Sir /
I calld in Sackville Street <1> a Short time back, in the hope of finding you in London, (but was informd you where [sic] at Laycock,) to pay my most humble and respectfull duty, and to inform you Sir, of the fate of your Botanical Specimens, which my Son Willm <2> ship’d on Board the Ship Admiral Cockburn which I am sorry to say was totally totally lost in Torre Straights <3> with many of her Crew –
Sir on Looking over a Box of papers and Letters the other day I met with Several papers belonging to you, & perhaps would be as well in your own possession. I should feel great pleasure in bringing them to you, if you would be so Kind as to inform me, of your arrival in town, a line Sir addressd to
R Burden –
30 North Street (upper)
East India Road
Poplar
would very much oblige Sir, your Continued Faithfull H’ble and Devoted Servant
Rd Burden
Tuesday 1st June /41
P.S.I am Sir, still in the same Employment into which I was engaged on the 26th Jany – 1838
W. H. Fox Talbot Esqre
Laycock Abbey
Chippenham
Wilts
31. Sackville Street <4>
London
Notes:
1. 31 Sackville Street, London residence of the Feildings, often used as a London base by WHFT.
2. See Doc. No: 05906.
3. The Torre Straits are between Australia and New Guinea.
4. Readdressed in Constance Talbot’s hand.