Cher Mr Talbot:
Je pense que vous serez bien aise de lire ce petit paragraphe que je viens de couper du Courant: et comme je crains son omission dans le Times j’ai cru bien faire en vous l’envoyant.
Mme Talbot est allée ce matin payer Ross & Thompson: et lorsqu’il a su qu’il avait eu l’honneur de vendre ses photographes à l’Inventeur de ce bel art il s’est exprimé en termes d’admiration et de regret de ne l’avoir pas su alors. Il dit que si votre cause eut été jugée in Scotland vous auriez assurément triomphé, car, a t’il dit, tous nos juges et hommes de la loi connaissent la photographie et s’en occupent, bien différents en cela de vos juges anglais! Charles et Ela <1> sont allés chez Ivan Szabo <2> ce matin, et leurs portraits ont bien réussi a ce qu’il dit: il en a fait deux de chacun: nous verrons le résultat jeudi, jour où Rosamond et Matilde <3> vont essayer les leurs. Le temps est délicieux aujourd’hui, peut-être trop chaud pour la saison et point de pluie, ce qui est bien à regretter pour l’agriculture. En général il a fait très beau depuis quelques jours. J’ai pu sortir ce matin – la première fois depuis quinze jours, ayant eu un rhume violent. –
Charles est allé à Melrose dont il a été un peu désapointé quant à l’étendue de l’édifice qui est dit-il fort petit, mais parfait dans ses détails. Ces dames sont allées à Granton il y a quelques jours et ont trouvé Lady MacNeil et toute sa compagnie dans le jardin, au milieu de charmantes fleurs dont elles m’ont apporté de jolis bouquets. Tout à présent a un air de fête qui réjouit: cependant nous nous préparons à quitter poor old Edin peut-être à regret, mais toutes heureuses d’aller respirer l’air des montagnes et ensuite vous retrouver à la chère vieille abbaye.
Combien sont intéressants ces documents trouvés dans votre tour. – je fais des voeux pour le succès de Lord Talbot <4> dont je ne me soucie nullement; mais je n’aime pas que les Catholiques mettent la griffe sur ce bon morceau:
J’oubliais de vous dire que Charles a fait son début dans le monde: il a été a trois bals: il a dansé volontiers: c’est une bonne chose pour l’habituer un peu à voir des étrangers, et ici la société est plus facile, si je puis dire, moins raide qu’en Angleterre.
Ne craignez-vous pas que cet aquittement de Bernard ne nous compromette encore plus avec Bédinguet et ses furieux amis?… Vous verrez que Lord Dumferlin <5> died Saturday at Colington à l’âge de 82 ans Lord Handyside died too, ces jours-ci moins agé et plus inopinément.
Il y a eu encores des bals et amusements mais cela tire à sa fin. Chacun songe à la retraite dans les montagnes
Vos petites vont bien regretter leur maitre de peinture M. Gourlay Steele [sic]. <6>
Votre bien affectionnée
A. Petit.
Edinburgh
20. Avril 1858
[enclosure – newspaper clipping:
The discovery of the steroscope. – The long-vexed contest between Professors Brewster and Wheatstone as to the first discoverer of stereoscopy has been judicially set at rest by a sentence of the Civil Tribunal of Paris, on Wednesday, in the law-suit of “Dubosque v. Gudin” The date of Wheatstone’s first intimation of that natural phenomenon to the public, and of his practical embodiment of a hidden truth previously unsuspected, was solemnly recognised by the bench. Brewster’s improvement thereon was also recorded, and his dealings with the French optical mechanic, Dubosque, so far established as to make the latter’s claim to a particular patent granting damages against Gudin.
– Globe’s Paris Correspondent.
‘COURANT’ <7>
Translation:
Dear Mr Talbot:
I think you will be most pleased to read this little paragraph which I have just cut from the Courant: and since I fear its omission from the Times, I thought I should send it to you.
