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Document number: 5150
Date: 06 Jan 1845
Recipient: TALBOT William Henry Fox
Author: FEILDING Elisabeth Theresa, née Fox Strangways
Collection: British Library, London, Manuscripts - Fox Talbot Collection
Collection number: envelope 20436
Collection number historic: LA45-4
Last updated: 20th February 2012

Melbury <1>
6th January

My Dear Henry

I was disappointed at seeing only the advertisement tho' glad to see how it looked. It attracts the eye more than the former ones, tho' I wonder much at the selection.

I have no notion where you are because you told me you should go to London on the 2d & yet I think I see a faint post mark of Chippenham on the envelope. I gave Emily Murray <2> a No 1 Pencil of Nature <3> the day she went away. She is worthy of it, as a great Admirer of yours. She wished to possess it for the sake of the Letter press, but except Patroclus she did not like the choice & said she had some loose ones of yours a thousand times prettier subjects. People in general are more particular about the first number than any other of their works. She did not think you had done yourself justice. [illegible] Traherne <4> came here Saturday, which is a good sign of your Aunt Mary. <5> Horatia <6> is still at Came. Mr Montgomerie <7> comes Tuesday. Leonora is to be christened Thursday & I think of going back on the 14th -

affly yrs
E F

Before you chuse for No 3 I would suggest that copies of Prints are what take the least, because of course they copy exactly all the inaccuracies & the great merit of this invention is its extreme accuracy, & truth to Nature.

[envelope:]
H. Fox Talbot Esr
Laycock Abbey
Chippenham
Wilts

Notes:

1. Melbury, Dorset: one of the Fox Strangways family homes; WHFT was born there.

2. Amelia 'Emily' Matilda Murray (1795-1884), author.

3. WHFT, The Pencil of Nature (London: Longman, Brown, Green, & Longmans, June 1844-April 1846 [issued in six fascicles]).

4. Related to Charlotte Louisa 'Charry' Traherne, née Talbot (1800-1880), WHFT's cousin.

5. Lady Mary Lucy Cole, née Strangways, first m. Talbot (1776-1855), WHFT's aunt.

6. Henrietta Horatia Maria Gaisford, née Feilding (1810-1851), WHFT's half-sister.

7. Rev George Stephen Molyneux Montgomerie (1790-1850), close friend of Talbot family, artist, Rector of Garboldisham, near Thetford, Norfolk.