TALBOT1720

Geneva
6^th October 1828

My Dear Mr F.

The news from England today is very gloomy. Our ignorant and incapable ministry ¹ seem bringing us into a critical situation. I hear they have arrested O’Connell and Shiel; ² I hope it is not true;– if that was ever necessary it should have been done long ago, before the Catholics were organised. But I cannot see that O’Connell & Shiel have committed any act of sedition, or that their language has been more intemperate of late than usual.– The only meritorious act of this ministry has been the recognition of the queen of Portugal. ³ I suppose you have seen her. I wish she had accepted Sir Charles’s invitation to Carclew ⁴ – when next God save the King is sung, it would be proper to make a slight alteration, and sing

Send us Victoria

Happy, and Gloria) which elegant compliment to our two princesses ⁵ (who no doubt will soon be bosom friends) would not be lost upon the Galleries. I am quite sorry to hear that Croker is not to be turned out; and that Hay is not to be Secretary. ⁶– I think of leaving Geneva the 10^th. The weather is grown bad. I expect to land at Brighton, pray write to me there. In the book at Chamonry is written “M^r Gill of London. Ran down Montanvert in 45 minutes.” Underneath somebody had added: ⁷

M^r Gill, of Holborn Hill,
came all the way from London
to see a hill, much higher still,
and try how fast he’d run down.

I had a fine walk last week in the mountains, about 21 miles a day, for three days following – I think I could have done a good deal more if necessary. Have you read the letter of Noodle to Doodle? I mean of the Duke of N. to Lord K.? It shews the state of the hereditary intellect of these kingdoms–⁸

7^th October

I am glad to find the papers today do not confirm the account of O’Connell’s arrest, nor that of our ministry having quarrelled with Russia about the blockade of the Dardanelles. ⁹ I expect tomorrow’s news with impatience.

Yours aff^tly
H. Talbot

Capt. Feilding R.N.
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham
Angleterre