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Document number: 541
Date: 15 Jul 1811
Recipient: FEILDING Elisabeth Theresa, née Fox Strangways
Author: TALBOT William Henry Fox
Collection: British Library, London, Manuscripts - Fox Talbot Collection
Collection number historic: LA11-8
Last updated: 1st November 2011

Harrow <1>
July 15. 1811

Dear Mamma,

I am much obliged to you for your consolatory letter, which I have not yet torn to pieces, but soon will, as you wish it: I am in a great hurry at present. Tell Mr Feilding <2> that Brisco and Finch <3> are very goodnatured to me: it was on Saturday you know that Mr F. came over to see me, well there was not time that night to change my bed, but luckily it was near ten before I went to bed, & the others were asleep so I had no more of vous savez quoi sans que je le dise: on Sunday Dr Butler <4> said to me I might as well stay there till the holiday & seemed to wish me to: however he left it to my choice, & I of course chose to change: he told me he never wished to know the cause of animosity between boys: he supposed they had been playing tricks upon me but I assured him it was nothing of that sort. Je dorme [sic] à present avec milord Brudenell <5> fils du comte de Cardigan que vous connoissez, il est aisé et très comme [un] gentilhomme, et il n’a point de ces manieres mechants qu’ont ceux avec qui je me couchois premierement: je vous serois bien obligé si vous m’envoyerez ces livres ci Mon Testament Grec. Mon livre à prières lequel si vous ne trouvez point j’aurois besoin de vous prier m’acheter un autre, et ces deux qu’il n’importe pas beaucoup si vous me les envoyez où [sic] non. Guthrie Geographie – et Lempriere:<6> si vous en avez le moindre besoin, je vous prie ne me les envoyez pas, parceque je puis bien me servir de celui de M. Dewing<7> qui s’assied à mon côté, et veut bien me les prêter – Jécris cette partie de ma lettre en Francois parceque je sais que vous le voulez je n’ai le temps à chercher les mots dans le dictionnaire; cependant ne changez point les fautes de grammaire dans cette lettre mais brûlez la le moment que vous et M. F l’aurez lue que toutes les marques de cette affaire soient perdues dans l’oblivion, j’ai un saignement au nez quelquefois, mais pas aussi souvent qu’à Londres, j’espere que je vous consolerai en vous disant l’état de mon âme que je suis plus heureuz [sic] qu’hier: je finis promptement Oh si j’avais plus de temps, brûlez, brûlez, moi je ferois le mème, j’achete des choses chez Mme Hemmings, brûlez, soyez benie ma chere maman,

Votre affnee [sic] fils
W H F Talbot

Lady Elisabeth Feilding
31 Sackville Street
London



Translation:

Harrow
July 15. 1811

Dear Mamma,

I am much obliged to you for your consolatory letter, which I have not yet torn to pieces, but soon will, as you wish it: I am in a great hurry at present. Tell Mr Feilding that Brisco and Finch are very goodnatured to me: it was on Saturday you know that Mr F. came over to see me, well there was not time that night to change my bed, but luckily it was near ten before I went to bed, & the others were asleep so I had no more of You know what I mean without my saying it: on Sunday Dr Butler said to me I might as well stay there till the holiday & seemed to wish me to: however he left it to my choice, & I of course chose to change: he told me he never wished to know the cause of animosity between boys: he supposed they had been playing tricks upon me but I assured him it was nothing of that sort. I sleep now with Lord Brudenell, son of the Earl of Cardigan whom you know, he is goodnatured and very gentlemanly, and he has none of the bad manners of those with whom I slept formerly: I should be very much obliged if you would send me these books: My Greek Testament. My prayerbook which if you are unable to find pray buy me another, and these two which it does not much matter whether you send me or not. Guthrie Geographia – and Lempriere: should you have the least need of them I beg you not to send them to me, because I can make use of those belonging to Dewing who sits next to me and is quite willing to lend them to me – I am writing this part of my letter in French because I know that you wish it I have not the time to look up the words in the dictionary, but do not correct the grammatical faults in this letter but burn it the moment you and Mr F have read it, that all traces of this business may be lost in oblivion: I have a nosebleed sometimes, but not as often as in London, I hope that I shall comfort you in telling you the state of my spirits, that I am happier than yesterday: I am stopping now Oh if only I had more time, burn, burn, I shall do the same, I buy things at Mrs Hemmings’, burn, bless you my dear mamma.

Your affectionate son
W H F Talbot

Notes:

1. Harrow School: WHFT attended from 1811–1815 and his son Charles from 1855-1859.

2. Rear Admiral Charles Feilding (1780–1837), Royal Navy; WHFT’s step-father.

3. Wastel Brisco (1792-1878), later of Bohemia House, Sussex, died at Menton. George Finch (1794–1870), JP & MP. As Senior Boys and Monitors in their last year at Harrow in 1811, Brisco and Finch were in a position to assist WHFT.

4. Rev George Butler (1774–1853), Headmaster at Harrow.

5. James Thomas Brudenell, 7th Earl of Cardigan (1797–1868).

6. John Lemprière’s (1765-1824) dictionary had been in print since 1788. Perhaps WHFT had the latest edition, the 7th : A classical dictionary, containing a copious account of all the proper names mentioned in ancient authors, with the value of coins, weights, and measures among the Greeks and Romans, and a chronological table (London: T. Cadell, 1809). William Guthrie’s (1708-1770) reference work had been in print since at least 1779. The latest version which WHFT might have had was Nouvel atlas élémentaire pour la 10e édition de l'abrégé de géographie de Guthrie, contenant 15 cartes enluminées, par Arrowsmith et d'Anville (Paris: Langois, 1810).

7. Richard Dewing (1795-1876), of Carbrooke Hall, Norfolk, JP, attended Harrow School in 1811.

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