TALBOT9295

Cotehele House
Calstock Tavistock
Friday Dec^r 27^th
1867

My dear Henry

I was charmed to receive such an unusually long letter from you – tho’ we were both very sorry you could not come to us for Christmas. We have spent ours’ quite alone. We had asked the Edgcumbes ¹ – but the youngest daughter is rather delicate & they were afraid to bring her here in cold weather. I am sure Matilda ² must have enjoyed having you very much. Pray give her my love, & Ernestine’s ³ – & all our good wishes for the season to her & M^r Clark. ⁴ I was so very sorry to hear of the death of his cousin, Co^l Clark Kennedy, at Cairo – the first that has occurred in the Abyssinian Expedition. ⁵ His wife is a daughter of old Co^l Peregrine Cust – Who lost a Son, quite young, at the Battle of the Alma. ⁶ He, Peregrine, is a brother of old Lord Brownlow’s. ⁷ I wrote to Amandier ⁸ at San Remo on the 23^rd ins^t. I fancy it must be a delightful place! so very picturesque, & so near the Palm trees of Brodighern; but Nice has more resources, no doubt. I hope Rosamond ⁹ has quite got over the cough w^h generally lingers on after the measles. – If I were them, or you, I w^d much rather go on to Rome, than Pisa – the latter is, I believe, dreadfully dull – while now Rome is as safe as ever – & is likely to be so, as long as the Napoleonic shield is extended over the Papal throne. There is no place like it for interest. I could live there for months, with the greatest satisfaction. Charlie & L^d Hinchingbrook ¹⁰ staid two days at Cannes, & then went by sea to from Nice – coasting close to the shore, to Genoa. He was delighted with all the picturesque corniche towns, & no doubt passed close to San Remo. He described the view of Genoa, on entering the bay by the light of a splendid full moon, as magnificent. They then proceeded by sea to Leghorn & by rail to Rome. They only slept there one night, being in a great hurry to see Vesuvius. Long before they arrived at Naples, they could see the mountain flaming – but next day, when he wrote, thick clouds obscured it’s Glories – & I have not heard since. We are going, ab^t the 7^th or 8^th of Jan^y to visit Lady Brownlow ¹¹ at Torquay – & tow^ds the end of the month we wish to go to Cannes – but cannot yet settle such a weighty matter.

Ernestine begs me to thank you very much for the little photographs, which she admires very much. They are certainly beautifully done. She sends her love to You, & best wishes for a Happy New Year, to which I join mine.

Charlie gave a very favorable account of Katie. ¹²

The entourage of the Queen ¹³ seem to be in a great fright lest some attack sh^d be made upon her; but she herself is not the least alarmed. Osborne ¹⁴ bay is well guarded by the Warrior, Irresistible, a Steamer & gunboat – The boats are continually rowing guard – a Company of Guards are quartered in some new stables close to the Lodge gates, & keep a constant watch all night between the house & the sea.

We are so busy preparing a Tree for New Year’s Day that I must now conclude. We have fine weather. Christmas Day was quite beautiful & very warm. Today is colder.

Y^r aff^te Sister
Caroline

I hope you will light your stoves when you go back to the Abbey.

[envelope]
Henry Fox Talbot Esq
Dabton
Thornhill
Dumfries Shire
Scotland