TALBOT9602

Cotehele House
Jan^y 4^th 1870 ¹

My dearest Henry

It is not too late to send one's good wishes for the New year within the first week - & I therefore wish you a very happy New one & good health to enjoy it. - I was so much obliged to you for warning me of the coming eclipse, which I should otherwise have known nothing about. - I was alone on Mount E ² - & saw it very well from the Kiosk thro' a smoked glass - for the Sun was shining brightly at the time.

The light on the Sound & on the iron clads, was not dim, or dark, as I expected - but pale & ghastly - & a schooner passing thro' the Sun's broad path on the waters, looked as black as ink & it's [sic] shadow equally so - There was certainly something "no canny" in the aspect of things. Ernestine saw the Eclipse well from Pamflete, ³ & Val ⁴ from Bournemouth. Did you see it?

We spent Christmas at P^t Eliot - where L^d St G. ⁵ gave a Ball for his grand daughter, May Ponsonby. I have just heard from Ly. Emily Hankey, ⁶ who has had a letter from Brooke Greville at Florence, wanting a carte de visite of you for a photographic Artist there, who wants to enlarge it, & place it alongside of one of Daguerre, ⁷ & of another great man, whose name I can't read. Can you, & will you give one? We go on Saturday, for a few days, to Boconnoc n^r Lostwithiel ( George Fortescue's ⁸) - & thence to Plymouth for a Ball - Afterwards I believe to Bournemouth & Melbury ⁹ - Ernestine sends her best love & good wishes for the new Year -

Ever my dear Henry y^r aff^te Sister
Caroline