TALBOT5177

Laycock Abbey
2^d February

My Dear Henry

Have you heard of our dissipations? Besides company all last week we ended by dining yesterday with M^r Sotheron! ¹ I have not dined out of this house for 8 years. But he is such a favorite of mine I make an exception in his favour. He expressed himself warmly about you, & amongst other things said he wished extremely that whenever you felt languid in muggy weather or dyspeptic, you would walk up there & eat a mutton chop, & he was convinced such a regîme [sic] would preclude the necessity of going to Brighton for change of air. Certainly that is a very cold house & exposed to every wind that blows, & I dare say very wholsome [sic] but I actually caught a rhumatic cold from the winds of the Dining room –

This is Charles’s ² birthday He has been extremely happy all day with his firm Paper Kite, & a mug I gave him with his own name on it

aff^ly y^rs
E F

[envelope:]
H. Fox Talbot Es^r.
31. Sackville Street
London