TALBOT1967

[this is written on the same sheet as a note from Capt Feilding - see ]

L. Abbey
3^d March

My Dear Henry

This place is even more tapissé ¹ with Snow drops than it was last year, Quantities have appeared in the back woods where I did not see them before. I have planted to day a large Weeping Ash, under which I hope we shall drink tea some Summer Evening in about two years. Likewise I planted six deciduous Cypress & 40 Alders in that wet place where little else will grow. Tomorrow I am going to plant a great many lilies of the Valley & cut leaved Alder & Irish Ivy

You cannot think how large & wide the South Gallery looks now the pictures are taken down & the furniture gone. I really begin to think it will be too large, and it will be impossible to warm it well without a third fire place which might be pratiqué ² between the two windows on the south side, which would be very comfortable, & need not be lit except in very cold weather, & would not be more fire places than you would have had with the one in the Gallery & the two in M^r Harrison’s new room. Capisce? ³ and pray do not have the room too high because it is then so very difficult to light. Nothing is so impossible to light chearfully as a very high room.

We have done up your Italian pictures in double Muslin to keep out the dust. The only thing in Sackville Street ⁴ that will not do very well for the ball is the Carpets, which are horrid, but unless they are like other things very much fallen in price, M^r F. ⁵ will not hear of any new ones, though in general I must say he is very persuadable. We are doing our best to get ready to set off on Monday

Aff y^rs
E F

Henry Fox Talbot Esq^r
31. Sackville Street
London