Harrow. <1>
July 19th 1815.
My Dear Mamma,
I have been a long while in expectation of the political letter you promised to write me: I have not heard from you for a fortnight past, & want very much to know your opinions respecting Louis 18th <2> – I have done most part [sic] of my farewell to Harrow. – Pray send a chaise for Christopher, <3> on Monday next, (July 24th) at 3 o’clock or earlier. I will get two other boys to go with him; – & send the carriage for me on Tuesday, the 25th – about eight or nine in the Morning. – Yesterday I dined with Ld Northwick: <4> – we looked through his Telescope, at St Paul’s, on the Upper Gallery of which we saw a party of Ladies, looking towards us: – We could see what o’clock it was on Westminster Abbey. – In the Evening we looked at some of his Coins, of which he has got 30,000. Tell me how Kit is to go on from Town, for he does not know himself. – Christopher’s Trials are over. He did very well. Next Saturday it will be settled where he has got in. I do not think his eyes are well yet. – I believe the Holidays will be prolonged a week this Time; – to the great satisfaction of the partridge shooting part of our community. – this last week by good luck I am “Sixth Form Monitor” – & have nothing to do; but to get up at seven, & read prayers in school. So I have plenty of Time. I have written a nice list of the School, to keep hereafter.
I remain, Yr Affte Son –
WHFTalbot.
Lady Elisabeth Feilding
31 Sackville St
London.
Notes:
1. Harrow School: WHFT attended from 1811–1815 and his son Charles from 1855-1859.
2. Louis XVIII (1755–1824), King of France (1814–1824).
3. Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot (1803–1890), immensely wealthy landowner, mathematician & politician; WHFT’s Welsh cousin.
4. John Rushout, 2nd Lord Northwick (1770–1859), FSA and collector of coins and art. He died intestate and his collections were dispersed. His son, George Rushout (1811-1887), attended Harrow.