TALBOT8544

Millburn Tower ¹
April 21^st

My dear Henry

I have received both your letters . . . that of Thursday w^d have had a word of thanks on Friday, but as it only reached me Millburn by the ½ past 12 post I got it only on coming home from Edinburgh, where Ela, Charles & I went to Church. M^r Banks sent your Proofs here on Thursday – We chose the best of each subject & I took them on Friday to Sinclair’s with some small ones that we had waiting for companions – All were to be finished framing & sent off to you this Evening by Mr. Sinclair. We thought he would pack them much more carefully & with less delay than could have been done here in the absence of Goodwin – I gave the necessary instructions about directing the box to you at the Athenæum: – and Charles who has this minute started for Cambridge, & will have to wait an hour at Edinburgh for the train at 2 o’clock, promised me to he w^d speak again to Mr. Sinclair, and make sure of its being forwarded by passenger train, though as a matter of course so small a package c^d not be sent in any other way. –

I must now explain that the ‘2 gentlemen’ will be framed by themselves, as a pendant to Sir David – because their size & shape suited so ill with the smaller subjects, and as we had 7 small pictures for 2 frames we ventured to put in the Bridge at Prague for the eighth, just to fill the required space, for although a duplicate it will probably escape observation as [illegible deletion] among the rest – I hope you will receive all safe & right almost as soon as my letters. The box will therefore contain 7 frames and the Copperplate. –

I return Uncle William’s letter with many thanks – it is amusing – but we want the key to what he says about Princes “Kings being cheap now as there is so little dust? to ransom them” – I shall be anxious to hear that the difficulty about your intended visit at Melbury is got over. – Don’t forget to give me sufficient notice for writing to you at Lacock . . .Rosamond forwarded some 2 letters & a printed report to you on Friday – The latter perhaps need not have followed you, but I did ask her to send it because I fancied the direction was in M^r West Awdry’s handwriting – that envelope we were obliged to discard because it was torn, and we thought it might be incorrect to cover over one written paper by affixing another. –

Our weather has continued mild & pleasant since you left with just moisture enough to make everything grow. – You will find it very pleasant I hope by the time you reach Lacock.

At Speddoch the weather is not so good as with us – They think of remaining there till the 4^th or 5. Tilly mentions your letter having reached her –

Your affectionate
Constance. –

The Mundys are not in Town yet –

[envelope:]
H. F. Talbot Esq^re
Athenæum Club
London S.W.