link to Talbot Project home page link to De Montfort University home page link to Glasgow University home page
Project Director: Professor Larry J Schaaf
 

Back to the letter search >

Result number 83 of 216:   < Back     Back to results list   Next >  

Document number: 1114
Date: 08 Nov 1823
Recipient: FEILDING Charles
Author: TALBOT William Henry Fox
Collection: British Library, London, Manuscripts - Fox Talbot Collection
Last updated: 1st September 2003

Paris 8th November 1823

My Dear Mr Feilding

I am going to send you according to your desire Quentin Durward, the Loves of the Angels, & the last Cantos of Don Juan <1> – It appears that Capt Parry <2> accomplished nothing of importance in his last expedition, especially this year, when the ice only broke up the 8th August – They saw a great deal of the Esquimaux, & give an amusing account of them – It seems that Esquimaux is not their real name, but a term of reproach meaning “Eaters of raw flesh” – Capt Laing <3> is returned from a successful expedition to the source of the Niger near Sierra Leone –

That accomplished banker Chiaveri <4> has given me among the Louis <5> I had from him, a double one that wants more than 5 francs of the right value – And yet I suppose he would be in a proper rage if one was to weigh them before taking them – He gave Giovanni <6> once a rouleau of pauls, <7> & abused him for attempting to count them, but on counting them at home there were eleven too few; he complained of this, but got for answer “Tant pis pour vous” <8> When you are next in Paris go to see the inventions of M. Durieux, Mécanicien de la Banque de France 72 Rue du Temple – He makes paper of any length – He contrives in part the French Bank notes which cannot be forged – He shewed me different things in them, part is beautifully engraved, the engraving being in relief on steel; the effect is very peculiar and pleasing – The timbre <9> is very curious –. The impression is equally distinct on both sides, which has the effect as if the paper were transparent, while it is on the contrary opaque; & on looking more attentively you see that an object represented on one side is entirely wanting on the other! With this exception the two engravings are so exactly superposed that on holding them against the light every line corresponds, without the smallest crossing or confusion – Why don’t the English bank <sic> adopt this contrivance so difficult to imitate, & affording a test so obvious “to the meanest capacity” He told me the French banknote cost 150,000 francs to be executed, but would last for ever –

Tell Cal <10> I am going to send her something I bought of Durieux, connected with drawing, which she will find, if not very useful, at least unique, as far as my experience goes – I send it with the books –

Yours afftly

H. Talbot

à Monsieur
Monsieur Feilding
Gentilhomme Anglois

Gênes
Italie


Notes:

1. Sir Walter Scott, Quentin Durward (1823); Thomas Moore Loves of the Angels (1823); Lord Byron, Don Juan Canto the Seventeenth (1823).

2. Sir William Edward Parry (1790–1855), Arctic explorer. His second Arctic expedition returned to Britain October/November 1823. [See Doc. No: 01109].

3. Alexander Gordon Laing (1793–1826), Scottish explorer of western Africa and the first European known to have reached the ancient city of Tombouctou.

4. Louigi Chiaveri. [See Doc. No: 01066].

5. A French gold coin superseded in 1975 by the 20-franc piece.

6. Giovanni Percij.

7. A roll or coil of Italian silver coins.

8. “That’s your bad luck!“

9. Stamp.

10. Caroline Augusta Edgcumbe, née Feilding, Lady Mt Edgcumbe (1808–1881); WHFT’s half-sister.

Result number 83 of 216:   < Back     Back to results list   Next >