Normanton, <1>
April 2d 1817
My Dear Mamma,
I received a brief note from William <2> this morning - dated from P. which I suppose means Petersburg, tho! it may mean Potsdam.- He desires me to tell you he is going to write to you soon.- Sir Gilbert <3> arrived at Normanton last night, & his son Henry <4> from Cambridge - Sir Gerard Noel <5> has left the country for good & all - They say that Ld Winchilsea <6> is coming down soon: is it true? Where are my Aunt Mary & cousins? <7> I have heard nothing for ages -
Turn Over
William sent me a lichen from Prussia which I am concerned to say might be procured without much difficulty from the nearest wall - Is there any truth in the rumour of a dissolution of Parliament? Answer me this - When I was at Cliffe<8> I went over to see Apethorp.<9> Today is Croxten Park races <10> - The weather continues delightful, beyond precedent - I amuse myself with the stars every evening:- at this time they are particularly interesting, as the planet Venus is passing through the Pleiades, which, if you like, you may easily shew to Car. & Hor. <11> if their love of stargazing yet continues - The best time for seeing is between 8 and 9 - As to angular motion - suppose a planet moves 20 Degrees, then its real motion may have been some millions of miles, but its angular motion is 20 Degrees -
April 7th
I dined with Sir Gilbert yesterday; and at Cottesmore <12> on Friday - Dr Satterthwaite <13> there - We have not had a rainy day since I came here - P.S. It is too late to see Venus & the Pleiades, for she is gone through them long ago - I hear Ld Winchilsea comes down today -
I remain, Yr Affte Son
W. H. F. Talbot
The Lady Elisth Feilding
31 Sackville St
London
Notes:
1. Normanton, Rutlandshire.
2. William Thomas Horner Fox Strangways, 4th Earl of Ilchester (1795-1865), botanist, art collector & diplomat. [See Doc. No: 00759].
3. Sir Gilbert Heathcote, 4th Baronet (1773-1851).
4. William Henry Heathcote (1797-1880).
5. Sir Gerard Noel-Noel, 2nd Baronet (1759-1838), MP for Rutland.
6. George Finch, 9th Earl of Winchilsea (1752-1826).
7. Lady Mary Lucy Cole, née Strangways, first m. Talbot (1776-1855), WHFT's aunt, and her children Mary Thereza Talbot (1795-1861), WHFT's cousin; Jane Harriot Nicholl, née Talbot (1796-1874); Charlotte Louisa 'Charry' Traherne, née Talbot (1800-1880), WHFT's cousin; Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot (1803-1890), immensely wealthy landowner, mathematician & politician; WHFT's Welsh cousin; Isabella Catherine Franklen, née Talbot (1804-1874); Emma Thomasina Llewelyn, née Talbot (1806-1881), photographer; WHFT's Welsh cousin.
8. Kings Cliffe, Northants, where Henry Kaye Bonney had his living.
9. Apethorpe Hall, residence of the Earls of Westmoreland, whose patronage of the Bonney family extended back to Thomas Kaye Bonney's grandfather.
10. Croxton Park races, established in the early 19th century.
11. Caroline Augusta Edgcumbe, née Feilding, Lady Mt Edgcumbe (1808-1881); WHFT's half-sister, and Henrietta Horatia Maria Gaisford, née Feilding (1810-1851), WHFT's half-sister.
12. Cottesmore, Rutland.
13. Dr James Satterthwaite (1773-1827), Clergyman, DD and Chaplain to George III in 1814; Rector of Lowther, Westmorland 1813-1827. He was at Cottesmore through his connection with the Earl of Lonsdale and the Lowther family who presented him to various livings including Lowther rectory. See also Doc. No: 00610; Doc. No: 00618; Doc. No: 00749.