TALBOT9883

Cotehele House ¹
Calstock
Tavistock.
Monday 20^th May 1872

My dear Henry

It is such ages since I have heard from you or your’s [sic], that I must write & try & elicit some signe de vie. ² I must however say first of all, that a letter came by today’s Post for Ernestine ³ – Postmark Bath, & apparently from Rosamond ⁴ – but that does not prevent my wishing to have a letter from yourself, after such a long silence.

Ernestine has been away a long time.

Perhaps you never heard that poor Val ⁵ had a severe attack of Rheumatism at Bournemouth. The pain came first in his hip – & then shifted about to other limbs – rendering him quite helpless for a time, & his hands & shoulders so stiff, he could not turn in bed.

The doctors said he had the narrowest possible escape of Rheumatic fever – but it was not that most fortunately. The complaint attacked the muscles instead of the joints, which makes a great difference – & he is now, I am thankful to say all right again. No doubt his patience & good temper enabled him to get thro’ the illness better than he otherwise would have done. Katie, ⁶ who had passed a very good winter for her, happened just at that time, to have caught cold, & to be particularly weak & out of sorts – so Ernestine went to Bournemouth, to help them, & amuse Val & write for him. This was on the 17^th of April – So you see I have been a long time in solitude.

On the 10^th ins^t Ernestine went to spend a week with Lady Morley ⁷ in London – She very goodnaturedly asked her to go to them for a week – but as other people were coming, she could not keep her longer. I am glad however she has had a peep of London as we don’t intend going there this year. I find I cannot afford to take a house – It runs away with too much money. E. has made the best of her time – been to one Ball, one Opera, one French Play, excellent – Rabagas – & one party – & seen the R^l Academy, International, &c &c –

(By-the-bye, the K. of the Belgians ⁸ does not let the grass grow under his feet – What quantities of things he does, & lots of people he sees!) Ernestine left London yesterday & came to Stone Hall – ( George Edgcumbe’s ⁹ house) in Stonehouse. I expect her home tomorrow – Did you ever see such weather – Yesterday & today are quite as cold as winter.

I want to know if the small blue flower I enclose, is rare in England? It grows wild here. I have often seen it of old in Italy. I enclose also a specimen leaf of our ivy. Is it not gigantic? Everything green has grown in these proportions – owing to the wet weather – but alas! for the flowers – they cannot get on without sun – at least here. At M^t E. ¹⁰ there is an abundance, & every Saturday I receive a hamper of lovely things.

I hope you are all flourishing in spite of the cold.

Give my love to Constance & tuttè quanté ¹¹

Y^r aff^te Sister
Caroline

[envelope:]
Henry Fox Talbot Esq^re
4 Circus
Bath