TALBOT3991

Bath
Friday Dec^r 18

My dear Henry

Thanks for your 2 last letters, ¹ from the Athenæum ² of Wednesday evening, & from L Abbey yesterday. I am glad you are [illegible deletion] safe at home – It is certainly not suitable weather for travelling about as Caroline ³ is doing – It is the strangest whim, and very imprudent – and no doubt there is much anxiety at M^t Edgcumbe, ⁴ to get her home again – Ernestine ⁵ writes to R^d that they have all just returned: & apparently well. She said they had a good day for crossing from Ireland, just before the Snow Storm: They took the journey easily; visiting Cathedrals on their way. – but they gave up the intention of stopping at Malvern ⁶ (as Val had once thought might be good for Bertha) because it is now much too cold – The first return to M^t E. she says is very trying to Val ⁷ – but Charlie ⁸ is there which is a help. How natural it would have been for Caroline also to have been there to welcome & cheer him! – I return C’s letter with thanks. I fear she must be suffering very much from the cold. Are you not sorry for those poor Shakers who have chosen such a time for acting in their peculiar manner? The daily Telegraph has some good articles on the subject – lamenting their trials, but scarcely blaming those who have been forced to set the lead in action against them. – They had fair notice; and they were not obliged to make martyrs of themselves – I pity the poor children most –

I am glad that you think of coming here on Tuesday – You will find the house so warm & comfortable – yesterday was a bright pleasant winter’s day, and R^{d 9} thought it enjoyable enough. the Streets were so dry – Today there is a keen penetrating fog. – which we feel even in doors –

Your affectionate
Constance

Wasn’t it too bad of the Bishop of London ¹⁰ to prevent D^r Colenso ¹¹ preaching last Sunday at M^r Stopford Brooke’s ¹² Chapel? I wish his friends would be careful to appoint places which are not under Episcopal controul [sic]. He might preach at Westminster Abby, [sic] for instance, if Dean Stanley ¹³ had the courage to [illegible deletion] lend him his pulpit –