TALBOT682

Panshanger ¹
29^th January

My Dear Henry

This is a very pretty place & though only twenty five miles from London it seems as much country as York Shire could do. I wish most of my friends lived at such a comeatable distance. Everybody is talking of Sir Robert Wilson & Co. ² – It is said he is to be cashiered, but I should think Government will hardly resort to such strong measures, as so many people take his part both in England & France, & think he only acted as un Galant homme. ³ Upon this point opinions are much divided, & people are very violent, & I am afraid will make it a party matter which it need not be. Louis 18 ⁴ is called at Paris Louis deux fois neuf ⁵ & the English soldiers there call him Dick Switch which is their way of pronouncing Dix huit. ⁶ I wish you would compose something for my album, it may be either grave or gay – Epigram, Epitaph, Epigraph Epic, or Elegy or Epithalalium ⁷ or Monody or Soliloquoy ⁸ or Sonnet or Madrigal ⁹ or Canzonet ¹⁰ or any thing you please

God Bless you My dearest

We return to town tomorrow, so direct to Sackville S^{t 11}

Hertford Jan^ry thirtieth 1816 Cowper ¹²
H. F. Talbot Esq^r
at The Rev^d M^r Barne’s
Castleford
Ferrybridge
HERTFORD ¹³