TALBOT6343

Bowood ¹
Wednesday
24^th July.

My dear Henry

I was surprized to hear you were going to Mont d’or as the last thing you told me was you were thinking of the Baths of Louesch – However I hope you will be pleased & perhaps extend your tour a little to the other parts of Auvergne, which we liked so much, ignorant as we were of geology – & you w^d appreciate still better. I fear this letter will hardly catch you there but know not where else to direct We left London the 16^th & parked at Chippenham ² – Tom ³ going on to Iford where he has been ever since – but is coming here tomorrow, & Friday is to take me to Iford for 2 days as the Dean is so bent on having me that they will contrive to squeeze us in somehow – Aunt Louisa ⁴ is wonderfully well considering, & walks a good deal & enjoys the garden & country air as much as ever – She is still a little nervous at times & soon tired – but the improvement since she came here is so great that in time we may hope she will be quite strong again. Louisa ⁵ is here with her 3 children – Tom gone to fish for a few days at Lapford Castle. We are to go Monday to the Dean of Wells ⁶ & Wednesday to the Berkeley Napiers ⁷ near Glastonbury – & on the 5^th mean to set out on our Great Northern expedition – hoping to visit you on our return – as M^r Hanley prefers having us later & you will then I hope be at Barrow House that is about the end of Aug. or beg^g of Sept^r I hope we shall fall in with Uncle Harry & Val ⁸ who are cruzing somewhere on the W. coast of Scotland. We have had beautiful weather hitherto – yesterday & today rainy but we hope it won’t last. I drove over to Laycock Saturday – the garden not looking so pretty – full of flowers & as tidy as possible. My new roses have all done well. Tom met me there with his who were delighted with the Abbey in its summer attire – & we lunched on the terrace. Please to write to me & direct here as Louisa will be sure to forward my letters. I will tell you all about the isle of Skye if we ever get there. Mind you go & see a most curious church at Clermont the N.D. du Porte I recommend to y^r attention the Cantal most picturesque & flowery departement

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Horatia