TALBOT688

Castleford, ¹
Vernal Equinox, ² 1816.

My Dear Mamma,

I see that the Income Tax ³ is lost by a large majority. I do not suppose that Ministers exerted all their influence, for although they did not like to give up their project without a division, yet I should think they would be afraid to irritate the country, if they carried it. What do the people say in London? Are they very triumphant? What Taxes does M^r V. ⁴ mean to propose? -

I am glad you liked my devises. When you have found out my charade, ⁵ I will send you some more. The siege is by no means as famous as those of Troy & Tyre; ⁶ indeed, I should not have sent it to you if you were not so fond of history. - It happened between 4 & 500 AC. Now you ought to guess it. - I think all the newly created peers have wretched titles - Niddry! ⁷ - Pray whence came Lord Wellington's title? ⁸ Has he or his family any property in Wellington? I see the Indian Juggler has killed himself in eating a sword: - and that some wise philosopher has revived animal magnetism, which I thought had long ago died a natural death. What has become of Mess^rs Gall & Spurzheim? ⁹ - I think the race between the drops of rain very good, but I have seen it before. - Lord Erskine's ¹⁰ Epigram on Walter Scott appeared in the Manchester Volunteer under the title of A GRUB STREET SQUIB,¹¹ you may tell him of it - in order that he may vindicate his town residence. You told me nothing of Christopher¹² - I have in flower a beautiful pot of purple Saxifrage. I advise you to buy such another for Car. & Hor. ¹³ in Covent Garden market, to give them an early taste for horticulture - You do not answer my question as to when you intend my holidays to commence; I suppose in a fortnight, or three weeks - I have advanced in history only seven years since I wrote last. - I am doing Algebraic fractions -

Y^r Aff^te Son
W. H. F. Talbot

their, [text missing]¹⁴ family at Penrice ¹⁵ coming to [text missing] - I thought to have heard of their arrival a full week ago - I see the Pss. Charlotte ¹⁶ has been clambering up ships sides like a squirrel - What folly in making Ferdinand ¹⁷ a knight of the Garter, and in Lord Cochrane ¹⁸ printing charges against L^d Ellenborough ¹⁹ - Do you think "La Dama prudente" ²⁰ a good play - It happened to come first -