TALBOT6191

Rome
Palazzo Spina

Sunday Dec^r 24^th 1848

My dear Henry

I must write you a line to thank you for your three welcome letters received within a day of each other by Horatia ¹ & me – & also to wish you & Constance & Amandier & all the dear Children ² a merry Christmas & a happy New Year from us all. I must also intreat you to believe none of the absurd & exaggerated accounts in the Newspapers about the fear & disorders existing at Rome – There is very little of one, & none of the other – However ill & ungratefully the Romans acted in the first instance towards Pio Nono, ³ it must be confessed that they have behaved admirably since, in maintaining order – & although there have been all this time about 500 or 600 mauvais sujets, birboni, ⁴ revolutionists, anarchists &c &c, in the town, & that disturbances have been perpetually foretold, yet none have ever happened, nor does there even seem the least disposition to commit outrages among the people – which is certainly wonderful, it must be allowed – considering there is no actual Gov^t & that we have been told at various times that on such & such a day the last <bajoccho?> from the Treasury w^d be drained to pay the troops – & that there was no possibility of legally obtaining more, without the Pope’s presence – Considering all this we jog on pretty well – I believe the Pope is anxious to return – They are come for the letters – so I must finish – but we will write again soon –

Pray write – Your’s <sic> are so welcome –

Y^rs aff^ly

Caroline

Bulldog is at C^a V^{a 5} We have had Captⁿ Key ⁶ twice here – also M^r Temple & L^d Napier ⁷ – who is very agreable <sic> –
Love to all – in haste –