Normanby Park <1>Brigg.
24 Novr 1858
My dear Henry
Your three interesting letters were forwarded to me from Redlynch <2> – & if I did not answer them, it was that I was moving about, & thought your were off to Edinburgh. Caroline <3> seems to have had a narrow escape. Valletort’s <4> marriage must have been a welcome compensation for it. I dare say this will have to follow you to Edin:
I shall be very curious to see specimens of your photographic engraving. I think you showed me some essays in that direction some years ago.
I was very glad to know a little more about the Comet <6> Is there any thing peculiar in its light? There have been fine bright evenings lately, & very sharp frosts here. I have found, for the first time in England, some fine trees of Q. <7> sessiliflora here – one often hears of it but I never happened to see them
If you meet at Edinburgh Dr Christison <8> pray remember me to him – & to Profr Forbes, <9> whom I dare say you know.
We shall be at Melbury <10> again about the 14th Decr – The Mundys <11> come here tomorrow.
Yr Affte
Wm
Notes:
1. The seat in north Lincolnshire of the Sheffield family. It was formerly the home of WFS’s maternal aunt Lady Sheffield; subsequently his wife Sophia’s family lived there.
2. A Strangways property in Somerset. The earls of Ilchester were also barons of Redlynch.
3. Lady Caroline Augusta Edgcumbe, née Feilding (1808-1881); WHFT's half-sister; Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Victoria, 1840–1854 & 1863–1865.
4. William Henry Edgcumbe, ‘Val’, 4th Earl Mt Edgcumbe (1832–1917), JP & Ld Steward of the Royal Household; WHFT’s nephew ‘Bimbo’. On 26 October 1858, he married Lady Katherine Elizabeth Hamilton, daughter of James, Duke of Abercorn.
5. It was Photographic Engravings that WHFT shared with him in 1852 - Uncle William was referring to WHFT's improved photomechanical process, Photoglyphic Engraving, which was patented in 1858.
6. Probably Donati’s comet. See Doc. No: 07711.
7. Quercus.
8. Sir Robert Christison (1797–1882), M.D., Scottish physician, chemist and botanist.
9. Prof James David Forbes (1809–1868), Scottish scientist.
10. Melbury, Dorset: one of the Fox Strangways family homes; WHFT was born there.
11. Harriot Georgiana Mundy, née Frampton (1806-1886), WHFT’s cousin & sister-in-law; and her husband, William Mundy (1801-1877), politician & WHFT's brother-in-law.
12. Campanula [see Doc. No: 07737 and Doc. No: 07738; WHFT was giving specimens of these two choice plants to favoured members of the family].