Lacock Novr 28th
My Dear Constance
When the stove is lit in the Stone gallery it makes a considerable difference in the temperature, though it does not warm it so much as the one in the South Gallery – There does not seen to be anything the matter with the stove nor any alteration that could be made in it – Its influence seems counteracted by draughts of cold air and the coldness of the walls and floor and this is not the fault of the stove itself in which we do not perceive any particular defect. It is not lit now, as we are not inhabiting the Library The wind nearly blew off the top of the chimney and we quitted the room till this damage should be repaired.
We did not see the great show of Meteors which the Times mentions at 7 oclock yesterday evening (or it may have been on Tuesday evening, for the accounts are carelessly written)<1>
Charles<2> was out of doors at that time going to his usual Wednesday evening Library occupation. He says he saw one shooting star and did not look out for any more. The Times correspondent Mr Lowe of Highfield House saw 17,000 of them. <3> But I think this must be a misprint for 1700. These are not the so call’d November meteors but another set, appearing at 7 oclock instead of 1 in the morning and appearing to shoot forth from the constellation Perseus and not from Leo.
Unluckily they were not predicted, else all the world would have look’d out for them. In fact astronomers are as yet very much in the dark on the Subject of these meteors.
Your will have seen in the paper the death of Mr Starky at Newcastle in Australia.<4>
I hope the Winchester school system will be changed. The upper boys call’d Prefects have too much power intrusted to them, wch is not necessary, for it is not done at Eton. The Head master writes such confused English that he has got himself laughed at. I am very glad Mrs Henderson<5> cooks so well; if she leaves us owing to having too little to do, we must console ourselves with the reflection that the great Napoleon could not keep his cook, who would not stay any longer with him when he took to dining on a mutton chop. The weather has improved and we are very well.
Your affte
Henry
Notes:
1. The day after this letter, The Times published a detailed account of the meteors by Alexander Herschel, son of WHFT's old friend, Sir John Herschel.
2. Charles Henry Talbot, 'Charlie' or 'Tally' (2 Feb 1842 - 26 Dec 1916), antiquary & WHFT's only son.
3. Lowe had an additional account in the 29 November issue of The Times.
4. John Bayntun Starky, aged 38, of Longworth, Berkshire, died 30 September at Newcastle, New South Wales.
5. She was newly arrived at Lacock Abbey - see Doc. No: 09922.