TALBOT7010

Greta Bank
Tuesday– ¹

My dear Henry,

I have been deterred from answering your communications from Lacock, because I fancied each day you might be going back to London – and I feared our letters would be returned on our hands – Though the same doubt continues, I can no longer resist putting pen to paper to express my satisfaction at the Bishop’s firmness in opposing M^r John Paley– ² You have not had leisure to tell me what steps you yourself took in this matter – but I see from M^rs Brett’s³ letters that you have been exerting your moral influence, although I fear you have no legal power to exclude this same unworthy personage. – I cannot express to you how vexed I should feel if he succeeded in his object – and now it appears (by the last short note of M^rs Brett’s, which I have this morning received from you) that he intends to solicit the appointment, which his father failed to obtain as a right. – Is there any fear of his pushing himself in, in case of M^r Blomfield ⁴ declining it? As the latter had not yet come over to Lacock to settle definitively, at the date of M^rs Brett’s note, I do not venture to feel quite secure – But in any case the Bishop would perhaps find us another, rather than appoint M^r J. Paley.

How is your business getting on, and when may we hope to see you back? – Ela has received a letter from Charles⁵ this morning, reporting that there was snow at Dummer on Saturday night – notwithstanding which their snowdrops are in flower, and some yellow Broom coming on. – Lord Coventry was with them, on acc^t of scarlet fever at Eaton [sic], ⁶ and another Eaton [sic] boy was expected on a visit, also M^r Sotheron’s nephew Estcourt,⁷ who is at Harrow. –

The Girls send their love to you – they continue searching for mosses. You perhaps read in the Times the death of M^rs John Spedding’s interesting daughter, at S^t Leonards– ⁸ It was too surely expected – but not the less sad for them all. –

Your affectionate
Constance.

Our thermometer has mended itself. –

[envelope:]
H. F. Talbot Esqre
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham
Wilts-