Lacock Friday Nov. 11
Dr Sir
I should recommend that Charles <1> should begin trigonometry and Conic sections, very shortly but without going far into either subject - but going over the elements of those sciences repeatedly & turning them over in every possible way, till really understood-
Long experience has shown me that frequent repitition and recurrence to first principles is the real mode of mastering the most perlexed and intricate subjects, much more than, of course, the comparatively easy sciences which are lectured upon during the first year at Cambridge.
When Charles has done a little mathematics with me, I have noticed a great want of neatness and accuracy, that is to say the sums or equations would be blotted and hardly intelligibly expressed. It would be very desirable to correct this fault & acquire a habit of presenting a mathematical paper drawn out neatly-
The masters at Harrow used to complain very much of Charles being inferior to his schoolfellows in learning by heart- I think it would be an excellent exercise for him to learn by heart portions of the first book of Walter Scotts poem of Rokeby-<2> which is a beautiful composition & he feels an interest in it-
His fault, as a learner, is that he is constantly dropping a subject from want of perseverance-<3> This I hope will be corrected while he remains at Whorlton.<2> It is quite surprising what power of application some young men have at Cambridge. I suppose it is the consequence of a determined will - a sort of strength of mind- They naturally carry off the chief academical prizes- But a certain amount of steady application is necessary to everyone.I remain Dr Sir Yours vy truly
H. F. Talbot
[envelope:]
Revd A. Headlam
Worlton
Darlington
Notes:
1. Charles Henry Talbot, (2 Feb 1842 - 26 Dec 1916), 'Charlie'; 'Tally'; antiquary & WHFT's only son.
2. Scott's rendition of the ancient Flying Dutchman story is Rokeby: A Poem (Edinburgh: John Ballantyne & Co, 1813).
3. Perhaps WHFT was remembering his own past, perhaps forgetting it. In later life, Charles observed that his father's "mind was essentially original...he disliked laborious application in beaten paths." Manuscript reminiscence by Charles Henry Talbot, 13 November 1879. Fox Talbot Collection, The British Library, London.
4. A town in the district of Teesdale, Durham.