TALBOT7265

Stonehouse
Plymouth

May 17^th 1856

My dear Henry

Your letter found me in Belgrave Sq^rs 33, where Ernestine & I have been paying Jane ¹ a very pleasant visit of 2 weeks & ½. It was necessary to take her to M^r Rogers, as she had not seen him for nearly a year & ½ – & I was uneasy about her teeth – & as Jane had most kindly offered me a pied à terre, ² I took advantage of her hospitality. She had Tina & Theresa ³ with her – The other two ⁴ are still at Torquay with Spenny; & the other Sons ⁵ dispersed about. I am sorry I could not answer your letter sooner, being so very busy the last day or two – & then unpacking here &c.

Our project still holds good for Sydenham, where our apartments have been secured a long time. I believe L^d M^t E. ⁶ will go, part of the way at least, in the Cloud – & he is about purchasing a Steamer to take him in tow, in case of adverse winds. We shall not start quite so soon as the 20^th Which is indeed now very near at hand; but if he continues pretty well, it will not be long before we go, I sh^d imagine. I am delighted to hear such a capital account of Charles. ⁷ He is very high up indeed for his age – & getting on so well, he must like Harrow no doubt. Our Charlie ⁸ has left his private Tutor in Essex, sans ⁹ regret – & is going on Monday to a Captain Desborough at Sunning Hill W. Windsor – who receives boys into his house, & prepares them for a military examination. He is then to have a Commission in the Grenadier Guards.

I believe, tho’ it is very difficult for us to judge, that he has got on well with Latin & Algebra. He knows French too very fairly – a great advantage in a military profession. Val ¹⁰ is amusing himself in London.

I had heard nothing of the mutiny in the German legion till my return here – It does not seem to have been very alarming however. I found the trees & shrubs much come on while I was away. A good many of the large Hollys we moved here from Cotehele ¹¹ are dead; but by no means all – & all the transplanted Silver firs & bays are flourishing. The Weizelin is in flower at M^t E. ¹² the lilacs beginning & peonies & lilies of the Valley. I saw Uncle W^{m 13} in Town – looking quite as usual. M^r Gaisford ¹⁴ has been very far from well – & I was glad he accepted Uncle Harry’s ¹⁵ offer of going down with him last Monday to Melbury & Abbotsbury ¹⁶ for a week. I suppose you know L^d Digby ¹⁷ is dead. I much fear that Ew^d Digby ¹⁸ has not got Sherborne Castle ¹⁹ – w^h Would have been such a charming possession for them – close to Melbury, I hope all y^r belongings are well. Let me know what you are going to do?

Y^rs aff^te
Caroline