TALBOT6348

Lanelay ¹
Aug^st 24

My dear Henry

We shall be delighted to see you when you come with Charles ² to School. Our railroad is open from Chepstow and we have a station by the river’s side not much more than half a mile from our doors which is very convenient. –

I cannot give you a very good account of Jane ³ and her party they were at Geneva when I heard from them. M^r Nicholl ⁴ left England in a hurry to go to them, they have had much anxiety in the illness of the Maid Servant who attended upon Lucy ⁵ & she died last week, having been brought up in the family and all being much attached to her it has been a sad loss to them & Jane has been quite worn out nursing & doctoring her (she was unwilling to let any one else give her any thing) till they they [sic] reached Geneva. Lucy has not passed such a good winter as before & is not as strong as they could wish but I hope when they settle at Vevay which they thought of doing, the change will be beneficial to her & all. Jane wishes much to come home now to see Mamma ⁶ if she does John ⁷ will accompany her & M^r Nicholl remain with the rest of the family. She could only remain in England a fortnight she says & I really think the fatigue & expense would be too great to make it advisable to come, much as I long to see her –

M^r Traherne ⁸ is gone into North Wales to attend a Welsh Archæological meeting at Dolgelly he has taken one of his nephews with him, and Charlotte came here meantime to pay us a visit which is a very pleasant thing for us. –

Isabella ⁹ was unlucky in not seeing you, they are now at Sir John Ogilvies near Dundee I suppose, they were enchanted with the Lakes and Waterfalls &cc but overtired themselves sadly in scrambling about so much every day I think they must be glad to be somewhere quietly settled now.

John Llewelyn with Emma ¹⁰ & all the Children are at home now they have paid us two visits by the railroad & we hope for more as they are very fond of being whisked along by it! – Chris^{r 11} is at Cowes, he came here for a day after he returned from his cruize on the coast of Spain, & took his little Girls from us to Cowes, where they are now enjoying the seabathing & having a swing on board the Capricorn very much he tells me –

I am glad the Cumberland air agrees with you all & hope you have enjoyed your Summer there. The hot weather did not agree with Mamma or me but we are revived by the change & when I don’t do too much in the Garden I feel as young & strong again as ever.–

Our kind love to M^rs Talbot ¹² & all.

Ever your aff^ate coz
Mary

H. Fox Talbot Esqre
Barrow House
Keswick