[printed notepaper:]
Merstham
Red Hill
Surrey
Monday Feby 3rd/68
My dear Father,
I intend to come to Lacock on Wednesday next the 5th instant. If by any chance however I do not turn up, do not be surprised, as I might be asked to stay longer.
We have been quite a political party in this house, with Sir John & Judy[?] Packington [sic]a class="ref" title="Link to note at foot of this page" name="jjp09321-back" href="#jjp09321"><1> & General Peel. 1 Lord and Lady Sefton have also been here and went today. Lady Sefton is Lord Hylton’s 2 daughter. Lord Sefton is an amusing man in his manner of talking. There were others of whose names I am not quite certain. our weather yesterday and today has been very fine. – I got a letter from Ela 3 which you forwarded. – They complain of not receiving enough correspondence from us in those parts. A letter of mine however to Rosamund must I should think have been about due there when she wrote. I took Swainson 4 with me to hear Farrars 5 lecture at the Royal Institution 6 and we were much interested. He spoke well and looked a fatter and happier man than he used to be when I was at Harrow. – He did not however tell us much that was new. – He wants to have education in Science more especially. – I understand that now at Harrow the writing of Latin verses is no longer compulsory. – That is a considerable step. – You will have seen in the papers more notices and paragraphs about the disappearance of Mr Speke. 7 The general impression seems to be that he has been murdered, but I believe that Sir Richard Mayne 8 maintains that that is not probable. – It is a most mysterious dissappearance
This house is prettily situated and there are some nice cedars. The style of the building is mainly classical, and I like its place internally. – There is a very fine collection of china and a large mug and I believe the pictures are good. – They have a railway station here. – On Sunday I walked into Red-Hill. The situation and the hills in their natural condition are very pretty, but the buildings are very bad and spoil the country.
Your affect son
Charles
[envelope:]
H Fox Talbot Esq
Lacock Abbey
Chipenham
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