Cambridge <1>
March 19th 1819.
My Dear Mr Feilding,
Our vacation will begin I believe in about a fortnight, tho’ I have not heard the exact day. It will be very short, and I shall hardly be able to leave Cambridge during it, as I shall be wanted back just in the middle of it. Last night some undergraduates attempted to send up a large fire balloon made of silver paper. <2> It was 12 feet in diameter: Although there was only a very slight breeze stirring, yet it acted very powerfully on so large a surface, and the exertions of the assembled crowd, aided by two men mounted on ladders, were insufficient to hold it steady, while it was being filled with heated air. As I expected would happen, on a sudden a little gust arose, and quickly made an immense rent in it which put an end to farther proceedings. However they had two little balloons in store, one of which took fire owing to their own impatience. The other went up successfully, and took an easterly direction, going with great rapidity, so that in 3 or 4 minutes it became wholly invisible. This is Assize time <3> here. This afternoon while we were all assembled in chapel with the doors wide open, the trumpets which announce that the judge is passing by, struck up a lively tune which greatly discomposed the gravity of the congregation. – What do you wish me to do about paying for my bills this term? – I find it not a very good plan to subscribe to Hookham’s library, <4> as I have not time to read much. I have read most of Humboldt’s new Volume <5> which has many excellencies together with a great deal which is very uninteresting to the general reader – The letters of a “Prussian traveller” are exceedingly superficial, but nevertheless amusing. Campbell’s voyage is curious, but I had seen the substance of it long ago in the reviews. – The authorities in this place, Mr Vice Chancellor and the rest, have lately been amusing themselves with issuing a string of edicts – namely that no undergraduate shall get any dinner except in the college hall, or at the regular inns; which since no dinner is to be got in Hall, is an amazing < illegible <6>> Today I sent three different Jips <7> to get me some Pie in Hall, who, all and each, forgot to bring it, so that after spending a quarter of an hour in fruitless expectation, I departed sine <8> pie.
Yrs Afftly
W. H. F. Talbot
Capt Feilding .R. N.
31 Old Burlington St <9>
London
Notes:
1. Trinity College, Cambridge.
2. Silver paper (or silvered paper) – usually an article of commerce, prepared in various proprietary ways, used for decorative effects (such as in pastry). Silver may or may not have been present, with the colour sometimes coming from metals such as tin.
3. The time sessions were held periodically in each county of England, for the purpose of administering civil and criminal justice.
4. Thomas Hookham advertised a circulating library, consisting of more than 100 volumes.
5. Alexander von Humboldt (1769–1859), German scientist, published a number of volumes in both 1818 and 1819, most likely this reference is Personal Narrative of Travels to the Equinoctial Regions of the new Continent During the years 1799–1804, pulished serially from 1818–1821 (London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown).
6. Text obscured by seal.
7. A bedmaker or servant at Cambridge colleges.
8. Without.
9. 31 Burlington Street, London home of William Thomas Horner Fox Strangways.