TALBOT6171

Albano
Sunday
3^rd Sept^r

My dear Henry

I wrote A. ¹ some time ago the account of my attempts to get back to you which ended in failure. I did not like to write word positively I was coming, tho’ at one time I felt quite sure of it having settled to go with Jane & even which steamer we would sail by – but still I thought it possible something might prevent it, as it happened & feared you w^d be so much disappointed. As it is I do not think you will – as from A’s last letter to C. ² she did not seem to be expecting me – indeed hardly wishing me to undertake the long journey in the troubled state of Europe & leave C. out here I should certainly have been very loth to leave her tho’ I so much wished to see you all & aunt Louisa ³ &c & to look after my little concerns in England. It seems such a long time to be away. I am afraid the children ⁴ will have quite forgotten me. I hear Ela is so grown I cannot say the same of Charlie or Ernestine ⁵ – but Val ⁶ gets taller every day. He was rather anxious to go back to Harrow ⁷ this year – & I think it a pity he did not, tho’ he is certainly not losing his time here, for he goes on very regularly with M^r Graulich, & is very assiduous in drawing which he has most a most decided turn for, besides other scraps of knowledge one always picks up in foreign parts, Italy especially. He is very eager about Roman history & indeed all sorts of information – & riding & driving into the bargain. We have had some very pleasant expeditions in the woods, I on the Sicilian donkey who is an admirable animal – I wish you had such a one at Laycock, he would be a treasure. The chestnut woods near Rocca di Papa are beautiful & the rides up to M^te Cavo, round the lake of Nemi &c The drives as you know are very pretty but limited – I should so like to accomplish an expedition to Tivoli, & perhaps Palestrina, now the weather is a little cooler. Before it was too hot to attempt anything till towards ev^g. Rome is still very quiet, in spite of the various rumours there have been of impending troubles & insurrections – I don’t think the people are likely to come to anything serious – it all ends in talk. We hope England & France are helping to concoct a peace & settle matters for poor Italy – It has been a great disappointment all the fine promises coming to such a lame conclusion – & I am so grieved at dear Pio Nono ⁸ losing his popularity – We hear this ev^g that the expedition has actually sailed from Naples to attack Sicily – 30000 men & 2 Swiss regiments among them, artillery &c It will be too hard if the K ⁹ K gets them back into his griffes ¹⁰ after all. I have not heard from Annie ¹¹ for ages – the post is so very uncertain f^m Palermo – but I fear she will be in great trouble, & if the island is conquered I suppose they will have to leave Palermo as her husband has taken such a leading part. – Adieu dear Henry, pray write to me, & tell me all about you & any of the family – the garden, the new greenhouse, & everything – I am grieved to hear dear C. is not flourishing I wish you were all coming to Rome for the winter – It w^d do you all so much good. Love to all. Kiss the dear chicks –

Y^r aff sister
Horatia.

It seems so strange to hear of cold & wet in England – here it has been so hot & not one drop of rain f^m time immemorial – it is reckoned a dry summer even for Italy. I have born it however better than I expected. C’s love & you never answered her last immense letter