Lacock
May 10. 1832
My dear Henry
I have consulted Moore <1> about your idea as to Provisions – he seems to think they will in this particular be well off – so I left it to his Discretion to provide any thing for them at the last at Bristol which he might think necessary – not exceeding 5£, at the same Time explaining, that it was not incumbent on him to spend the whole – I have no doubt he will do what is right – I have just been writing the Names of 4 women on some Bags full of cloaths which your Mother <2> has got together for them – I have no doubt of their not doing well [sic] on the other side of the water, & hope that their descriptions will induce others to follow their example – the Captain has nothing to do with the Provisions which are found by the Parish – we could see no star dodging the Moon at all, why I cannot guess as you saw it so well –
We shall be in Town Saturday Evg – The Politics of the day are too serious to be discussed in a Hurry – but as a general observation I may say that the opposition made a great mistake in opening so good an escape for the government, who march out with flying Colours <3> while the others have performed their part in as mean & dirty a way as could have been hoped for even with Ld Lyndhurst <4> to lead them – It is a great thing too for the tranquillity of the Country that the Honor of our Friends is unimpeached, & that the Country may still depend on them – In all this however the King <5> cuts the [illegible] Figure – He is a bold man who undertakes to face the present H of Commons. I should not be surprized if the new Ministers mean to go on with the old Bill, making only a few insignificant alterations for Forms sake
God bless you
C F
Notes:
1. Thomas Moore (possibly d. 1854), member of the Lacock Parish Vestry. [See Doc. No: 02346, and Doc. No: 02350].
2. Lady Elisabeth Theresa Feilding, née Fox Strangways, first m Talbot (1773–1846), WHFT’s mother.
3. The Government had resigned the previous day, 9 May, when the King refused to create enough new peers to get the Reform Bill through the House of Lords.
4. John Singleton Copley, Lord Lyndhurst, Lord Chancellor (1772–1863).
5. William IV (1765–1837), King of England 1830–1837.