TALBOT80

Albion Hotel Hastings
Thursday

My dear Henry

Wishing to make a change in our plan of return, I was am obliged to send you a telegraphic message – to stop your sending the carriage to Devizes tomorrow – We have given up Stonehenge on account of this intense heat; which not only takes away our power of enjoying things sight seeing, – but even makes it dangerous to do so, except in moderation – I was thinking this morning that I should have time to retract orders given for tomorrow, in due course of post; and only remarked my mistake just in time. I sent Goodwin ¹ with my message to the Station at 3 o’clock – He returned & informed me that the message was charged 4/ to Chippenham, ² and 5/ porterage from the Station to Lacock Abbey – and that it would be delivered some time this evening. The charge appears to me exorbitant. We are very comfortable indeed as the Albion Hotel, where we arrived yesterday from Ramsgate – We suffered from heat in the railway, but enjoyed our evening here extremely. All our party admire Hastings far beyond Ramsgate – and all are pleased to pass a whole day here which was a matter of necessity as well as of choice – for poor M^lle Amélina ³ is too unwell today to move – Probably the great heat brought on the attack for Goodwin too is suffering very much, and was ill the whole week of our stay at Ramsgate. He too is glad of the rest for one day – We hope tomorrow to accomplish our journey to Salisbury without difficulty, as we are not obliged to start from here very early. We shall devote a whole morning on Saturday, to the Cathedral & other antiquities of Salisbury, which will delight Charles ⁴ – and by leaving in the afternoon at 5ּ25, we may expect a pleasant journey home in the cool of the evening – Please therefore to send the carriage & cart & fly to meet us at 7ּ o’clock – at Melksham. ⁵ There are quantities of pretty walks at Hastings, & subjects for sketches.

We are going out again this evening to enjoy ourselves – having already taken a morning’s walk in the shady streets. Charles made a drawing of the old Castle before breakfast, and has been trying since to [illegible deletion] draw the boats.

your affectionate
Constance.

We shall want nothing but tea when we arrive Saturday evening, with the addition of chops or something substantial for the hungry ones – and some fruit especially –