TALBOT7019

Greta Bank
Monday July 10^th

My dear Henry

Goodwin faithfully delivered your message on his arrival here last Tuesday Evening – and your request that I should write soon – But really up to the present time I have not wherewithal to fill a letter as the weather has continued so unsettled & showery as to prevent our seeing or doing anything of interest – We have therefore nothing new to relate. We drank tea with old M^rs Wake last week – (a family tea) to meet their neighbours M^r & M^rs Shakespear. The latter are young people & very pleasant. They are now on leave of absence from India & will return next year ¹ – I do not know what is the nature of M^r Shakespear’s employment there. – We met them first at Mirehouse. – They have 3 children whom they intend leaving in England with M^rs S’s parents. They occupy a pretty little cottage at Applethwaite. Ela desires me to thank you for your last letter from London, containing a description of plants at Lacock, and Rosamond thanks you for your letter from Paris – M^r Williams wrote to me in consequence of your request to him that M^rs Williams should correspond with me about Charles’s holidays – She was sorry to say she was ill & had been confined to her room for the previous fortnight, and would be some time in recovering. – The Holidays do not begin before Monday the 31^st which is certainly later than usual – But this delay gives me hopes, that you may yourself return in time to bring Charles on with you to Cumberland: since Monday 31^st is exactly 4 weeks from the date of your leaving London for this journey – and you named three weeks as the probable duration of it. I shall not arrange anything about sending for Charles till nearer the time – but it will be most direct & convenient I think for Goodwin to meet him in London, as M^r Williams proposes to escort him there with other boys by an early train on Monday 31^st –

I hope your next letter will give us some idea of your line of route after Turin – & whether you intend returning by Paris – In the event of your passing through Paris, you r are requested by M^lle Amélina to send your servant to the house of Madame de Vèzes,

25 Rue Lepelletier

to enquire for a letter or small packet, which that Lady has occasion to send her. – M^lle A says I had better explain to you, that it is a small sum of money, (she does not know exactly how much) remaining of that which was paid in her name, a very short time since, to Madame de Vèzes – which in consequence of the death of the person for whose use it was destined, was not all expended. She M^lle A will write to Paris in a few days to request Madame de Vèzes will deliver it to your Servant, on your sending him to her house. – We hope you have found better weather on the other side the sea [sic], than we have here – really it is most disheartening to see week after week pass away thus of the remaining short period of our term. – Not that the rain falls so heavily as on former years, both here & at Grasmere; but it is gloomy, drizzling weather, and everything looks damp & ugly. – Matilda has a cold & does not boast enjoy her usual brilliant spirits. – We have therefore put off fixing our party till we see her brighten – by which time we shall perhaps have some other good reason for delay. – M^lle Amélina is pretty well, considering all things. – Matilda had a letter from Charles this morning – he reports well of himself – and is very happy haymaking. M^r Williams also makes an excellent report of him and is highly satisfied with his attention to his lessons, as well as with his general conduct. Charles says nothing this time about counting the days, as the time for the holidays draws near. I suppose he is grown too wise for that. –

The Girls send their love – and so does M^lle Amélina –

Your affectionate
Constance.

[envelope:]
Monsieur Fox Talbot
poste restante
Turin
Italy