Castleford
Nov. 6th. 1816.
My Dear Mamma,
Mr. Barnes desires me to send you the enclosed, <1> & to say that he shall not be angry if it is of no use. I am very anxious for the Holidays, so pray fix as early a day as possible. I am thoroughly tired of this place- and winter is making his approaches - Gordon was a great loss to us- This country is so clayey that when once the roads get wet, they are a long while in drying- This makes it wretched to ride- & besides I know all the places in the neighbourhood by heart-
Eheu! Fata negant nequid scripsisse viderer!
Nil?! En! Scripsisti scribere posse nihil–
Quatuor. Henricus - vulpes. Talbot Gulielmus
Nomina sunt. Qualis, scio, ego, quisque siem- <2>
I have ta'en this Latin whim
ut scias quis ego sim; -
Nomen tibi dixi, iam
You know who & what I am. <3>
Notes:
1. Rev Theophilus Barnes (1774 –1855), of Castleford. There is no separate enclosure present, although it is possible that WHFT was referring to the Latin below.
2. Alas! The Fates deny that I seem to have written anything! / Nothing! look! You have written that you are able to write nothing- / I have four names, Henry, Fox, Talbot, William / I know what and who I am.
3. I have ta'en this Latin whim / so that you may know who I am; - / I have told you my name, now / You know who & what I am.