TALBOT3346

London
Saturday

My Dear Henry

I am sorry you deal with Strongitharm ¹ because some thirty years ago he wanted to prosecute me about a seal ordered to be engraved by your Aunt Mary, ² through me. I demurred to paying the enormous price he charged, & he was extremely insolent & troublesome on the occasion. M^r F. ³ will execute your Commission nevertheless, but says he would advise in future some of Silverlock’s gummed ready for use,⁴ they are not near so much trouble & cost less. The same copperplate would do. I think six are as many as can be comfortably lodged, because the Ladies maids must sleep somewhere, so I hope the others may not accept.

I can take down the things you mention & we must be on a visit to you till nos gens ⁵ arrive, which may not be for a day or two, and this we means only Horatia ⁶ & me, Esther & Nicolas. ⁷ M^r F. cannot go down so soon. Pray send or ask Constance ⁸ to do so, by return of post the ground floor dimension of Horatia’s room as M^r F. is going to give it a carpet. She has chosen a most beautiful paper for it. Tell me which room the carpet in your library is now going to be put in & the dimensions of the green room Dont fail to answer this by return of post

Sir Charles ⁹ says the Savans ¹⁰ will take care of themselves – & will make the same arrangements they did at Dublin &c –

How very extraordinary about Boileau ¹¹ – It is a book few people care about reading in these days & Constance only had the Key – unless indeed somebody took it during her illness

London July thirty 1836 W F Strangways ¹²
Henry Fox Talbot Esqr
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham