TALBOT1522

Melbury ¹

2 Jan^y 1827

My dear Henry

On coming here this morning from Abbotsbury ² I was perfectly astonished to hear you had set out for Berlin & Dresden a fact which is to me inexplicable & almost incredible – At this season to botanise in Wettecaria Thuringia & the Hartz? – But not to waste time in notes of admiration I must as I have missed the moment of giving you letters beg you to call on some of my acquaintance & only mention my name for instance – on M^r Chad ³ our Minister at Dresden – who was Secretary at the Hague when I was there & who you will find very civil & agreable the more so as they are not plagued with English in those parts. M^r Zea Bermudez ⁴ late Prime Minister in Spain now Spanish minister at Dresden & an old acquaintance of mine at Petersburg & Constantinople & was educated in England. Count George von Einsiedl ⁵ if there, who was Saxon Minister in Russia & whom I knew very well there –

I conclude you will stay the Spring to botanise in the Eizgebirge – & Silesia & being in a favorable season will go into Poland see the coronation at Warsaw ⁶ – an interesting sight & where you will see all the best society make acquaintance with the following people who shewed me much civility – the Countess Rosalie Rzewuska ⁷ – the Prince Constantine Czartoryski, ⁸ the Princess his mother – his Sister<s?> P^ss – of Wirtemberg & Countess Zamoyska & her sons – who were educated at Edinburgh. Also the Countess Stanislas Potocka ⁹ & her family, & the Poet who live in their house – Madame Zielonka – Prince Henry Lubomirski ¹⁰ & his family – the Counts Alfred & Arthur Potocki ¹¹ (whom I knew but slightly) Prince Michel Radziwil ¹² who has thousands of acres of Azalea Pontica in the marshes of Pinsk & General & Mad. Fredro ¹³ – very old friends of Petersb^g – Florence & Warsaw – Every one of these persons will ask you to visit them in the country – go to all you can; if you go to Gallicia – see the garden of Mad Moiska, if to Cracow – make the acquaintance of President Wodzicki ¹⁴ who has a very find garden – of Senator Grodicki whose family will shew you every attention go to the castles of the Wielopolskis at <Such?> ¹⁵ & Piaskova Skala & herborise in the vale of <Vicow?> – see the praiseworthy botanic garden & speak of me to M. Estreicher, ¹⁶ & enquire for the Countess Adam Potocka’s grotto 10 miles long I do not know where – & make the usual tour to the Carpathians of Neumarkt &c – If you go to Opole look for Pyrola umbellata in the wood of the Cross – near the Cross – Write to me here –

Y^r Aff^te

W T H F S

If I hear from you, or learn where you mean to stop so as to write to you with more certainty you shall hear from me again –

Kit ¹⁷ writes that John ¹⁸ is expected at Rome

We have not heard of your family in England yet. Giles ¹⁹ is getting gradually better – No post at Abb^y up to this day – Olea fragrans – Coronilla gl. ²⁰ – Phlomis frut. ²¹ &c &c mesembry. in flower & in bud Narcissi – Cisti – &c –