TALBOT544

[This youthful letter is highly exuberant and stylised, with multiple variations of handwriting.]

Harrow, ¹

July XXVIII A.D MDCCCXI ²

My Dear Mamma,

Since it is inconvenient to you to fetch me tuesday EVENING, I have no objection to go with Finch ³ Wednesday Morning

This is an odd letter,

Goodbye

Y^r aff^te Son
WHF Talbot

Fac similes of Writing ⁴ –

Guillima Enrecho Vulpo da Talbot –

My best compliments to Caroline, ⁵ my respects to Horatia ⁶ my reverences to Nurse etc. – Charcoal Ho! Charcoal!

Turn over

Anbedebedmovedbed⁷ ofdemylab oratory?

La lit est elle dans mon alchemistique laboratoire? ⁸

J’ai fini. ⁹

Odd letter –
Fear not, neither burn,
Keep not, neither save
Make no butter in my churn
Goodbye. Goodbye –

opinions of the Reviewers on this letter

This foolish letter means nothing, it it is only an effusion of the brain – Edinburgh Review – August 1807

The author of this letter, is not a very sensible person we believe, his letter is full of nonsense. Monthly Review. Jan^ry 1794

We cannot speak in too high terms of this letter; the sentences detached, semiconcise, & beautiful, we wonder at the other reviews who enviously abuse it, the song is beautiful, by its novelty pleasing: the style sublime, & borrowed from Ariosto, he excells in old English & French etc. Harroveinsian Magazine

July. 1811.

Non tibi tam stultas litteras scripseram, nisi quod fatigabus sim, et paulum iratus, quod in ecclesiâ sermonem audire non potueram. ¹⁰

I shall see you in 4000 minutes!!!

Huzza!

D Echirez cette lettre, elle a vecu trop long tems, dechirez la, sur le champ, et mettez la dans le jardin à remplir le rubbish hole, ¹¹

Lady Elisabeth Feilding
31 Sackville S^t
London