TALBOT6176

Sepolcro di Vergilio Eurisace. ¹
Albano
Saturday Sept^r 23^rd 1848

My dear Henry

My conscience rather smites me when, on looking at my Agenda, I find I have not written to you since the 28^th April! nearly 5 months! But then on the other hand my conscience is comforted on finding that the last letter I received from you only arrived the day after – 29^th – so I think we are quits & you have no occasion to find fault with me. – However to propitiate you, I send you a view of the Baker’s Tomb, ² a very curious monument discovered since you were at Rome. It dates from the time of the Republic, & stands just outside the Porta Maggiore of w^h you see a portion in the print ³ – just between the two gateways, in the embranchement ⁴ of the Via Labicana & the Via Prenestina. The reason of it’s [sic] remaining so long undiscovered was that it was built up in an old Tower & divers other buildings adossés ⁵ to the Porta Maggiore w^h had been there since the dark ages no doubt. Those strange looking cylinders, w^h resemble cannon looking out of a fortress, are supposed by the learned to represent the kneading-troughs! Round the upper part is a frieze representing all the different phases of the Baking Art, & a statue of the Artiste himself & his wife were also found. – I hope Amandier received a long letter from me of the 17^th Sept^r with a view of S^t Peter’s. We had a sudden change ten days ago to very cold weather with Tramontana ⁶ – it was quite unnatural – quite like England the end of Nov^r – I am happy to say it is again much warmer – today was delightful, & we all drove four in hand to Rocca di Papa, thro’ such a lovely chesnut wood! The beautiful trees laden with fruit, & the vineyards smiling with their purple & golden bunches! You ought to come to Rome this winter. It is thought houses [will] be cheaper this year, as so few foreigners are ex[pected]. L^d M^t E. ⁷ went to Rome a few days ago, & saw a v[ery] nice one w^h he thinks will suit us – but we have not taken it yet. – I had lately two very interesting letters from Captⁿ Key ⁸ – one from Messina, just after the City was taken, & another yesterday of the 18^th on his return to Naples. – He says that another expedition was on it’s [sic] way to Syracuse & Melazzo, but that the French Admiral Baudin signified his intention of preventing farther hostilitées, & that Admiral Parker ⁹ recommended an Armistice; w^h was immediately agreed to. I do hope we are going to mediate more successfully than the first time – At any rate an armistice can but do good – The Palermitani ¹⁰ are prepared for a desperate resistance – & I do trust they will not be drive to such an extreme but that some negotiation for their good may take place – Think of poor Annie! Porcelli ¹¹ is in command of the whole of the Artillery, & consequently liable to be always in the most exposed situation – & she herself not in a state to encounter the dangers & hardships she w^d inevitably be exposed to. We heard yesterday of a very sad event in the Macdonald Family yesterday – the death of Alfred Wodehouse, ¹² the husband of M^rs Cust’s next Sister Emma, ¹³ the handsomest of all except Flora. ¹⁴ – He had just been presented to a new living with a charming house & garden, & they were so happy settling themselves in it – Now she has next to nothing I believe [text missing] young Children. – I am going to give you a commission [which I am]¹⁵ sure you will execute as quickly as you can, when I [mentio]n it as very essential for my teeth & consequent comfort. Pray to send me in a letter, (if you are in town, or going there [soon],) some of M^r Clarke’s Anodyne Paste – if not, if you would [wri]te to him, he could send it me – Only you must be particular in y^r directions – It is generally done up in a small roll, the size of my little finger – & when Aunt Louisa ¹⁶ sent me some to Palermo she committed the error of flattening it down to suit the shape of a letter – it being a soft substance – By so doing it became quite hard & almost useless – now a small roll is difficult to pack in a letter, & will almost flatten itself – therefore the best way is to pack 5 or 6 pieces together – thus: [sketch] crosswise; so that the letter being filled, they are not so likely to flatten – Besides I want a good quantity – I must tell you it costs nothing – It is essential however that it sh^d be wrapt in cotton to exclude the air as much as possible – so it will make a fat heavy letter – but that can’t be helped – Please do this directly for me – The Address is J. Paterson Clark [sic] Esq^re or N^o 5 Sackville S^t – Or as he is generally out of town in Sep^t F. W. Rogers his partner will do it. Please direct care of Æneas Macbean Esq^{re 17} 93 Piazza di Spagna Roma

Addio – dear Henry – Love to Constance & the Chicks ¹⁸ – Tell A – Horatia ¹⁹ received her last letter & will write to her soon. The woods are full of cyclamens!!!

Y^r aff^te Sister
Caroline –

Please don’t let the letter be heavier than necessary, but neat looking for fear the Post Office sh^d reject it –

Inghilterra
Henry Fox Talbot Esq^re
Laycock Abbey
Chippenham
Wiltshire
<stamped: MACBEAN & C^O ROME.