My dear Henry,
I am tempted to write to you as I was so successful in pleasing you with my “Dream” of the Duke of Wellington”,<1> to inform you that I have written, or rather compiled a very little book, called “The Gold Plate at Windsor Castle.”<2> It is an account of all that I can find out of the Queen’s<3> curious & magnificent Plate; of which strangely enough I seem to be the only person who knows anything beyond the precincts of the Court, from whence nothing transpires; – & as I found that few knew anything about it, whilst many are interested in knowing, I resolved to try whether I could not make a little Book of it, & turn it to profit myself, whilst I interested others. It is to come out this week I hope, or within a day or two of that time, & will be 1/; & I wish to know whether you will encourage my first authorship by taking a copy? My authorities I know are excellent, & if more remain unmentioned, they are certainly also generally unknown, so that I may consider it tolerably perfect, & I am sure it is enough for any Queen. My difficulty was in preventing its being too much in the form of a Catalogue, but I tried to prevent that, & it really reads like a Fairy Tale. I call it my Fairy tale. Your sister Caroline<4> has been one of my earliest supporters, & has bespoken some copies, taking a great interest in it. She ought to know all about it, considering her Court opportunities, but declares that she has forgotten a great deal, & I really believe does not know some of them at all, as she could not tell me about the “Armada Urn.”<5>
It will be a great thing for me if my relations & friends continue to take the interest in it which they have already shown; & also if it takes with people in general; as the profits will be all mine, & money is so short in my little household that it will be most acceptable. But independantly [sic] of pecuniary motives, I shall feel very anxious to know how all my kind supporters think that I have acquitted myself in my “Fairy Tale”, & whether it is told as well as the facts will allow. Now you have the history of my first public attempt at Authorship, & if you would not dislike taking a copy, it will much gratify
Your affte cousin
Louisa Charlotte Frampton
Such copies as are ordered, I shall send by Book post or parcel according to their number, until each one can see for him or herself, the name of the Bookseller from whom they can be procured at Torquay.
Lulworth Villa
Babbicombe
Torquay
April 2 5 6 th 1873
[envelope:]
Henry Fox Talbot Esqre.
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham
Wilts>
Notes:
1. [sic, as puncutated] Frampton, A Dream.: Dedicated to "England's Great Hero," Arthur Duke of Wellington (Privately Published, 1845).
2. Frampton, The Gold Plate at Windsor Castle (Torquay: printed by Robinson, 1873).
3. Queen Victoria (1819-1901).
4. Lady Caroline Augusta Edgcumbe, née Feilding (1808-1881); WHFT's half-sister; Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Victoria, 1840–1854 & 1863–1865.
5. A golden flagon found in the Admiral’s ship at the defeat of the Armada in 1588.