Sept 19 1814 <1>
My dear Henry
I hope you kept your intention of writing to your Mother <2> as I have had a very anxious letter from her, about you – your Uncle was so kind as to write to me twice so I heard you were in pretty good spirits but my chief anxiety is about your appetite & hope you will exert some self denial – in the first place by denying yourself trash of all sorts which your stomach is not now strong enough to dispose of & secondly by not indulging any indolence when you should be nourishing yourself. If really good strong Beer is to be had at Harrow <3> your Mama will furnish you willingly with money to buy it – Jane <4> has found a Fern or two but I am sure they are nothing but what you had before – I was going to write you a long letter but I have been interrupted by extraneous matter & must bid you goodbye, pray send me word what you paid for Kit <5> & how you travelled from Salisbury –
your most affte Aunt
M: L: Talbot
Mr Henry Talbot
Revd Dr Butlers <6>
Harrow on the Hill
Middlesex
19 Sept. 1814
Notes:
1. Written in another hand.
2. Lady Elisabeth Theresa Feilding, née Fox Strangways, first m Talbot (1773–1846), WHFT’s mother.
3. Harrow School: WHFT attended from 1811–1815 and his son Charles from 1855-1859.
4. Jane Harriot Nicholl, née Talbot (1796–1874).
5. Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot (1803–1890), immensely wealthy landowner, mathematician & politician; WHFT’s Welsh cousin.
6. Rev George Butler (1774–1853), Headmaster at Harrow.