Harrow <1>
June 25th 1815.
My Dear Mamma,
I mean, that I wish you would send me any accounts, not to be found in the Newspapers, which you obtain from so many sources in London. Mr Forbes has two sons here, & has sent them two expresses lately, with the News, the instant it arrived in Town; – by which he has greatly obliged the whole school. I think the loss we have sustained, must be overrated; – the official returns have not been received yet, have they? – I knew Tom Strangways <2> was severely wounded, but asked you for the particulars, if you know any… Many severe losses have happened to some of my schoolfellows – Gunning has lost his brother: so has Blackman, – Trevor, his uncle, & Ld Garlies’s <3> uncle wounded. We had a Holiday for the Victory, <4> partly I suppose to console us, as well as to rejoice in. – Pray did not you know Ld Fitzroy Somerset? <5> – I think Parliament premature in rewarding Ld Wellington; <6> tho’ it is a great proof of the Confidence we repose in Him. – I never recollect the Newspaper’s so interesting, not even last year. – Did the Personages who chose to remain in Paris at Buonapartes return, <7> since come to England, or are they there now? – If so, I think they are in a “parenthesis”. – What do you think of the pun on “La belle Alliance”.<8> I think it will not take. The Emperor of Austria <9> & his Czarship of Russia, <10> will come a day after the Fair, which perhaps they intended. – Do you think Buonaparte will make a stand at Laon? <11> If so: it is the turn of the Russians & Austrians to fight him; – [illegible deletion] –
26th Two. Oclock:
I have just heard the Happy News. I hope it is True, though I have not heard on what authority it rests. – I suppose they will cut his head off now; – at least if they don’t, they deserve to lose their own. – I was somewhat surprized to see Christopher <12> yesterday, not having heard a word of him since he left Town, although I often enquired. He is in plenty of Time for his Trial, & I hope will not get in the lower on Account of his Absence. – I have rehearsed my speech to Dr Butler: <13> three times. The Action he uses, is I think much too theatrical, shaking the Head, &c &c.
I remain YrAffte Son
W. H. F. Talbot
The smallest Donations of News will be Thankfully Received.
The Lady Elisabeth Feilding
31 Sackville St
London
Notes:
1. Harrow School: WHFT attended from 1811–1815 and his son Charles from 1855-1859.
2. Lt Col Thomas Fox Strangways (1790-1854), a cousin of WHFT's mother, Lady Elisabeth Feilding and the son of her uncle Charles. He was grievously wounded at the battle of Waterloo but recovered unexpectedly and continued his military career. At the rank of Brigadier-General, he was killed in the Crimean War at the Battle of Inkerman on 5 November 1854.
3. Probably Randolph Stewart, 9th Earl of Galloway (b. 1800).
4. Napoleon’s final defeat at Waterloo by the British, Dutch, Belgian and German troops on 18 June 1815.
5. Fitzroy James Henry Somerset, Lord Raglan (1788–1855). He was the military secretary of the Duke of Wellington’ at Waterloo.
6. Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington (1769–1852), was in command of the forces which defeated Napoleon.
7. Napoleon I, Emperor of France (1804–1814/1815). Napoleon had been exiled to the Island of Elba on 1 March 1815 but returned to Paris on 20 March.
8. La Belle Alliance (The Happy Marriage) was the name of Napoleon’s headquarters, called that because because the proprietress had married one of her workers. Another use of the term La Belle Alliance was for 'The Grand Coalition' between Britain, Russia, Prussia and other nations against France. The punning suggestion that the victory be called the Battle of La Belle Alliance was made by Gebhard Leberecht von Blucher (1742-1819), Prussian Field Marshal. Wellington rejected it in favour of the Battle of Waterloo. However, Belle Alliance Platz was a prominent square in Berlin until just after WW2.
9. Francis II (1768–1835), Holy Roman emperor (1792–1806), 1st emperor of Austria as Francis I (1804–1835).
10. Alexander I, Czar of Russia (1777–1825).
11. Napoleon was defeated at the battle of Laon on 9–10 March 1814.
12. Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot (1803–1890), immensely wealthy landowner, mathematician & politician; WHFT’s Welsh cousin.
13. Rev George Butler (1774–1853), Headmaster at Harrow.