TALBOT824

Brighton
October 20^th

My Dearest Henry

I have been here a week & but once out of the house - all that time, so ill with a violent sore throat & fever. My only amusement has been construing the prescriptions of D^r Tierney who I hope will at last know how to me trier d'affaire. ¹ It would have been a vast pleasure during that time to have received some of your letters, but you knew not I was ill, & you thought me still at M^r Hope's probably. I hope your returning to Cambridge was of use, if not I shall be vexed you did so, as you say it appeared desolate. M^r Bonny ² [sic] was so clear about it, that I think he was not likely to be mistaken on a point which had your interest only in view, however tell me your own opinion as I have great faith in your candour. As to the Coffee I won't have you so stingy for it is always worth paying for what one likes. It is really Arabian Coffee & you cannot get it under 6 Sh. a pound, so the proportion of the carriage is not so great as you suppose. It is wholsome [sic] & good, & a fine stomachic, & you shall have some more when I go back to town. Probably the Man dont know how to make it, or you drink it with Milk instead of Cream, which makes all the difference. I here subjoin Gwynne's ³ method as you liked that - For one To make one cup of Coffee she puts one Ounce of Coffee [illegible deletion] & to that the White of an Egg to clear it, sometimes she adds half the Yolk which gives it a rich taste & colour, but is not necessary. a cup & a half of boiling water, boil it up. Then let it rest for some time & pour it off thro' a seive lawn seive [sic], or piece of Muslin. Now certainly your [text missing] Achates ⁴ should be able to perform this simple ceremony. For two cups of Coffee of course all this must be doubled. Now pray let me know how it succeeds & pray write very soon & remember I am not well & require to be soothed

God bless you

I suppose you read in the Papers that Melancholy account of poor Charles FitzGerald ^<5>

W. Henry Fox Talbot Esq^r
Trinity Coll.
Cambridge