Trin Coll. <1>
Tuesday. Feb. 17
My dear Father.
I am afraid you will have thought me a very long time answering your letter. We had no such storm here at the time you speak of mention such a bad one at Edinburgh. Certainly if Nelsons monument had perished, architecturally speaking it would have been a good riddance. I should think it must have damaged the telegraphic apparatus for the time-ball & time-gun. How does your sulphuret of carbon prism answer? Swann of Caius <2> was gulphed in the Tripos, <3> and is going to try and pass when the "Poll" comes on. he gets only has to pass the classical part of the examination, I believe, but if he gets plucked for that, he will have to go in for both parts, next time he tries. He overread over-read himself I believe, and was not well up in subjects, though he always said that he was. As to rubbing up my Classics, I am not sure that that can be done to any great extent fr, I cannot spend much time on them, that is I cannot take time away from my mathematics for them. I think perhaps I might practise a little composition though and perhaps read a little over a little of some author that I have read before. My coach mad is making me read Analytical conics, and then I am to do some Differential Calculus I have read the circle and am just beginning the parabola, and I am now coming to find the subject very interesting. altogether I am not dissatisfied with my progress. We have had sev some remarkably fine days with very cold frosty mornings; tonight however seems to be not nearly so cold. I have bought a very good carte de visite of Dr Whewell, <4> and another of Professor Sedgwick; <5> do you do you want duplicates at Edinburgh or will my having them suffice for the family?
Your affect son
Charles.
[envelope:]
H Fox Talbot Esq
11 Gt Stuart St
Edinburgh
Notes:
1. Trinity College, Cambridge.
2. Cais College, Cambridge. Founded in 1348 by Edmund Gonville, Rector of Terrington and refounded and extended in 1557 by former student and Fellow, Dr John Caius.
3. Cambridge honours examination.
4. Rev William Whewell (1794-1866), Master of Trinity College, Cambridge, Professor and natural philosopher.
5. Probably Adam Sedgwick (1785-1873), geologist.