Mrs Talbot went to pay Ross & Thompson this morning: and when he learned that he had had the honour of selling his photographs to the Inventor of this fine art, he expressed himself in terms of admiration and regret that he did not know it at the time. He says that, had your cause been judged in Scotland, you would assuredly have triumphed, for, he said, all our judges and men of law know photography and occupy themselves therewith, very different, in this respect, from your English judges! Charles and Ela went to Ivan Szabo’s this morning, and their portraits have come out well according to him: he made two of each: we shall see the result on Thursday, the day when Rosamond and Matilde go to try theirs. The weather is delicious today, perhaps too hot for the season and no rain whatsoever, which is regrettable for agriculture. In general the weather has been fine for a few days. I was able to go out this morning ’ the first time in a fortnight, having had a violent cold.
Charles went to Melrose which disappointed him a little with regard to the scale of the edifice which is, he says, quite small, but perfect in its details. The ladies went to Granton a few days ago and found Lady MacNeil and all her company in the garden, amid charming flowers of which they brought me pretty bouquets. Everything has an air of celebration at the moment which is delightful: nevertheless we are preparing to leave poor old Edin perhaps with regret, but all happy to be going to breathe the mountain air and then to find you at the dear old abbey.
How interesting the documents found in your tower are – I wish for success for Lord Talbot and am not at all concerned over it; but I am not happy that the Catholics should get their clutches on this good piece.
I forgot to tell you that Charles has made his debut in society: he went to three balls: he danced readily: it is a good thing to make him accustomed to seeing strangers, and here society is easier, if I may say so, less strict than in England.
Do you not fear that this acquittal of Bernard might compromise us still further with Bedinguet and his furious friends?… You shall see that Lord Dumferlin died Saturday at Colington aged 82. Lord Handyside died too, these past days, younger and more unexpectedly.
There have been more balls and amusements but it is reaching its end. Everybody is dreaming of their retreat to the mountains.
Your little ones will greatly miss their painting master Mr Gourlay Steele.
Your most affectionate
A. Petit.
Edinburgh
20. April 1858
[enclosure – newspaper clipping:
The discovery of the stereoscope – The long-vexed contest between Profesors Brewster and Wheatstone as to the first discoverer of stereoscopy has been judicially set at rest by a sentence of the Civil Tribunal of Paris, on Wednesday, in the law-suit of “Dubosque v. Gudin” The date of Wheatstone’s first intimation of that natural phenomenon to the public, and of his practical embodiment of a hidden truth previously unsuspected, was solemnly recognised by the bench. Brewster’s improvement thereon was also recorded, and his dealings with the French optical mechanic, Dubosque, so far established as to make the latter’s claim to a particular patent granting damages against Gudin.
Notes:
1. Charles Henry Talbot (1842–1916), antiquary & WHFT’s only son, and Ela Theresa Talbot (1835–1893), WHFT’s 1>sup>st daughter.
2. Iván Szabó (1822–1858), a Hungarian photographer, learned his craft in St Andrews before setting up his studio in Edinburgh in 1857. He was considered one of the premier portrait photographers in Scotland. See Julie Lawson, ‘Iván Szabó: A Hungarian Photographer in Scotland’, Shadow and Substance (The Amorphous Institute Press, 1990) pp.17–21.
3. Rosamond Constance ‘Monie’ Talbot (1837–1906), artist & WHFT’s 2nd daughter, and Matilda Caroline Gilchrist-Clark, ‘Tilly’, née Talbot (1839–1927), WHFT’s 3rd daughter.
4. Henry John Chetwynd Talbot, 18th Earl Shrewsbury, 5th Baron Talbot (1803–1868), succeeded Bertram Arthur, the 17th Earl, after the latter’s death 10 August 1856. The succession was contested by James Robert Hope Scott and Lord Edmund Bernard Fitzalan Howard (by his guardian Hon. Albert Henry Petre) in the Court of Chancery in January and February of 1858, and Lord Talbot’s Petition of Appeal was brought before the Committee of Privileges in the House of Lords 12 March 1858, and resolved in the summer of that year. [See Journals of the House of Lords, v.90].
5. James Abercromby, 1st Baron Dunfermline (1776–1858).
6. Gourlay Steell (1819–1894), Scottish painter.
7. Written by hand, all upper case.