TALBOT717

Castleford ¹
August 30^th 1816.

My Dear Mamma,

When I was at Harrow ² I knew nothing of Algebra, & very little of Euclid, therefore I have made a considerable progress here. But now I am sure I can go on perfectly well by myself, if it were any object to go on further at present, which M^r Barnes ³ seems to think not. As I have never made any Latin composition since I left Harrrow, of course I have lost a great deal of the facility I possessed in it. I do not like M^r Barnes’s method of instruction – It is evidently his object to have lessons over as soon as possible; therefore my object naturally becomes the same. I learn part of some classic author every day, but this I could do equally as well anywhere else, because I know Greek & Latin too well to make any mistake – You understand me? When I have learned my Horace ⁴ or my Homer what difference does it make, whether I construe it to M^r Barnes, or to the door-post? He never corrects anything, but is content with the literal meaning, without digressing into minutiæ – Besides I dislike very much his practice of hearing more than one lesson at a time, in order to save time.

I should learn a great deal more at a time, if the construing were not so tedious. You seem to entertain no very favourable ideas of my home capacities – Of one thing however you may be satisfied, that I could do more there than I can here, in the same time. At any rate I am convinced that I do not receive any benefit here, at all proportionable to the expense. We had a glim[pse] of fine weather on Tuesday & Wednesday, but it is now, (viz. Friday) cold & cloudy. I remain,

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

The Lady E. Feilding
Melbury