TALBOT8162

My dear Henry

Your letter from Biarritz of Wednesday 25^th just received, rejoices my heart: – as it proves that you are steadily recovering from your illness – You wrote from Vittoria on the preceding Thursday to tell me of your having been so ill – and that you had been in the doctor’s hands, and confined to your bed several days – also that your Servant proved himself to be an excellent nurse & attentive & comfortable in every way – This letter reached me last Tuesday the 24^th & the same post brought me your Telegram of Sunday Evening. with the consolatory assurance of your being already better – Thus all your letters seem to have been received by us without interruption; while none of ours from Oakfield have reached you. – This is unaccountable – for we have written several times – but not having made an entry of the dates of each, I cannot possibly recapitulate all. – neither can I refer to the writers, because Ma^lle A and Rosamond are at Speddoch – I know for certain, however, that they both wrote to Vittoria, according to the direction which you gave – and as you prolonged your stay there so much beyond what you expected, there can be no doubt of these letters having reached Vittoria while you were there. However uncertain the Spanish post may be (of which I do not pretend to judge) there is no sufficient explanation of your having received no letters at Bayonne on your return. We came to Oakfield on the 7^th and one of us, certainly wrote to you on the following Monday, being the 9^th – We mentioned that Charles came to us the day after we arrived: and that we had been greatly shocked to see him looking so ill – for although several letters from the 2 M^rs Speddings had said enough to make us feel anxious about him, we were not prepared for so sad a change in his appearance – We reported to you at intervals of a few days his gradual improvement, feeling that you might begin to be uneasy like ourselves – but his progress for the first fortnight was very unsatisfactory; & at one moment I had almost resolved to take him to Edinburgh to consult D^r Moir – But in consequence of the very judicious treatment of M^r Tweddle (the Keswick Doctor), this step was proved to be unnecessary – And I am very happy to say that he is now getting quite to be himself again –He begins to read a little without affecting the head – but for some weeks all reading was forbidden. This complaint being Dispepsia, the brain had sympathised with the Stomach – each re-acting on the other – He sent for his Poney on the 14^th and has been riding daily since then – To be out in the air as much as possible, to eat & drink & sleep sufficiently, & to give his brain no work that can distress it, are the chief prescriptions of the Doctor – and he is now gaining flesh and gathering strength as fast as can possibly be expected. – He would like to be again with M^r Headlam, were he fit for reading; but at the same time he is quite satisfied that at this interruption will not have unfitted him for entering at Cambridge in October, as you wished – I hope to hear in one of your next letters that you will come to Oakfield soon enough to see him – for I shall certainly not encourage his leaving us before he is perfectly recovered – M^lle A & Rosamond went to Speddoch on the 17^th & will return to Oakfield on the 8^th Aug. – which will have made a three weeks’ visit: and as much of M^r Clark’s time is now taken up with drillings & meetings there could not be a better moment for Matilda than to have them there now. She would otherwise have been much alone – Their report of deal Tilly is charming – she appears to be a picture of health, youth & happiness – which is especially encouraging at this time, when her first trial is approaching. Speddoch air seems to be eminently conducive to health – and I am glad to say that our poor delicate Rosamond is feeling the benefit of being there – She had looked so worn out with the fatigues of moving from Lacock with the previous packings & worries, that I had been in daily fear of her falling ill before we got away. – and even the ten days at Oakfield, before they started for Speddoch, were not sufficient to rest her; – She only began to look & to feel pretty well about the third day after she reached Speddoch – It certainly is a wonderfully healthy place and Matilda herself always feel stronger & better there than elsewhere –

You will see by this letter that all is going on well & cheerfully with us now – We want our Carriage very much, but of this I will write more another day & advise with you what is best to do. –

your affectionate Constance –

Oakfield Saturday July 28th