[The envelope for this letter is in a private collection:}
Hy Fox Talbot Esqr
Normanton
Stamford
______
March 17th
My Dearest Henry
I marked some T (when I was first sorting them) to be sent to you, as I sent you all that were not asked for particularly by Longleat <1> or Melbury. <2> Many of those I still have, are on the Melbury List, but I shall send them to you, as I have already sent them so many. I did not understand any definition - I could find of Angular Motion, as applied to circular orbits which was the reason I asked you. If you can make it plain to my understanding, pray do.
You are too young to remember anything of the transactions at Tilsit, <3> or you would perceive why Alexander <4> owes Gratitude to Napoleon. <5> They were then great friends, because Alexander felt his escape from all the evils of an Invasion, for it was then in Napoleon's power to have Marched to Petersburg & with very different success to what he met with afterwards at a more unseasonable time of year. There is a Letter published by Santini <6> (who is come on purpose) I believe they have given the translation in the papers as well as of the Manifesto but it is badly done. Meaning By way of translating Il n'y a point d'eau potable à Longwood, they say "There is no water fit for cooking at Longwood" Its very odd anybody should be so ignorant in these days.<7> I suppose they thought potable must have reference to the Pot of Marmite. Yr account of Sir Gerard Noel <8> amused me very much. I believe he is cracked. His wife you know is that methodistical Lady Barham who lives at Fairy Hill<9> & does so much mischief by preventing the people des alentours. <10> Why don't you tell me if you are happy & what Books of Amusement you read.
Notes:
1. Longleat, Wiltshire.
2. Melbury, Dorset: one of the Fox Strangways family homes; WHFT was born there.
3. The Treaty at Tilsit, northern Prussia, signed in July 1807 between France, Russia and Prussia, after Napoleon's victories over the Prussians and the Russians.
4. Alexander I of Russia (1777-1825).
5. Napoleon I, Emperor of France (1804-1814/1815).
6. Noël Santini (1790-1862), caretaker of Napoleon's tomb. Santini's Appeal to the British Nation (London, 1817).
7. Lady Elisabeth is correct, for the translation is "there is no drinking water at Longwood." Longwood House was the residence of Napoleon during his imprisonment on St Helena and the quotation is from Santini's Appeal, brought to England by Santini in 1817.
8. Sir Gerard Noel-Noel, 2nd Baronet (1759-1838), of Exton Hall, politician.
9. Diana Noel, Lady Barham, née Middleton, (1762-1823). Her house of Fairy Hill was on the Gower Peninsula in Wales, where she was responsible for erecting several non-conformist chapels.
10. From roundabout.