My dear Sir,
I shall have much pleasure in accepting Mrs Talbot's <1> and your invitation to Laycock Abbey during part of the week preceeding the meeting of the British Assn <2> - I propose leaving town by some early coach on Tuesday the 16 Aug. which will drop me at Chippenham <3> whence I shall reach you in the evening.
I am My dear Sir Yours faithfully
C Babbage
Dorset St
Manchr Sq <4>
16 July 1836
Fox Talbot Esqre
Laycock Abbey
Chippenham
Notes:
1. Constance Talbot, née Mundy (1811-1880), WHFT's wife.
2. WHFT invited a number of savants to stay at Lacock Abbey before the 1836 meeting of British Association for the Advancement of Science. In addition to Charles Babbage, Sir David Brewster (1781-1868), Scottish scientist & journalist, Sir Charles Wheatstone (1802-1875), scientist, Dr Peter Mark Roget (1779-1869), scientific writer, Rev William Whewell (1794-1866), Master of Trinity College, Cambridge, Professor and natural philosopher and Sir William Snow Harris (1791-1867), scientist, assembled at Lacock Abbey 16-17 August, leaving at various times for the meeting, which began 22 August.
3. Chippenham, Wiltshire: largest town near Lacock, 3 miles N.
4. Manchester Square,London.