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Document number: 940
Date: 27 Sep 1821
Recipient: TALBOT William Henry Fox
Author: BILTON William
Collection: British Library, London, Manuscripts - Fox Talbot Collection
Collection number historic: LA22-51
Last updated: 27th December 2010

It grieves me much, my dear Talbot, that I have missed seeing you by a single day as one of my first inquiries at Berne was for you, but at the Faucon <1> they told me you had some time since quitted this town, and it was only to day upon asking for your address at the Post Office, that I learned there was some chance of still seeing you at Berne – I have this moment been at your lodgings where I find you have set out for Soleure <2> this Morning – but that you will again leave Berne for Geneva, on Sunday next – We intend going from here tomorrow Morning for the same place, where I expect to arrive on Monday next and as I shall certainly be there for two or three days, do let me hope that I may have the pleasure of seeing you there. I shall be at Secheron’s, <3> if I can get apartments, if not, at the Inn de Genéve –

My friend, with whom I have hitherto travelled, leaves me at Geneva, and as I believe you intend steering for Italy, I will just mention what are my plans, not without some distant hope that they may so far coincide with yours, that we may perform some part of the journey at least together. That is, if you are alone, for if you already have a companion, I know full well that three are too many by one – If the weather permits I shall proceed by way of Chamonix, and at all events by the Simplon, to Milan, seeing on the way the Laghi, Maggiori, Lugano, & di Como – At Milan my stay will be determined by the agreeability of the place, & the information I then receive as to the best method of apportioning my time in the different towns of Italy.

I shall feel much obliged to you, if you will send me a line, chez Messrs Heutsch, Banquier, or Poste Restante, á Généve – and your letter will be doubly welcome, if it give me any certain hopes of our soon meeting – I shall have much to hear from you, and to tell you that I cannot compress into a note – but believe me, my dear Talbot, to be

Most sincerely Yours,
Wm Bilton<4>

Hôtel du Faucon,
Septr 27th 1821

W. F. Talbot Esqre
á Berne


Notes:

1. The Faucon at Berne is mentioned in the correspondence seven years later in Doc. No: 01697.

2. Modern day Solothurn, north of Berne.

3. See Doc. No: 01697.

4. Bilton was the author of The Angler in Ireland, Or an Englishman's Ramble Through Connaught and Munster, During the Summer Of 1833 (London, 1834) and Two Summers in Norway (London, 1840).