TALBOT3622

Lacock Abbey
Thursday Nov 30

Dearest Henry

We are all exceedingly rejoiced to hear of your safe arrival in London – A pleasant journey or a pleasant séjour in Town we could scarcely expect you to meet with – & I only hope you will despatch your business as quickly as possible & return to us speedily – I am delighted that your paper on Crystals ¹ has met with such success – & I am exceedingly touchée by the manner in which you propose to employ the fruits of it. – I have already got an idea concerning it which I hope you will approve of.

Your Mother ² is I am sorry to say very rheumatic today – she was out in the Garden a long time yesterday & I imagine she must have caught cold – though the weather was as fine as possible – Still the wind was very keen – to my feelings, unpleasantly so, & yet your Mother did not feel at all chilled – The rheumatism is chiefly in her head but she has flying pains in her limbs also – I believe she is writing to you & will probably tell you all this herself – She had a bad night & breakfasted in bed, but she is now up & in the Library. – Another double letter having come for you today Horatia ³ proposes to enclose it with mine to M^r Strangways ⁴ – I hope you have already received one which I think was sent to you through L^d Ilchester ⁵ & also a note from L^d Lansdowne ⁶ – Does he L^d L. give any encouragement to M^r Snow Harris?⁷ My box came from Markeaton ⁸ this morning having incurred a large amount of carriage, but it contained many precious things & was well worth the expenditure. I had also a letter from Emily⁹ this morning – too much happiness for one day! –

I suppose you will meet the Talbots in London – Lady Charlotte¹⁰ has written to propose coming here in their way home to Penrice ¹¹ – some time after the 7^th. Horatia writes to accept them today – Lady H. Frampton ¹² is also coming but her time is not yet fixed – If these relations do come & Lady Mary ¹³ too in the course of the winter I am sure they will do your Mother good – for she certainly requires some diversion for her thoughts. – When you call in Somerset Street pray don’t forget to give my very best love to Aunt Matilda. ¹⁴ – Shall you bring a Coral for Rose? ¹⁵ –

Ever your affectionate
Constance.

All the rest of us are well –

Pompey ¹⁶ is come to guard us in your absence – We are so sorry you did not leave us any more old letters to read – They have been succeeded by one of Horatia’s Journals in Italy, which she reads aloud to us in the evening after tea –

H. F. Talbot Esq^re
31 Sackville Street