TALBOT570

Harrow ¹
May 17. 1812.

My dear Mamma,

Today I have heard one of the best sermons I ever did hear, from M^r Conyngham the clergyman of this parish; he is a very pious man & knew M^r Perceval ² very well. The sermon was on the fallacy of human life - From your letter I find I heard of M^r Percevals death the day before you did. You can have no idea with what vigour I pursue my favourite science of chemistry here with another who likes it like I do. I get my things at a chemists & druggists here; at present my laboratory consists of very few articles viz -

An iron spoon to melt metals in &c -
A tin pot to boil liquids in &c
A tobacco pipe - A tin spoon to mix things with
An eggcup - A pestle & mortar (lent me)
A large green bottle - And a Seltzer water bottle -

Substances

Nitrous acid - Sulphuric acid - Muriatic acid - Potash - Nitre - Flowers of Sulphur - a little Phosphorus - Oil of Turpentine - Strontian - Nitrat of Strontian -

I shall at least double my substances next Wednesday when I shall get what I have sent for to town for. I am much obliged to you for thinking of getting me a book; but I had rather defer it till the holidays. You could not please me half so much in any other way, as by promoting my means of enjoying my favourite science, which at present engrosses all my attention - The other day I wrote to Aunt Louisa³ to ask her to be so kind as to obtain for me at Accums, ⁴ two glass stopper bottles, I wonder I have not yet received any answer. What I want most is a small pair of scales with a set of both troy & avoirdupois-weights from a grain to 2 ounces - I do not understand avoirdupois weight. Can you by any means procure me a method of easily obtaining what I want from London? I wish you would try to do so - chemistry is what I cannot get tired of. In Parkes Chemical Catechism ⁵ I find all D^r Davys ⁶ new discoveries which are very interesting - I wonder you do not become a convert to chemistry However: quot homines tot sententiæ: so many men so many minds - There is a word in your letter which I cannot read; you tell me ⁷ "not to write in a hurry because then I do not answer your questions. L. . . . . . ucian ⁸ for instance." It seems like lunar or linear: it is thus [illegible] ⁹ - Do you recollect what it was? Lloyd is captain but you c^d not have heard him speak last year. Dawson was captain then.

Y^r aff^te Son (not in a hurry)
W. H. F. Talbot

Pray do not forget to write to me about my chemistry, & try to effect what I wish viz. to obtain an easy method of getting things from London -

Write soon.

Ding dong dell
Ring (y^e) wrong bell

I was very much pleased to find M^r F.^{s 10} name in a subscription towards a new Greek Thesaurus -

Lady E. Feilding
Malvern
Worcester