11 Nov 1865
My Dear Sir
Now that your friend Mr Oakeley <1> has been elected Professor of Music here, I hope you will propose him as a Fellow of the Royal Society. <2>
He was inducted today & received the right hand of Fellowship from his Colleagues. I hope that he will raise the Chair of Music in the University & establish a School of Music with Degrees in the [illegible]
We hope to see you here this Winter.
Sir David Brewster <3> is to open the Lectures of the Royal Society on Monday 4th December with an address.
I amy ours sincerely
J H. Balfour
Sec R S E
[envelope - flap dry embossed 'University of Edinburgh:]
H. Fox Talbot Esq
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham
Wilts
Notes:
1. [Sir] Herbert Stanley Oakeley (1830–1903). The unmusical WHFT used his influence on behalf of this friend of his nephew William Henry Edgcumbe, ‘Val’, 4th Earl Mt Edgcumbe (1832–1917), JP & Ld Steward of the Royal Household; WHFT’s nephew ‘Bimbo’ [see Doc. No: 06819] and family connection [he was a cousin of Amelia ‘Emily’ Matilda Murray (1795–1884), author – see Doc. No: 09480]. Oakeley won the election for the Chair of Music by the casting vote of W. E. Gladstone, rector of the University of Edinburgh, and Chancellor of the Exchequer at the time, who was the brother of WHFT’s Wiltshire neighbour Captain John Neilson Gladstone (1807–1863), MP.
2. Royal Society of Edinburgh.
3. Sir David Brewster (1781–1868), Scottish scientist & journalist.