TALBOT734

Burley, ¹
21^st Dec^r 1816.

My Dear Mamma,

We arrived here yesterday - I have been out shooting today - we had plenty of sport but I am not sure whether I killed anything, or not - There is snow on the ground, & it freezes hard - It was cold shooting, but the walk home made us all warm - The party here consists of Miss Finch ² - Gen^l Fermor, ³ Gen^l Bligh, ⁴ M^r Hailes, & Lord Aylesford; ⁵ - D^r Willis⁶ dined here today - This evening there was a pleasing sight for all who are astronomically disposed - The moon two days old, was within five degrees of the planet Venus, which looked very pretty.

[illustration] cannot make a drawing to please myself -

èåëù ãñáöåéí óåëçíçí ⁷
èåëù äå ôçí êõèçñçí ⁸

Mane caeli faciem subter describere vellem Sed chartem foedat multa litura mea ⁹

The annexed representation is very imperfect & will give but a small idea of the reality -

21^st Moon 2 days old 22^nd moon 3 days old

[illustration] Venus [illustration] Venus

[illustration] Moon [illustration] Moon

You see the Moon receded considerably one single day from the planet -

Dec^r 23^rd

L^d Aylesford went yesterday - It is thawing - We are going out shooting - It will be very cold - I shall not kill anything

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

Lady Elis^th Feilding
Sackville S^t
London
STAMFORD 86 ¹⁰