TALBOT4039

Saturday

My Dear Henry

I have just seen your two footmen dressed and paraded in their new Liveries, which look extremely handsome. Everything is now settled, which except the hats, which I think should be round with Silver cords like the Duke of Devonshire’s ¹ – and will order them so if you please. Louisa ² says She would not have taken all this trouble & expense if She had been Sheriff but I told her as you are to be so bored you would go the whole hog. I am afraid William ³ is going to be ill used by the Foreign Office, partly because he is too reserved (& does not communicate in time to his friends) & partly because he is over delicate & not pushing enough for his own interests. They have given his situation in the Foreign Office to Lord Leveson, ⁴ & the thing he wished for (the Embassy to Turin) to M^r Abercromby, Lord Dumferline’s ⁵ Son, and they have offered him Francfort [sic] which it seems it would be infra dig to accept. This is the outline of the business, which has vexed Louisa so as to make her ill. Lord Holland ⁶ is indignant, Lord John ⁷ says it is unjust, but Lord Palmerston ⁸ is absolute in his own department. It is not quite settled yet & Harry ⁹ is come up to town to resign his Place and John ¹⁰ to give up the County & a Tory (a brother of William Banks [sic]¹¹) to walk over the course. All this may have effect, & Lord P’s policy his colleagues must think bad to lose these Votes