TALBOT4030

Thursday

My Dear Henry

I wish you would be more explicit, because it is very inconvenient not to know what you mean. as far as I understand you now you do not wish to have Joseph either for a permanent servant, or for the six Months, and I am very well contented to keep him on as he was before, and so let it rest. But then you still want a servant to remain with you altogether, shall Wright ¹ inquire for such a one? If what I suppose to be your meaning is such, I shall forth with have Robert’s new dress Livery made & take him into my service, therefore all is at a stand still till you clear this up, which I beg you will do by return of post. Joseph is naturally anxious to know what is to be his fate, but I cannot tell him. I always hated the Paper Mulberry but considered it as a protégé of yours, I asked you ² about moving it in November and you said any place that could be found would do. I could not get you to attend to any out of doors affairs this winter. You seem to have changed your occupations & I am glad to perceive in you symptoms of going out more than you have done lately. I will consult William ³ about some beautiful tree? I see him very often. Don’t put a crimson thorn, we have so many. Let me know what you have ordered f. Humfries ⁴ about Caroline’s ⁵ Trees.

Lord Chesterfields ⁶ Robert will suit me very well for six months, but I am afraid to settle it so or take any step in consequence for fear the next post should say you have changed your mind or misconceived me I am now provided, Joseph to stay & Robert for my job. and wish to know if you will leave it so nothing can be clearer than this question.

I send by this post a Foreign Letter, probably an interesting one, which came to day. from what part of the world is it? I saw Lord Northampton ⁷ at the Duchess of Sutherland’s ⁸ splendid Assembly in honor of the marriage ⁹ but thought it was too soon to settle about the Photographs. The Austrian Chargé d’affaires is to come here to see them, it seems they are wild about it at Vienna. We had excellent places in the Palace to see the Procession & had a full view of the Q. & P. Albert. It was really a very fine sight & very interesting. Lord Ilchester ¹⁰ would make me illuminate, which I need not have done as this house is not in a conspicuous situation & I am afraid my loyalty was thrown away – and tho’ general it was not universal. Wright has just been telling me that Joseph was measured for dress Livery by your orders several days ago, this complicates the business

Horatia ¹¹ wants to know where Kallat ¹² is?