TALBOT4825

Paris,
22^d May 1843

My Dear Mother

I was considerably disappointed at not finding any letter from you at the Poste Restante here, as I had written to you ¹ both from Dover and Calais, and to Constance ² from Rouen enclosing 2 pictures. Fortunately M^lle Amélina ³ was able to give me good accounts of you, and L^y Harr^ts Gallwey ⁴ also, who tells me that Sir W. G. and L^d M^t E. ⁵ are on a visit to you.

I staid 4 days at Rouen, but the bad weather continued almost all the time - I made however a pretty sketch of the Palais de Justice during an éclairci ⁶ - I asked permission to draw the Cathedral but it was entirely refused - Jamais on n'accorde la permission de dessiner ⁷ - I suppose that it is a monopoly belonging to somebody, & I was interfering with vested rights! I left Rouen Thursday the 18^th and slept at Louviers - From Rouen to Pont sur l'Arche is very pretty. The Seine is full of verdant wooded islands - At Louviers is a very old Gothic church. I was surprised to see the number of large standard Arbor Judæ in flower sometimes fifty of them were to be seen at once in a shrubbery. On Friday I got to Paris about 9 o'clock at night. The entrance by the Arc de Triomphe is very imposing, and the Place de la Concorde or Louis XV, lit up with so many gas lamps has a splendid effect. Saturday was a day of magnificent sunshine; I never saw Paris look so well and so gay - The deep shade of the walks in the Thuilleries [sic] gardens was a refreshing contrast - I went to see the Obelisk of Luxor, new since my last visit of more than 10 years ago. I think Paris is greatly embellie, ⁸ and the Shops are become much more splendid.

I am going to dine today with L^y H. G. ⁹ She tells me that Montgomerie is in Paris, but that he has been very ill, & is now much better - His brother is with him taking care of him. ¹⁰ You know we thought him very poorly at Lacock, & that an illness was coming on.

Direct
Hotel de Douvres
Rue de la paix

It is the corner house with the Boulevards - I chose it on account of the view. My sitting room is circular.¹¹

Your aff^te
Henry

23^d May

P.S. I saw Tom Montgomerie last night, & he says his brother is much better & will return to England next week. -