TALBOT476

Melbury ¹
Dec^r 20^th

My dear Henry

Your Mama ² sent me your direction the other day in answer to some enquiries I had made about you, so I shall write you a few lines for if they sh^d not amuse you, they will only cost you the trouble of putting them into the fire, I have been at Melbury for a week but am sorry to say I am to return to Weymouth tom^r as P–ss Charlotte ³ is to set out in a few days for Cranbourn Lodge ⁴ –

I never saw this Place appear to so little advantage not a flower is to be seen not even in the Hot House or Green House, & all dismal & wet out of Doors L^d & L^y I– ⁵ are well so is your aunt Susan ⁶, L^y George ⁷, & Henry Murray ⁸ are here, & John Strangways ⁹ came yesterday for his holidays, as his Mother ¹⁰ is obliged to go with Pss C– & will not be at Abbotsbury ¹¹ this Winter which is a great disappointment to them all – W^m Strangways ¹² comes tom^r from Bowood ¹³ & is to remain here till he returns to Oxford – Giles ¹⁴ sail’d last Saturday for France to join his Reg^t the 7^th Dragoons –

The Framptons ¹⁵ are at Weymouth & to stay there the Winter on ac^t of James’s ¹⁶ health, he is getting better but still it must take a long time to recover him quite – I have now told you all I know of your relations in this part of the World & I Want to know something about you, how you like your situation ¹⁷ & what you do to amuse yourself & if you have any companions about your own age – I suppose you hear frequently from Jane Talbot ¹⁸, Kit ¹⁹ & W^m Payne ²⁰ are at Penrice ²¹ just now – since I began this W^m has arrived a day sooner than we expected he left all well at Bowood L^d L– ²² & the Family go to London in a few days –

This is a stupid letter but it will at least tell you that your friends are well I wish I c^d send you some thing to entertain you – If you give me a line you had best enclose to your uncle Harry²³ as it is uncertain when I shall be at Cranbourn & he will forward it where ever I am –

God bless you my dear Henry believe me very truly your affectionate
Tam
alias A Campbell

all here desire their love to you. –

[Address panel:]
1815
Sherborne, Dec^r. Twenty one,
W. H. F. Talbot Esq^r
Rev^d. M^r. Barnes
Castleford
Ferry bridge
Yorkshire
Ilchester