Château Clocheville
2. August
Caro figliulo <1>
We took it very ill you did not turn your head again pour nous saluer, en quittant les rives de la France. <2> We waved our parasols gracefully as you passed the end of the jettée & quand tu gagnas la haute Mer, <3> & then we climb'd the highest cliff towards Ambleteuse to see your lessening white sail, looking so innocent amongst the blue waves. We could see it very plain more than half way over, & then descended into the dirty streets of the Basse Ville <4> to pay our visits, & try to forget you, car nous étions fort tristes. <5> And now is come your short & shabby letter telling us so little, however half a loaf is better than none. Car & Hor <6> think que cela tient du miracle <7> that you should have been housed at Cambridge in twenty seven hours after they shed their briny tears over your departure. You don't appear to have done much or seen any body during your stay in London. & you suppress yr adventures in the Malle Poste. <8>
Mr F. <9> heard yesterday of Mr Hicks's <10> death, which you know has been some Months impending, & he sets off Monday to attend the Funeral. Lord Auckland <11> accompanies him & Caroline, to have several teeth drawn, she has suffered since you went much from the tooth ach [sic], for which you can feel - Have you submitted to have yours taken out?
Horatie te prie de lui écrire quand tu seras arrangé, & surtout de lui envoyer des problêmes. <12> They will be at Lord A's in Lower Grosvenor St No 30 in case you write.
Ever Yours
Mon Chérissime [sic]
Mr F. will leave London again on Friday the 11th - because we expect here Mrs & Lady Caroline Powlett <13> in their way from Paris.
We have taken no long walks since you went - it has been too hot.
You don't mention the interesting Jiggins <14> - nor how he fared by Land & Water -
I think the second Volume of Anastasius <15> rather tiresome, I have just finished it, & hope the third will equal the first.
William H. Fox Talbot Esq
Trinity College
Cambridge
Angleterre
Notes:
1. She probably means 'my dear little son'.
2. To take leave of us, as you left the shores of France.
3. And when you gained the open sea.
4. The Lower Town.
5. Because we were very sad.
6. 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.
7. That it is something of a miracle.
8. Mail-boat.
9. Rear Admiral Charles Feilding (1780-1837), Royal Navy; WHFT's step-father.
10. George Hicks (1772-1820), barrister at law, magistrate of police and husband of Augusta Sophia Hicks, née Feilding, sister of WHFT's step-father.
11. George Eden, 1st Earl of Auckland (1784-1849), Governor General of India.
12. Horatia begs you to write to her when you are settled, and especially to send her some problems.
13. Lady Caroline Powlett (d. 1883), wife of William John Frederick Vane (Powlett), later 3rd Duke of Cleveland (1792-1864). [See Doc. No: 00836].
14. Possibly James Jiggins (b. 1795), later the owner of the New Inn, Parker's Piece, Cambridge. See see Doc. No: 01384, Doc. No: 01498, and Doc. No: 01662.
15. Probably a reference to a work by Anastasius the Librarian.