TALBOT5105

Lacock Abbey
Thursday Oct 17.

My dear Henry

Lady Elisabeth ¹ writes today that I must expect her home Saturday evening – and I imagine Horatia ² will come with her – They mean to try & come through in one day – emulating at a distance the energy of the Bonnevals, who travelled from M^t Edgcumbe ³ to London in one day –. Lady E’s letter goes on to say, that Mrs Damer ⁴ proposes a visit at Lacock Abbey in the course of next week – She had met Lord Lansdowne ⁵ at the Installation of Louis Philippe at Windsor ⁶ & learnt from him that Lady Elisabeth would probably be at home at the time mentioned – As you do not like company it is fortunate she has chosen this moment of your absence. – I no longer dread her as I did last year – having studied her countenance when we were in London & found nothing repulsively alarming in it – Today our weather is very fine & I hope it is the same with you & that you are at this instant engaged in taking the likeness of some interesting building – The sky has been gradually putting on a serene look & the wind is nearly gone, so I think there is a good prospect for your works.

It was riding out on a very damp day that made Lord M^t Edgcumbe ⁷ ill – when Lady E. wrote he was keeping his room & had been invisible since their return from Carclew ⁸ –

I wrote to you yesterday, but thought you ought to be put in possession of all family news as quickly as possible – and therefore it is that I write again so soon –

Your affectionate
Constance

I have not heard from you since Jedburgh –

All our children ⁹ are well –

[envelope:]
Henry Fox Talbot Esq^r
post office
Edinburgh