TALBOT1067

Naples
21^st March 1823

We intend to set out for Rome the last day of the month, so I hope to see you about the 3^d April. Jane ¹ is nearly well; and not the worse for an expedition of four days we made to Salerno. William ² goes to Rome with us: & thence to England. The news of Portman's ³ election for Dorsetshire has just reached us here, to our great satisfaction. Somebody told us so the other day by a note written outside one of our letters, but we paid little attention to such apocryphal intelligence. Please to forward me no more letters nor the Nicholls ⁴, or only one post more, according to your judgment. I wish your plans were not so undecided, then I could be of some use to you, at present I cannot do anything - I have already advised you not to leave Rome till the 6^th May, or if you don't mind a day or two till the 1^st of May. Fine weather may perhaps then be expected, & what is Naples without fine weather? The green leaves are just beginning to appear, in a month the country will be assuming its beauty. What would you see here now? Vesuvius covered with snow, & half concealed in fogs - Every other day rainy, & the roads nearly impassable. We all think you need not apprehend any excessive heat in May this year. It only wants 6 weeks to May, & we are complaining of the excessive cold - The proceedings in Parliament are gratifying, I hope unanimity will continue. Our expedition to Pæstum ⁵ answered perfectly; we had arranged it so well, that having left Salerno at daybreak, we returned at Sunset and had time to spend 3 hours and a half at Pæstum. I have brought you a bouquet of flowers gathered in the Temple of Neptune ⁶ as a souvenir - Tell Caroline ⁷ she shall have some of them for her herbarium, as I don't think it likely you will either of you be able to visit so distant & solitary a spot. Pæstum is reckoned with justice by all the Ladies the most inaccessible spot in Italy, They are obliged to go ten miles round by Eboli, but gentlemen ride across the country. -

Alas! no rose tree blooms in the ruined city of the Sybarites, ⁸ the French (who bear the blame of everything) are said to have exported the biferi rosaria Pæsti. But if roses there are none, there are myrtles enough & asphodel to supply the world.

Yours aff^te Son
W.H.F. Talbot

Tell Montgomerie ⁹ the letter has been claimed

Miladi
Miladi Feilding

Palazzo Ceva
Roma