London
July 25th
Sir
I went on Saturday morning and delivered your parcel <1> into Mr Gydes <2> hands, and the portmanteaus to Mr Wright <3> all safe Captn Feilding <4> gave me a note to Mrs Methuen <5> which I delivered to that Lady, but received no hopes of success. I return you many thanks for mentioning the subject to Lady Elisabeth <6>, I shall now wait in hopes of the the [sic] Foresters place at Bowood <7>, I have every reason to believe that you will not forget me when his lordship <8> arrives at Bowood &c &c –
I have asked Mr Gale <9> to value the few articles of furniture which I left in the house and likewise to send you an account of the number of articles and what he valued them at, which if you approve of, I shall be very much obliged. Should it please you to give orders for the amount to be paid to my wife &c &c I shall feel happy in doing anything to oblige you that may ly lie in my power while I am in a nursery. I mean to go into Whitly & Osborns at Fulham <10> and there wait for a situation &c <11>
Your Obedt Humble Servt
C. Fitzsimmons
H F Talbot Esqr
Notes:
1. The parcel probably contained the proof of WHFT’s article “On the Optical Phenomena of certain Crystals”, The Philosophical Transactions of The Royal Society, London: 1837, part 1, pp. 25–27, 29–35. [See Doc. No: 03305].
2. Assistant to Richard Taylor (1781–1858), publisher & naturalist. [See Doc. No: 03378].
3. James Wright, footman to the Talbots & Constable for Lacock.
4. Rear Admiral Charles Feilding (1780–1837), Royal Navy; WHFT’s step-father.
5. Jane Dorthea Methuen, née Mildmay (1789–1846).
6. Lady Elisabeth Theresa Feilding, née Fox Strangways, first m Talbot (1773–1846), WHFT’s mother.
7. Bowood House, nr Calne, Wiltshire, 5 mi NE of Lacock: seat of the Marquess of Lansdowne.
8. Henry Petty Fitzmaurice, 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne (1780–1863), MP, WHFT’s uncle.
9. John Gale, carpenter at Lacock.
10. London.
11. Fitzsimmons left with WHFT’s blessing [see Doc. No: 03177] and was replaced by John Reid, on the recommendation of Sir William Jackson Hooker (1785–1865), Prof & botanist [see Doc. No: 00262, and Doc. No: 03223].