TALBOT2037

Extract of a letter from Amandier dated Hopwood Hall¹ 2^d Aug^st

"J'ai lu tous les Legendary Tales de M^r Talbot & ils m'ont fort amusée. Je ne sais si j'ai tort ou non, Mais je prefère ceux en vers. Quelques uns me rappellent l'orinigi l'originalité de Walter Scott. remerciez [sic] le bien pour moi de son aimable envoi." ²

M^r F. ³ desires me to say that if we find Franklin ⁴ at Laycock it will be a very great convenience as we shall have nobody but Robert for several days.

Do not sit up for us Thursday Night as we shall probably not arrive till fort avant dans la nuit. ⁵ I send you the Times & Atlas, ⁶ which altogether contain all that is known, tho' rumours are infinite. We shall be here as you perceive, till after the Post arrives on Thursday in case you have any commissions. We gave one of your books to Elisa Hunloke, ⁷ who carried it off triumphantly to Wingerworth.⁸ The remaining one M^r F. has given to George Finch ⁹ who however will never find time from "the Fathers to read it. He dined with us the other day, in the highest spirits I ever saw [a Man?] his conversation is not the least puritanical & his politics much more liberal than they used to be. This shews how good for the health & general bien être ¹⁰ is an occupation quelconque. ¹¹ I think it best to lock up carefully those beautiful Brazilia Botany¹² of yours, because the Library at the Abbey is not organized & they run a risk till it is.

[A]dio ¹³

Henry Fox Talbot Esq^r
Laycock abbey
Chippenham
Wilts