TALBOT7998

[Fox crest notepaper]

Melbury ¹
15 Nov^r

My dear Henry

I should have replied to your kind invitation before but I have been confined to my room by a troublesome bronchitis which I am obliged to nurse carefully for fear it should last through the winter. This I am sorry to say prevents the possibility of my coming to Lacock – I am even obliged to give up going with my own shooting party to Redlynch ² next week which Edwd Digby ³ has kindly taken under his charge – Pray take care of bronchitis – it is most disabling disheartening & depressing – one can do nothing to employ oneself to any purpose.

The Mundys ⁴ come here for Xmas – could not you & M^r Clarke ⁵ & Matilda ⁶ join them? we shall be a quiet party –

Have you read Herschels ⁷ paper on colours in the R.S. Opticians in the flood of light they bring in seem to lose sight of colour – as a thing per se ⁸ independent of the spectrum.

Y^r aff^te
W^m