TALBOT7185

Mount Edgcumbe ¹
Friday Oct^r 12^th 1855

My dear Henry

I received your letter on Monday, & should have written immediately to “illuminate your solitude”, as you say – only my time has been so much taken up this week & the last with the guests staying in the house, that I was prevented doing so. I can shed but a feeble ray upon you, I fear, for I have no news to tell you. You always hear everything by the papers; what is public that is to say – & I seldom pick up any private gossip.

We have had the Morleys staying with us, the Dowager d^o – (as amusing as ever)–² the Bulteels,³ the Admiral & his daughters⁴ whom we like very much – & a few other neighbours, After a very severe attack of rheumatism, Milord ⁵ was better again – & able to come into the gallery, & enjoy the society & music. On Tuesday we had a very pretty kind of field day in the Park. All the Boys belonging to the Impregnable, which is a school as well as a guard Ship, are now taught a species of military drill, in addition to their naval duties – that is to say enough to enable them to land & form in order – so as to attack a fort, & even to form square to resist cavalry – This & various other manœvres they executed extremely well – They Stormed a hill, dragging up & firing their field piece & muskets, – we were at the top, in carriages & on horseback – & the effect was extremely picturesque. The Boys were in their white summer dresses, with blue collars – & they afterw^ds – marched round the top of the park, headed by their band playing martial strains – & followed by us & many Spectators. Milord was out all the time in an open carriage & I fear rather stayed longer than he ought – for yesterday & today he has been rather suffering again. – I wish dear Henry you would come here now – at once – It is to [sic] long since I have seen you – & Such an age since you were here – I quite pine to see you here again.

On Monday M^r Gaisford & little Horace⁶ are coming (At present we are quite alone) – & on Tuesday the S^t Germans’s⁷ for one day on their way to Brighton for L^d Eliot’s⁸ health – who is in a sad state –

Very soon we shall be obliged to take up our winter quarters at Stonehouse so please come & pay us a little visit directly. I shall take it very kind if you will – I so seldom see my own belongings now – or indeed anyone else

Y^rs aff^ly
Caroline