Mt Edgcumbe <1>
2nd March 1836
My dear Henry
It is so long since I have heard from either of you, that I have not the remotest idea even where you are, but shall send this, au hazard, <2> to Laycock Abbey - I think you have no right to complain of Horatia, <3> for it strikes me that you are by far the worst correspondent of the two - Since I wrote to Constance <4> we have been paying a visit at Lyneham, Mr Bulteel's <5> place - they are our pleasantest neighbours - she is a daughter of Lord Grey's, <6> & consequently agrees with me in politics, when by chance we touch upon them - He draws beautifully & keep foxhounds - one day I ventured out hunting, but as no fox was found, we had only a very pleasant ride in a charming country. - Have you heard of a Mr Harris, <7> a great amateur, (I suppose he should be called,) of Electricity; (by profession he is a surgeon,) but a very clever man, & who has written several papers for the Royal Institution, <8> some of which he gave me - they are rather beyond my scientific attainments at present, but I should like to shew them to you some day, & I dare say you could explain them to me - He has just invented a conductor for ships, which is much approved of. - [illegible deletion] I paid him two visits, during which he shewed us some really beautiful as well as wonderful experiments - his Electric machine is a very large one, & several of his most curious & perfect instruments are made by himself; one in particular for measuring the quantity of electricity to be collected in order to raise a given weight. One of the most beautiful was in imitation of the Aurora Borealis, by causing the electric fluid to pass down the inner surface of a<9> glass tube, about 5 feet high, from which
Yr affte Sister
Caroline
W. H. Fox Talbot Esqre
31 Sackville Street
Laycock Abbey
Piccadilly
Chippenham
Wilts
London
Notes:
1. Mt Edgecumbe, near Plymouth: seat of the Earl of Mt Edgcumbe
2. At a venture.
3. Henrietta Horatia Maria Gaisford, née Feilding (1810-1851), WHFT's half-sister.
4. Constance Talbot, née Mundy (1811-1880), WHFT's wife.
5. John Crocker Bulteel, of Lyneham and Flete, Devon (1793-1843), married Lady Elizabeth Grey (1798-1880), daughter of 2nd Earl Charles Grey.
6. Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey (1764-1845), statesman.
7. Sir William Snow Harris (1791-1867), electrician.
8. Royal Institution, London
9. Text torn away under seal.
10. With understanding of the principle.
11. Ernest Augustus Edgcumbe, Lord Valletort, 3rd Earl of Mt Edgcumbe (1797-1861), WHFT's brother-in-law.
12. Goodbye dearest brother.
13. Ela Theresa Talbot (1835-1893), WHFT's 1st daughter.