness in another world! –

Ever dear Henry your affectionate
Constance

My Sisters continue pretty well & my Father also – Ela is charming – & has uncovered her pretty little arms –

I am rather sorry that I never thought of asking whether you would not put your servants into mourning ⁷ – I believe it is usual to do so for parents, though when it is on the Wife’s side it becomes optional – and you would perhaps dislike it on account of your Mother’s ⁸ great objection to anything that looks dismal – for this reason I will not make a positive request, though I should greatly preßfer its being done – My Maid I gave Price ⁹ her mourning without hesitation because she is my personal attendant – & the 2 Nurses had it given them at the same time as the rest of the family. – But of course – you will do as you please – & as James ¹⁰ is going so soon it becomes less desirable. –

Henry Fox Talbot Esq^e
Lacock Abbey –
Chippenham