TALBOT760

Normanton, ¹
April 2^d 1817

My Dear Mamma,

I received a brief note from William ² this morning - dated from P. which I suppose means Petersburg, tho! it may mean Potsdam.- He desires me to tell you he is going to write to you soon.- Sir Gilbert ³ arrived at Normanton last night, & his son Henry ⁴ from Cambridge - Sir Gerard Noel ⁵ has left the country for good & all - They say that L^d Winchilsea ⁶ is coming down soon: is it true? Where are my Aunt Mary & cousins? ⁷ I have heard nothing for ages -

Turn Over

William sent me a lichen from Prussia which I am concerned to say might be procured without much difficulty from the nearest wall - Is there any truth in the rumour of a dissolution of Parliament? Answer me this - When I was at Cliffe^<8> I went over to see Apethorp.⁸ Today is Croxten Park races ⁹ - The weather continues delightful, beyond precedent - I amuse myself with the stars every evening:- at this time they are particularly interesting, as the planet Venus is passing through the Pleiades, which, if you like, you may easily shew to Car. & Hor. ¹⁰ if their love of stargazing yet continues - The best time for seeing is between 8 and 9 - As to angular motion - suppose a planet moves 20 Degrees, then its real motion may have been some millions of miles, but its angular motion is 20 Degrees -

April 7^th

I dined with Sir Gilbert yesterday; and at Cottesmore ¹¹ on Friday - D^r Satterthwaite ¹² there - We have not had a rainy day since I came here - P.S. It is too late to see Venus & the Pleiades, for she is gone through them long ago - I hear L^d Winchilsea comes down today -

I remain, Y^r Aff^te Son
W. H. F. Talbot

The Lady Elis^th Feilding
31 Sackville S^t
London