[illustration]
Seaton from above Beer Road
Published by J. Newbery, Bookseller, Seaton
Moridunum of the Romans –
Seaton, Axminster
6 Feby 1872
My Dear Talbot
Many thanks for the specimen of your “photoglyphic Engravings”, <1> which I shall find at Wallington when we return there, & which I shall examine with much interest: The process seems to be a most ingenious one, and most important for permanently preserving the sun pictures; which have unfortunately hitherto been too often very evanescent.
We have been staying here, (where I have a small property,) for some weeks – but since Christmas have experienced an unusually rapid succession of storms of wind & rain, with intervals seldom of more than a day – of fine weather – but the temperature has been very mild, so that vegetation is far advanced & the country beginning to look quite green – & of snow we have seen none – ?Do you know this part of the coast, it is picturesque & interesting geologically, & also botanically, for it is a few miles from this where the rare Lobelia grows – a few years ago it was tolerably abundant – but I fear it has been a good deal diminished by collectors – Osmunda regalis is also found in this neighborhood – but unfortunately is too near some of the watering places – so that I fear it may in a few years disappear. – A former commander of Ascension Island, Captain Barnard, <2> is settled near this place, he took much interest in improving the vegetation of that curious spot & tells me that our common Ulex & Broom flourish there but never ripen their seed. –
I enclose you an important document on a subject in which I have for many years taken much interest – & on which I hope you agree with me – I believe that if a reform is not soon effected on the Drink question <3> – that it will swamp or fatally impede almost all other reforms physical, moral & social, & reduce our country to a similar anarchical condition to that of one of our unfortunate neighbors – a result in great part of the demoralization of the people from various causes, amongst which the excessive use of alcohol & tobacco have borne a large part.
Ever yours most truly
W. C. Trevelyan
Notes:
1. See Doc. No: 09833.
2. Probably Frederick Lamport Barnard who published Ascension Island. Captain Barnard’s report on the state of cultivation of the island of Ascension, 18th June, 1862 (London: 1862).
3. This is probably a reference to the 1872 Licensing Act, introduced by Gladstone, in his effort to promote sobriety as a character reform.