Old Burlington Street <1>
May 23
My dear Nephew
I am really very sorry to hear you are so unwell but as for your earache I think I can tell you a remedy for it viz. Take the heart of an onion roast it & put into your ear as hot as you can bear it & then toast a piece of bread wrap it in flannel or linen & fold it round your ear Pray do this & I hope soon to hear you
I will tell you how I used to amuse myself at school I took a piece of Paper & wrote how many days it was to the holidays thus –
Happy days
| Sunday | 1 | 8 | 15 | 22 |
| Monday | 2 | 9 | 16 | 23 |
| Tuesday | 3 | 10 | 17 | 24 |
| Wednesday | 4 | 11 | 18 | |
| Thursday | 5 | 12 | 19 | |
| Friday | 6 | 13 | 20 | |
| Saturday | 7 | 14 | 21 |
The four last I have scratched out in order to shew you how to do it yourself. They are going to a Masquerade or two or perhaps three to night Mr Feilding <2> has a dress like this. [illustration]
I have got several new [illegible] <3> which you shall see when you come home.
I am your very Affectionate Uncle
W T H F S
London May twenty four 1808
Master Talbot
Mr Hooker’s <4>
Rottingdean
Brighton
Ilchester
Notes:
1. 31 Burlington Street, London home of William Thomas Horner Fox Strangways.
2. Rear Admiral Charles Feilding (1780–1837), Royal Navy; WHFT’s step-father.
3. Page torn away.
4. Rev. Thomas Redman Hooker (1762-1838), WHFT's tutor at Rottingdean and a most interesting character. His career prospects were seemingly cut short when his father lost his fortune to an industrial accident. Hooker became the private secretary to the Duke of Dorset, learned French, took Holy Orders and through the Duke's influence established an influential school. His pupils included the nephews of the Duke of Wellington and of Napoleon Bonaparte. He was also active in the local smuggling ring. See Arthur R. Ankers, revised by Michael Smith, Sussex Cavalcade (Sevenoaks: Hawthorns Publications, Ltd., 1992), pp. 97-100.