TALBOT1817

Penrice ¹
Saturday

My dear Henry

A parcel of plants goes tonight to be in readiness for the Steam packet on Sunday Morning, it contains the following,

French Willow, for your Mother
Windflower seed
Striped gardener’s grass
Campanula Collina
Probus niger
Calla Ethiopica
& Scilla Peruviana.

The other names Mamma ² had put on her list were plants in blossom now so we have put off sending them till a more suitable time of year. I beg you will send me word how they are when they arrive, they are directed to the Gardener ³ at Laycock Abbey to be forwarded from Bristol by the coach, if they are not very exhorbitant in their charges we might send many packages for of course the steam boat shortens the time very much. You ought to have them on Tuesday at the latest. –

Jane ⁴ comes to us in about ten days with her little people & I hope she will pay us a long visit this time she is already better for country air &cc –

Sir C. ⁵ arrived today having had a most prosperous voyage from Bristol. He landed at Swansea in less than nine hours and was here in about an hour & a half afterwards! We were very sorry to hear of colds at Laycock I hope Caroline ⁶ & Horatia ⁷ will be quite well before they go to London or they will not be able to enjoy all the gay parties there will be. –

Mamma’s sore throat was too obstinate to depart without <be>ing ⁸ compelled by a blister ⁹ she has been a complete prisoner ever since we got home which is a great mortification to her. Charlotte ¹⁰ is quite brisk and Isabella ¹¹ mending. Emma ¹² has forgotten the toothache & is as busy as a bee all day long about one thing or another gardening &cc. I must send you word about the garden another day for I have no room or time to expatiate upon its beauties now. My little pot travelled on my lap all the way to Penrice in company with two others and I am happy to say the air agrees with the Scilla autumnalis very well as yet. I must send you a few seeds to make amends for my stupid letter.

Love from all

I am your aff^cte coz
Mary

We found a letter from Kit ¹³ here he says W^{m 14}[text missing] ¹⁵ botanizing in the plains of Apulia.

1829 Swansea April eighteen Chris^hr Cole
W. H. Fox Talbot Esq^re
Laycock Abbey
Chippenham
Wilts.