TALBOT3666

St Leonard ¹
Friday May 4^th

My dear Henry

I have heard of a Cook who is likely to suit us, & I have written by today’s post to enquire her character of Sir Henry Campbell of Richmond Park with whom she says she lived 2 years & a half as kitchen maid. – She is not a native or even a resident of St Leonards, as you might naturally suppose from my having heard of her this morning, but she is a person recommended to me by the Cook & housekeeper who lived last at Markeaton ² when my Sisters ³ were there the last time. – This same housekeeper (M^rs Smith) is an excellent person herself & understands the kind of servant that we require, & therefore I feel great confidence in engaging a person upon her recommendation, that is of course, provided – the character from her last place is satisfactory. – I will let you know the result as soon as I get an answer from Sir H. Campbell, & I hope you will approve what I have already done – In regard to her being tried in Sackville Street ⁴ before she is positively engaged, I think there are several weighty objections to such a plan – I wish her to enter our family exactly as she is at present, without having seen or talked to any one who has previously filled the station of Cook at Lacock. – I think that were it possible for me at this minute to have five minutes conversation with you, you would be convinced as I now am, that it is better that a person should set out in her new situation as it is intended she should continue, under the orders of her own Mistress, & uninfluenced by the foolish advice & prejudices of other servants. – I have said all this, because I know you like to have me explain my wishes & fancies clearly, & I am only sorry that I cannot give you all my reasons in a letter.

The woman’s name is Elizabeth Torrence She is steady & respectable looking (M^rs Smith says) & has nearly attained the desired age of 30. – She has agreed to commence with 14 guineas – which is 2 less than Mary Solman had latterly. As soon as I get Sir H. C’s answer I will write to the woman herself & engage her & fix the time for her going down to Lacock, &c unless I hear from you in the mean time that you wish to arrange it otherwise. –

Lady Elisabeth ⁵ writes me word that Mary Anne ⁶ has lost a situation which her Sister had heard of for her, because the Lady could not wait. – Now it so happens that I can spare her perfectly well at any minute – because the woman who now assists in cleaning the house is a professed Cook & can do anything & everything that I require in the culinary department. – So will you tell Lady Elisabeth, that if that same Lady is not already suited & would like to engage Marianne, I will send her off by the coach at a few hours notice. – I should be sorry that she should miss an opportunity of placing herself to her satisfaction & the inconvenience to me in sparing her would be nothing at all – I am grown quite happy again about Clifford ⁷ for I really do believe she is regaining her strength. D^r Duke’s prescriptions seem to have been exactly right for her & he is even surprised himself at the extent of her improvement. What a satisfaction it is to be able to make some return of attention & kindness to a person who has always shewn herself so devotedly attached to the children! – I am sure you will agree with me that 2 or 3 Doctors fees are well bestowed in obtaining the re-establishment of her health – The children ⁸ are grown a little pale with the sudden change in the weather but I am trying to remedy this by moderating the heat of the nursery, which is difficult to effect where a fire is always kept. – I cannot yet pronounce upon the pictures being in a promising state, for there have been only 3 half sittings & many difficulties I fear to encounter – but M^r Forster⁹ does not despair yet & says I shall not be able to judge about the likeness till there have been several more sittings. – I think he is very anxious to succeed. – I shall prefer Miss Edgeworth ¹⁰ in 2 vols octavo – since that is the least expensive form. I am so sorry you have caught a bad cold & I must say it was ill contrived at the moment winter was going – Is M^r Strangways ¹¹ returned to London? – if he is, pray send me his direction in case I should have anything to enclose to you – I liked the colored lithography which you sent for me to look at – Do you intend to have many so done? – I have been engaged several days most industriously in copying some of the circular crystals but I find them very difficult – perhaps I may improve with practice. – I imagine that in a few days I must give my Landlord a week’s notice about leaving the house? – If you have lately seen Harriot ¹² or my Brother, ¹³ they will probably have named to you that my poor Uncle was last week released from his protracted sufferings we heard the news a few days ago – He died at Boulogne

– Y^r aff^te
Constance

H. F. Talbot Esq^re
31 Sackville Street
London