Saturday. June 28. –
My dear Henry
My Brother <1> told me that he had read your speech in the Times <2>, & that it was given nearly in the same words as in the Morning Post, <3> which I saw in Q Anne St . <4> I felt displeased that it was so much curtailed, and particularly angry at their omitting your name altogether. – But I console myself with thinking that you will presently make another speech on some very important subject, & then they will be obliged to find out & to proclaim your name. –
I see the 3d reading of the Poor Laws <5> stands for Tuesday. – I suppose you will certainly come back for that. – I have been informing my maid this morning about the affair of Moreno <6> which I was asking you about judging from what Lord Palmerston <7> said, there seems to be but little hope of punishing him as he deserves; but could he not be expelled the kingdom? –
I met Charlton Frampton <8> at dinner yesterday. – He is come up from Lowes expressly for today’s performance at Westminster Abbey & goes away I believe immediately afterwards. – He was very merry; & it was pleasing & refreshing to join in several hearty laughs which his conversation elicited. –
There are several uninteresting looking letters for you, which as they did not come by the Post I conclude you will not wish to have forwarded. I except the one enclosed with this, because I espied the name of Herschel. <9> – There is besides a letter for Mr Feilding, <10> which James says, is from the Zoological society. –
Something wonderful has happened to our Instantaneous light <11> which has made it useless. – all the matches have turned black & look as if they had been smoked. – I fancy the acid must have escaped, because the glass bottle in the centre of the matches is quite loose. – I am surprised the whole thing did not explode & set fire to the house. – but now I fancy there is no longer any danger; though, (not exactly understanding the nature of what had [illegible deletion] happened) to it, I abstained from examining into it very closely. – & contented myself with screwing it up tight & placing it on the chimney, where it cannot easily do any mischief. –
I am sorry the weather is not so pleasant as usual just as you have arrived at Lacock. – it is a great pity! but I forgot you enjoy rather a cold air.
Yr affecte
Constance.–
Notes:
1. William Mundy (1801-1877), politician, WHFT's brother-in-law.
2. The Times (London). Friday, 27 June, 1834, no. 15,515. A Talbot figures on the voting lists of this and the two preceeding days.
3. Morning Post (London).
4. 44 Queen Ann Street: London home of the Mundy family and a frequent base for WHFT.
5. The Poor Law Amendment of 1834 standardized the system of poor relief throughout Britain, and groups of parishes were combined into unions responsible for workhouses. Under the new law, all relief to the able-bodied in their own homes was forbidden, and all who wished to receive aid had to live in workhouses.
6. Manuel Moreno (1782–1857), Argentinian diplomat, who protested at the British Government’s claim to sovereignity of the Falkland Islands. His first protest was raised in June 1833.
7. Henry Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston (1784–1865), politician and British Prime Minister (1885–1858, 1859–1865).
8. William Charlton Frampton (b. 1811), rector of Moreton, brother of Harriot Georgiana Mundy, née Frampton (1806-1886), WHFT’s cousin & sister-in-law.
9. Sir John Frederick William Herschel (1792–1871), astronomer & scientist. Unfortunately, there is a gap in the known correspondence between him and WHFT from 1833 to 1836, occaisioned by the former's extended stay in South Africa.
10. Rear Admiral Charles Feilding (1780–1837), Royal Navy; WHFT’s step-father.
11. See Doc. No: 01154.