TALBOT435

Monday Nov^r 5^th /66

My dear Father,

Please thank Mamma ¹ for her letter which I received today. I am much obliged for the view of the interior of the church. I think it is fair. Sir W Sherrington’s ² monument looks a good deal better from there than Sir John Talbots. ³

I find from Snow Harris ⁴ book on Electricity that you furnished a model of an electric engine, that is electro-magnetic, which you never told me. I see also that M^r Llewellyn ⁵ who must be n^r L of Penllergaer, ⁶ constructed a boat which he propelled on his lake by electro-magnetism.

Mullock comes up today so I shall see him tomorrow and be able to enter at the Temple. Today I have been looking at the South Kensington Museum. There is there a cabinet or rather a chest with ornament in laid carving on it, said to be Italian of the 14^th century which the museum bought for 92 £. It is almost exactly the same in character as a certain chest wh. or box which I rescued out of the gardeners shed at Lacock one day seeing that it was curious. So if ours had been preserved in good condition we would might have 90 £ by it.

They go on flooring the newest part of this building with the tile paving and various forms of decoration which on the whole I think satisfactory and handsome.

The electrotype ⁷ articles are deceptive. They carry out the imitation of old articles by oxydizing the silver & bronzing the copper. I should prefer them without that. I think an object in bright copper is silver is generally preferable to one oxydized.

I find my lodgings somewhat inconveniently far from my club. ⁸ The pens at the club are bad which is a great nuisance

Your aff^ect Son
Charles –

[envelope, flap blindstamped "New University Club":]
H Fox Talbot Esq
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham