Normanton n^r Oakham,
5^th January 1850

My dear Sir,

This morning I had the great Gratification of hearing from you, and of finding that you still remembered an old Friend. Many thanks for your kind letter. -

My sister and I live together, and enjoy tolerable health; but cannot help feeling the effects of old age. I shall be 68 next June. -

My Brother, who is in his 70^th year, is at this time much better than usual. He resides chiefly at Lincoln, which situation suits him. - I expect to hear every day of the Death of my Brother-in-law, M^r Nevinson, who was 10^th wrangler of Trin. Coll. Cambridgeshire in 1800: ^<1>

M^r Arnold of Lyndon^<2> is still absent, but will return next Lady-Day. He has had a Curate these 2 years. - His eldest Son, Kerchever,^<3> has been lately visiting his Grandfather, Doctor Arnold of Stamford,^<4> and reported his Father was much better than he had been: His Complaint is an Asthma. Kerchever is at Balliol College, Oxford. -

The sisters of M^r Arnold are all married, & the D^r & M^rs Arnold have a Companion, who reads to them. -

I met M^r Arnold & his elder Daughter in a Railway Carriage on Oct^r & thought him looking well. He is now somewhere in the South. -

Your Brother-Medallist, D^r Ollivant, ^<5> is deservedly appointed a Bishop; and Trin. Coll. flourishes in every Respect. Young Heathcote, the only Son of G.J. Heathcote, M.P. of Stamford ^<6>is at Trin Coll., & I hear from him what is going on there. -

The weather has been extremely severe, and is still frosty: I keep very much within Doors. -

Last year I heard of you & your Family from M^rs Hicks,^<7> whom I met at Stodier[?], but I have not seen her this winter. -

My former Pupil & Friend, John Tollemache, after scampering over North-America, is lately returned to England, and is about to be married to Miss Duff, whose Mother married the present Lord Rendlesham, but is now dead. She was a Daughter of Sir George Prescott. -^<8>

Wishing that you & your's may enjoy all Health and Happiness, I remain, my dear Sir, Your's ever truly,
T.K. Bonney.

Henry

[envelope:]
H.F. Talbot Esq^re.
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham

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Notes:

1. Edward Henry Nevinson (1779-1850).

2. Rev Thomas Kerchever Arnold (1800-1853), editor & author.

3. Kerchever William Arnold (b. 1830/1831, Clergyman and schoolmaster.

4. Dr T G Arnold (1769-1855), medical practitioner.

5. Alfred Ollivant (1798–1882), author & Bishop of Llandaff. At Cambridge in 1821, he and WHFT vied for the Chancellor's Medals for Classical Studies - see Doc. No: 00917. Lady Elisabeth, WHFT's mother, characteristically pressed him to win the First - see Doc. No: 00919. In the event, Ollivant took the Senior, the highest classical distinction, and WHFT won the Second Medal. Lady Elisabeth's response, if any, has not been perserved. However, in 1820, WHFT had secured the Porson Prize for Greek verse for his translation of Macbeth - see Doc. No: 00885.

6. Gilbert Henry Heathcote (1830-1910), later Sir Gilbert Henry Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 1^st Earl of Ancaster, 26^th Lord Willoughby de Ereseby, 2^nd Lord Aveland, 6^th Baronet.

7. Augusta Sophia Hicks, née Feilding, - (1776-1858), WHFT's 'aunt' - sister of Charles Feilding, his stepfather.

8. John Tollemache (1805-1890), later 1^st Baron Tollemache of Helmingham; Eliza Georgina Duff became his second wife. Her mother was Elizabeth Charlotte Prescott (d. 1840), daughter of Sir George Beeston Prescott, 2^nd Baronet. Elizabeth's first husband had been Sir James Duff (1804-1837) and she then married Frederick Thellusson (1798-1852), 4^th Baron Rendlesham.