TALBOT473

Penrice ¹
December

My dear Henry

It is so long since we heard from you, that we shall be very thankful if you will write a few lines to us & tell us what you are going to do. Before Kit ² left home in such a shabby manner, he said something about your intending to go to Corfu & we want to know if you are really going & when. Pray do come & pay us a visit before you go from England again we shall be so glad to see you, but that you know very well. – Jane ³ sets out on her journey into Wales, tomorrow, but our dear Charlotte ⁴ remains in London, much to my disappointment, though I know it is for the best & have tried to be glad, but I succeed but badly – I know she would rather come home if she only consulted her inclination but it is her duty to do all in her power to recover her health, & as M^r Pearson has told her he cannot prescribe for her at a distance & he has already done her so much good, it is evidently her duty to stay & she has made up her mind to do so & very properly, though I cannot but regret her loss, & we have been so little separated that I miss her very much; we used to be six, we are now only three! We have been very busy in our gardens for the last six weeks & will continue to be so I suppose for the next month, transplanting & new digging almost all the beds in our gardens, which are increased in number since you were here, & which we intend should be very gay next summer. – We were at a Ball at Swansea ⁵ about a fortnight ago, given by our Borough Member’s Lady, & a very gay one it was; we danced from nine till four. There has been no frost or Snow but nevertheless we have a great number of woodcocks, do come & shoot some, you were here this time two years, but I fancy they have better sport at Moreton & Redlynch ⁶ than we have, we certainly have no Pheasants. –

Pray give my love to Caroline & Horatia ⁷

& believe me ever your affectionate cousin
Isabella Talbot

Pray write to me soon. –

W. H. Fox Talbot Esq^re
Moreton