London
5 Decr Wednesday 1832
My Dear Henry
I have just been induced to lend 3£ to Charles John Pope, <1> Brother to the Pope you wished us to deal with. I hope he has not done me but it was impossible to believe him any thing but a rustic Wiltshire Farmer, who was anxious to get down to night to attend the Cattle Fair tomorrow, which he would otherwise be a great loser by. He was in some embarrassment owing to his Attorney having disappointed him, & was on his way from Kent. Pray tell Fitzsimmons <2> he is authorized to get 3£ from the said Pope for me whenever he goes to Chippenham. <3> After the Election he had better ask for it, not before. I was afraid to refuse for fear I should risk your unpopularity. Pray remark whether this man votes for you. I did not make that a condition for fear it should be construed bribery & do you harm, but I cannot believe such black ingratitude to exist. I cannot make out whether Horatia & Mr F. <4> are going to you or not, because I wrote yesterday to tell him that Lord Lansdowne <5> proved to be mistaken in saying the Chippenham Election came on certainly the same day as the Calne, and that therefore your stay at Laycock may be prolonged so as to make it worth while for him to go to you. I am going this morning to call in Queen Anne Street, & shall keep this open to have the satisfaction of telling you I have seen her.
I am just returned – & was very near being prevented by a most absurd difficulty nobody knew the number! I would not be baffled by such a vulgar obstacle & so drove to the Street, trusting to finding it out there – but we drove to 8 different houses before we found the right one. I was on the point of going all the way back to Boyle’s Court Guide office to find this out, when we hit on it at last. I found Mrs M. <6> & two daughters, but it was so dark I could not at first discern the one. However I soon proposed to Mrs M. to be allowed to bring her home to Caroline, at which she looked astonished but consented after a little hesitation. I think her very pretty & pleasing, with an agreeable voice which goes a great way with me – More anon for the Bell is going
Henry Fox Talbot Esqr
Laycock Abbey
Chippenham
Wilts
Notes:
1. See Doc. No: 02503.
2. Cornelius Fitzsimmons, Scottish gardener at Lacock Abbey.
3. Chippenham, Wiltshire: largest town near Lacock, 3 miles N.
4. Rear Admiral Charles Feilding (1780–1837), Royal Navy; WHFT’s step-father, and Caroline Augusta Edgcumbe, née Feilding, Lady Mt Edgcumbe (1808–1881); WHFT’s half-sister.
5. Henry Petty Fitzmaurice, 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne (1780–1863), MP, WHFT’s uncle.
6. Probably Mrs Marchant. [See Doc. No: 02361].