Bowden Park <1>
17th March 33
My dear Sir
I am much obliged by your offer to convey to Captn Feilding <2> my wishes as to his using my ground <3>s but considering it would not have been fair to impose on you a trouble of this nature I wrote him as polite a note as possible on the subject and beg you will understand I by no means intended it to extend to yourself and Mrs Talbot indeed it was with considerable reluctance I was induced to do it at all but the frequency added to the unfair manner in which my grounds were ridden over obliged me to withdraw the privilege
I am aware the same objection operated with Mrs Dickinson <4> as with myself –
I regret to find the same spirit prevails in the [illegible deletion] commons rather for display & popular favor than the benefit & general improvement of the country in short the shadow & not the substance seems to attract their attention and little real business is done It appears they will not think upon the affairs of the Poor and if it goes on much longer as it is it will like the reform question be forced I shall be glad to hear from you and remain
Dr Sir Yours most truly
Ez Harman
[envelope:]
H. Fox Talbot Esqre.
M.P.
Sackville Street
31
London
Notes:
1. Bowden Park, Wiltshire, 1 mi SE of Lacock.
2. Rear Admiral Charles Feilding (1780–1837), Royal Navy; WHFT’s step-father.
3. See Doc. No: 02641.
4. Elizabeth Dickinson (d. before 1833), of Bowden Park.