Normanton: ^<1>

May 7^th1817.

My Dear Mamma,

The weather is very fine here, but the season backward in spite of the newspapers. - I am going to write to William, ^<2> but if I send the letter to you, it will cost you double postage - Can I enclose it to anybody? There are an enormous quantity of Rooks in the Park. I killed a leash of them this morning before breakfast - I had a good view of Jupiter's Satellites last Night - Venus is a beautiful crescent at present: which phase my glass shows prettily - I have no news to tell you at all. Would it amuse Car. & Hor. ^<3> if I were to write to them about the Stars? Have you seen the new Tragedy? I always read the Chronicle. ^<4> - I wish you would transcribe for me, if it is not too troublesome, what D^r Rees's Cyclopædiea ^<5> says under the Article Halesia, The Snowdrops Tree. for I want to clear up some doubts concerning it. My seeds are doing well. M^r Pretyman son of the Bishop of Lincoln, ^<6> has got the living of Hambleton which you know I think: & means to reside there, tho' it is a very poor place. I can see from my window Cottesmore ^<7> church & windmill, Which Miss Bland ^<8> did you speak of? Pray give me some news of all my relations, or I must apply to M^rs Campbell. ^<9> What is Kit ^<10> about to do?

Y^r Aff^teSon

W. H. F. Talbot

Fotheringay is surrounded with pleasant meadows, but not at all romantic. Oundle spire in the distance is pretty. The narcissus is wild about the castle hill, perhaps the remnant of a ^the garden if there was one.

The Lady Elis^th Feilding
31 Sackville S^t
London
Stamford 86 ^<11>

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Notes:

1. Normanton, Rutlandshire.

2. William Thomas Horner Fox Strangways, 4th Earl of Ilchester (1795-1865), botanist, art collector & diplomat.

3. Caroline Augusta Edgcumbe, née Feilding, Lady Mt Edgcumbe (1808-1881); WHFT's half-sister, and Henrietta Horatia Maria Gaisford, née Feilding (1810-1851), WHFT's half-sister.

4. Morning Chronicle.

5. Presumably an earlier edition of Abraham Rees, The cyclopaedia, or Universal dictionary of arts, sciences and literature (London: 1819-1820).

6. The son of Sir George Pretyman Tomline, Bishop of Lincoln and Winchester (1750-1827), was Richard Pretyman, Vicar of Hambleton from 1817-1819.

7. Cottesmore, Rutland.

8. See Doc. No: 00752.

9. Alicia Campbell, née Kelly, 'Tam' (1768-1829).

10. Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot (1803-1890), immensely wealthy landowner, mathematician & politician; WHFT's Welsh cousin.

11. Printed text.