Millburn Tower<1>
5th July – 61
My dear Papa
I almost hope that the letter I wrote to Nice did not follow you to Paris as there was nothing in it – post was going and obliged me to conclude suddenly: I was going to mention that the Times of June 21 had come out of hitherto unknown dimensions, containing 24 pages and 4,000 advertisements, being the largest production as stated by itself that had ever issued from the daily press – but now it is so long ago it will not have the same interest & perhaps you have already heard of the fact. –
I have not yet seen the comet properly, some nights have been cloudy – & on Wednesday it was faintly visible only, of uncertain shape and without any vestige of a tail seen through some light floating clouds The Courant of today states it to be the comet of 1500 & something, which has been expected for some time. You had an advantage over us in the South as your nights are so much darker there. Did it appear very grand through the large telescope? Mamie has seen it once or twice at about 2 in the morning.
We continue to have very good accounts of Tilly – Mr Clark returned to her from Speddoch on Wednesday –
You will be glad to hear that our creepers from Downie & Layard[?] proved all very good plants, and some of them are now coming into flower – Though things are generally rather late we are beginning to have some show – the roses are very gay just now, covered with flowers but they are generally of the more common kinds – We have also a good crop of Strawberries.
Pullen left today to return home having instructed the new Coachman sufficiently – the latter appears promising and drives very steadily.
Mamie desires me to say that she wrote to you yesterday to the Athenæm and she hopes you will find her letter on arriving –
I suppose you will stay but a short time in town [missing word] that you will be here in a few days –
goodbye dear Papa
your affectionate daughter Ela
Notes:
1. Millburn Tower, Gogar, just west of Edinburgh; the Talbot family made it their northern home from June 1861 to November 1863. It is particularly important because WHFT conducted many of his photoglyphic engraving experiments there. The house had a rich history. Built for Sir Robert Liston (1742-1836), an 1805 design by Benjamin Latrobe for a round building was contemplated but in 1806 a small house was built to the design of William Atkinson (1773-1839), best known for Sir Walter Scott’s Abbotsford. The distinctive Gothic exterior was raised in 1815 and an additional extension built in 1821. Liston had been ambassador to the United States and maintained a warm Anglo-American relationship in the years 1796-1800. His wife, the botanist Henrietta Liston, née Marchant (1751-1828) designed a lavish American garden, sadly largely gone by the time the Talbots rented the house .