TALBOT3543

Lacock Abbey
Friday 28 – July 1837

My dear Henry

I am very glad indeed that you had a prosperous journey, & that you reached London just before instead of just after they went to Richmond – How rejoiced I am that they have at length been able to move M^r Feilding! ¹– The change to pure air & perfect quietness must be most delightful to him, & I hope will contribute to hasten his recovery – Tell me what your own opinion of him is – & whether he now suffers much beyond the aches & pains & uncomfortable feelings attending upon his weak state. – I am very glad for your own sake, dear Henry, that they are gone to Richmond & that you will not have to endure the heat & oppression of London – which is always so bad for you – Still I am a little surprised that you should have found yesterday so intolerable – for here we had so strong a breeze that I was almost blown away, & was compelled to close the South window in the library in order to prevent confusion among the books & other articles on the table. – After you left me on Wednesday, I had an unexpected visit from M^rs Long. – She brought a very civil message for you from M^r Long ² – hoping that you would excuse his not having called upon you & M^r Long added, that he knew you would do all that you could for him. We conversed upon the strange conduct of M^r Methuen ³ &c &c after which my visitor left me in haste (without Luncheon) for the purpose of calling upon M^rs Locke ⁴ – Of course I said all manner of civil things for you & assured her that you intended to return before the day of voting. – Report says, that all your tenants who had been persuaded to promise for Sir Francis ⁵ under the idea that of his being a Reformer, have retracted & intend voting for M^r Methuen & it says further, that M^r Long having made himself unpopular is likely to be the unsuccessful candidate – There is a printed letter from Devizes for you this morning – All I can learn by peeping in at the corner is that your attendance is particularly requested on some occasion – shall I enclose it to M^r Strangways ⁶ for you? – if so, tell me whether I must still direct 18 Clifford Street. –

Think of my having received some complimentary verses from M^r Bowles! ⁷ – evidently suggested by his visit to me during your last absence – They are so pretty & so very poetical that I long to show them to you – They were transmitted to me by M^r Moore ⁸ with a note from himself, in which he (M^r Moore) says, – “I wish Talbot would take the trouble of looking through the library for my “Memoirs of Wolfe Tone” ⁹ which it rather strikes me I lent to M^r Feilding some time since” – I have just glanced among the books but cannot see it – Can you direct me where to search? –

I suppose some notice ought to be taken to M^r Bowles of his Poem, but as the case is an unusual one, I know not how to act – do tell me, please – –

I have been interrupted by a visit from M^rs Paley ¹⁰ & have not time for more – They were afraid M^rs Feilding ¹¹ was worse by your going to London again – M^r Paley votes for Sir Francis Burdett alone –

How very melancholy is the history of M^r Cocking! – to have devoted 25 years of his life in preparing such a fate for himself! –

Y^r affec^te
Constance

We are all quite well –

H.F. Talbot Esq^re
the Marquis of Lansdowne’s ¹²
Richmond
Surrey