The bulk of the surviving papers of James Talbot relate to his diplomatic career in the period between 1796 and 1801. In the winter of 1796-1797 he was a member of Lord Malmesbury's mission to France. Later in 1797 he was appointed secretary to the legation to the Swiss Cantons, and in 1799 was given a similar appointment in Sweden. The papers include a certain amount of his predecessors' correspondence.