TALBOT3490

M^t Edgcumbe ¹
26^th March

My dear Henry

I need not tell you how delighted I was with the joyful intelligence of the birth of your little girl ² & the good account of the health of dear Constance ³ who will receive my congratulations the moment it is deemed proper she should read letters – We have been extremely anxious all last week for some further tidings of her & the dear babe, & were much disappointed at not hearing again from you, as Caroline ⁴ expected some answer to two of hers, detailing poor Bimbo’s ⁵ accident, which I am sure must have given you great pain as it did all of us. He is going on as well as could possibly be expected & I must say has shown wonderful patience & good humour in this tiresome confinement, which at his age & with his spirits & love of motion must be difficult to bear. It is somewhat difficult to find stories to read to him & animals to shew him in sufficient quantity to fill up the day – His passion for Zoology is really marvellous I was to have left this to-morrow, but strange to say, the state of the weather has been such as to prevent Wright ⁶ coming for me till it abates. It is rather curious to have deep snow at Easter after such a Christmas. Even in this mild climate we had such a heavy fall as to preclude going to church on Good Friday – but it disappeared the next day. Poor Lord V. ⁷ is gone to the Assizes at Launceston, which must be a great bore, & will not be back till Wednesday.

What dreadful bad news from Spain – are not you very sorry for Evans ⁸ & angry with [Sarsfield?]? I am so vexed at your going to reside in the end of the world, in Harley Street ⁹ of all places, where I shall never be able to go without a carriage – I suppose

we shall be in town soon, I am very impatient to see my new niece – It was very pretty of Ela ¹⁰ to go & kiss her directly – Pray give my best love to them both & to dear Constance, & do not omit writing us word how she goes on, which I should take very unkind.

Y^r aff^te Sister
Horatia

W. Henry Fox Talbot Esq^re
65 Harley Street
London