TALBOT7552

Athole Crescent ¹
Saturday Feb^y 20

My dear Henry

Do you remember my troubling you when you here, [sic] soon after you first came to Edinburgh, with the history of some nonsense of Goodwin’s, ² in objecting to let his under butler Samuel, assist the Housemaids in carrying coals to the top of the house? – You interfered at my request & told him how unreasonably he has acted, and you ordered him to give Samuel leave to carry coals up stairs again – After this I was greatly surprised to find a [illegible deletion] day or two ago; that the Housemaids carried up all their own coals & never had had a sound offer of assistance from Samuel. – On asking him today in a quiet way how this happened? he said it was because he had been forbidden by M^r Goodwin at first, & never heard a word of permission after you spoke. Thereupon I gave him the permission myself, expressing my surprise that Goodwin had not done so. – I think it most extraordinary that Goodwin should disregard a distinct order from you, & I fancy he could not have understood it to be an order. I fear an explosion on his part, but I could not let the thing pass – for he carries everything too much his own way. [illegible deletion] Perhaps he will write to you & complain of my interference – and therefore as a measure of precaution I like you to know the true state of the case. –

Rosamond ³ continues poorly – and does not recover from her cold as I could wish to see her – However D^r Moir ⁴ is taking care of her, and will I hope give her a tonic when she is able to hear it. She has no appetite at present, & I fear is still feverish – – – D^r Moir came in as I was writing these words – he thinks Ros^d considerably better, and advises her to begin taking camomile tea tomorrow. He says she naturally feels weaker as the fever subsides; – and that her appetite will return in a day or two. – Matilda & I had a dinner yesterday with the Lord Justice General & M^rs M^cNeill⁵ – very good – first-rate. – and a pleasant party. On Thursday we met Miss Catherine Sinclair⁶ at a music party. She told me a strange story about the effect of mesmerism on Flowers. I think she must have heard it from Professor Gregory⁷ – She mentioned several names of persons who had tried the experiment at Paris – and she believes implicitly that Flowers may be arrested in their state of perfection and bear the appearance of healthy luxuriance for months; until the operator releases them from their presmeric[?] state, when they instantly drop to pieces. – What do you say to this? – I wrote to M^r Ivan Szabo to enquire the price of portraits of the size of Sir David Brewster the answer is £1· 3··0 ⁸ – copies 7/· The M^cNeills of Granton are being photographed by him & don’t seem satisfied with the result. Yesterday we carefully looked through the collection of Ladies likenesses at the exhibition, and we agreed that they are mostly unsatisfactory – so we are pausing on the question, having plenty of time to think about it. Don’t you consider the price rather high?

Please write us word what you are doing at Lacock – & whether you manage to avoid catching cold. – The weather has been vry frosty here for the last 2 or 3 days, and dry – but we saw a lady yesterday who was in London the early part of this week before and reported to have found the streets wet & miserable and the weather gloomy & wretched. – I believe the climate of Edinburgh is a very fine one during the winter. Ela ⁹ & I walked to Comely Bank nursery last Thursday – We saw there a grand display of Rhododendrons, Hyacinths Camelias, Jonquils &c &c. It was quite refreshing to look at & smell them – Miss Walker has kindly presented me with a pink Hyacinth from her house, where Ela & I were introduced to all their favorites the other day.

Your affectionate
Constance –

I have written to ask Harriot what she knows of the strange story of the late Duke of Devonshire’s secret marriage. – I hear there are many persons who believe there is trouble in it.