TALBOT554

Harrow
Jan^ry 20^th 181 1 2 ¹

My dear Mamma,

I will now relate to you my stage coach adventures which Jane ² would thank you to communicate to her - When I got in to the coach there was nobody there: in the night a gentleman came in who proved to be M^r Richard Quin, ³ he was excessively entertaining; he told me he came from M^r Wyndhams ⁴ at Dunraven Castle,⁵ before which he had been at Sir Charles Morgan's ⁶ at a visit there: eighty people sat down there to supper every night & on Twelfth day an hundred & twenty: they had a masquerade that day, M^r Quin was a lady going to court with an enormous hoop which precluded his going to supper, so he changed his dress to a Swiss peasant playing the double flageolet - He left me at Newport, & I journeyed by myself to Bath, where I came at near seven, too late for the coaches the latest of which sets off at six, so I took a chaise to Bath & got to M^rs Davenports ⁷ at a quarter before ten - Next day I went to the cabinet of gems there, with Marianne ⁸ & was well amused; I dined; & at four I went to the coach office, & set off at a little past five. I forgot to tell you that M^rs Davenport was so kind as to give me a pound note, so that I am very rich Marianne is very tall, & pretty pretty. However from Bath, I went with a proud gentleman, a young Lady, & an old one, in the middle of the night a gentleman came in with the consent of the rest which made us one more than our number: thus was I poked in the middle, & consequently could get no sleep: at half past 12 we stopped to sup, & at the same time next morning arrived in Sackville Street. ⁹ I could not go to bed because it was broad day light, but sat down to rest myself, quite knocked up. Richard ¹⁰ ordered the chaise to come at 2, but I was too tired to go on that night, so I stayed till Sunday, & Richard got off the chaise for five shillings which I paid, since I did not know whether you would like it or not: on Sunday morning I thought I might as well go to church, & I went to S^t James's with Betty ¹¹ - at ½ past 2 I set off for Harrow, where I got at 4, & am there now as you see by my letter. Betty told me, when I asked her why she did not write to tell you that she was going to London, that she wrote you a letter & Aunt Mary ¹² three to that purpose, & as they never arrived she thought there was a something, but what sort of a something she would not tell me. She sends you her duty; she has declined a place with a family going to Malta; she hopes she has not offended you in anything; I wish I could tell you exactly what she told me - I have written you a long letter, My next I am afraid will be a dry one,

Your Aff^te Son
WHF Talbot.

Lady E Feilding
Penrice Castle
Swansea
Glamorgan