TALBOT9911

Mount Edgcumbe ¹
Devonport.
Saturday Sept^r 28^th 1872

My dear Henry

I have heard nothing from, or of, any one of you for ages! We came here on Thursday for 3 or 4 days. The Vals ² had just returned from Casey Town, a house on the Moor, where Katie ³ has been staying for change of air during the hot weather – (if any we have had, deserves that name –) & on Tuesday we are due at Abbotsbury ⁴ – which I shall be much pleased to see again. I suppose we must start on Monday, as it is rather a long journey, & I don’t like early rising. The last time I saw Ab. was 12 years ago – when we were staying at Portland in the Yacht – but I have not stayed there, for more years than I can remember. You will be grieved to hear that I had a letter from Lady Gallwey ⁵ this morning, giving a very alarming account of poor Louisa. ⁶ She is with them at Thirkleby & has a very had attack of Bronchitis – She is so very weak that she can scarcely speak – tho’ I hope & believe she is in no pain; but Emily Gallwey ⁷ says she grows weaker & weaker – & that altho’ the doctor says he has seen persons recover who were quite as bad, they themselves have not the slightest hope. I am so very sorry! She has always been such a kind friend to me – more like a Sister than a Cousin.

I am intending to send you a plant of the Italian Jessamine you wished for – & I have desired the gardener to dig up some roots of the lilac & white Balm.

I now enclose a flower, leaf, & a few seeds of one

of the Acacia tribe, I have at Cotehele. ⁸

In haste

Y^r aff^te
Caroline

[envelope:]
Henry Fox Talbot
Esq^re
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham