TALBOT9346

Lacock Abbey,
Chippenham.
Friday 27^th March

Dear M^lle Amélina

Charles¹ has heard from Ela² this morning that you do not leave Genoa till next Monday it appears to me therefore that this letter will be in time. I hope you have received your nephews letter from New York,³ which I forwarded to you at Pisa, and Charles wrote to me of you there. I don’t think there are any other letters gone to Pisa. I am surprised to hear of snow on the mountains near Genoa. Here the spring is very forward and the lilacs will soon open.

Today was one of the most splendid days I ever saw – Perhaps you will make 2 visits to Florence, one before and one after Prince Humberts marriage^<4> – At this distance I cannot tell what is best for you to do – Politics in England are getting troubled. M^r Gladstone’s move to abolish the Irish Church has excited a commotion.⁴ Only think of the former representative of the University of Oxford making such a motion! He has been sailing under false colours all his life.⁵ You see in America they are trying the President for high Crimes and Misdemeanours – chiefly for differing in opinion from Congress and dismissing a minister who opposed him in his Cabinet.⁶ And also for saying that Congress was no congress because the members for all the Southern States were excluded. I visited Penrice⁷ lately – there was only a small party there & it was very pleasant. Bertha⁸ had left her little baby there while she went on a hunting visit to Leicestershire. The little Violet is a nice little child of 6 months old full of observation and very good tempered like Willy⁹ was at that age. nothing puts her out except meeting a Welsh woman in a scarlet cloak, and a hat.

Charles is going to be sworn in as a Magistrate at Salisbury the 1^st April.

I was glad to hear that Disraeli had given a pension of £200 a Year to Lady Brewster.¹⁰ They are going to raise a statue to Sir D. Brewster at Edinburgh if they can raise £1,000 by subscription.¹¹ It appears it will stand in Princes Street Gardens – Only think of Lacock parish having produced the Greatest Lady in all Australia – Miss Gladstone now Lady Belmore and Governess General of New South Wales¹² – His personal appearance, as I read “produced a most favourable impression” and doubtless hers also. M^r William Awdry¹³ has become Second Master of Winchester School and I suppose ere long he will succeed to the Head Mastership, which is worth some thousands a year. M^r Blomfield¹⁴ has got an addition to his family last week, at Barton in the Clay. I am so glad you enjoyed Genoa and stayed longer than at first intended

Ever yours
H. F. Talbot