Mount Edgcumbe <1>
June 1st 1852
My dearest Henry,
I read your letter to Milord <2> this morning – & before writing to Col Grey <3> I think it best to tell you what he says – tho’ I am sorry to say he was very unwell yesterday & today with gout in the knee, & in consequence of Colohicum & Laudanum is so sick today he can scarcely speak. But first I will mention something Mr Boger <4> said the other day which I forgot. That Mr Cartmail <5> the Patent Agent was a likely person to be able to tell you now, what chance you have of renewing your Patent when the time comes – Nobody of course can really tell – but those Agents are to a certain degree able to form an opinion.
Well Milord thinks that you would gain more credit by throwing open your invention without Prince A’s <6> name attached to the requisition, or even without a public demand being made upon you – but with the understanding that you should receive a public acknowledgement afterwds from the scientific & artistic worlds, to which the Prince might be invited to sign his name. He thinks that possibly the Prince’s name appearing beforehand might bear the appearance of a command, or undue influence, to which you might be supposed unable to resist – or that even the réunion of all the other eminent names might seem to have had the effect of bothering you into doing what would come with a better Grace if emanating spontaneously from your own free-will –
While a public acknowledgement appearing afterwds would equally well guarantee your claim to the original invention, & carry the same weight with it in memorializing the Govt for some mark of honour. This is his advice. I do not say that I agree with it; but in fact I cannot say what plan is the best to adopt, in such an uncertain & difficult matter. There certainly would be more honour in offering the boom – You might say that you did not wish to trade or make money by it, & that not having time to apply the invention in the many ways in wh it might be made useful, you offer to present it to the Public; but Milord says you must of course be quite sure beforehand of an acknowledgement to be made afterwds What mark of honour do you think could be awarded you? I think it wd be a good plan if you were to consult L. Lansdowne. <7> Even if he wd do nothing he wd surely give good advice or perhaps Ld J. Russell <8> if you were to get an introduction. The D. of Bedford <9> was gone the other day when you wrote. Ld Mt E. thinks that Lord Overstone wd be a good person to consult – He had a good deal to do I believe with the Crystal Palace, & is always mixed up with Art & Science; & I suppose you cd easily get introduced to him – No doubt Kit <10> knows him well – He is a great Welsh Banker – Lloyd <11> by name. Many thanks for the Talbotype. Has it been at all touched up? Let me know. It is very good indeed, & wonderful! Of course I keep your letter with great care to know what to say – but shall do nothing till I hear again.
Yr affte Sister
Caroline
Notes:
1. Mt Edgecumbe, near Plymouth: seat of the Earl of Mt Edgcumbe.
2. Ernest Augustus Edgcumbe, Lord Valletort, 3rd Earl of Mt Edgcumbe (1797–1861), WHFT’s brother-in-law.
3. Lt General Charles Grey (1804–1870), MP, Private Secretary to the Queen.
4. Deeble Boger, solicitor to the Mt Edgcumbes. [See Doc. No: 06621].
5. Probably mis-heard as William Carpmael (1804–1867), patent agent & engineer, London.
6. Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (1819–1861).
7. Henry Petty Fitzmaurice, 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne (1780–1863), MP, WHFT’s uncle.
8. Lord John Russell, 1st Earl Russell (1792–1878), statesman; he was prime minister from 1846 to March 1852, and again from 1865 to 1866.
9. Francis Russell, 7th Duke of Bedford (1788–1861).
10. Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot (1803–1890), immensely wealthy landowner, mathematician & politician; WHFT’s Welsh cousin.
11. Misspelling of Samuel Jones Loyd, 1st Baron Overstone (1796–1883), Welsh banker and politician.
12. Sir Charles Lemon (1784–1868), politician & scientist; WHFT’s uncle.