TALBOT203

Wednesday

Dear Henry

Caroline ¹ tells me you are to be in town today with Charles ² - if you like to come with him to dine quietly with us any day after tomorrow, we shall be glad to see you at ½ past 7 -

Mary Selwyn ³ is with us she will be glad to have your opinion on two beautiful Saxifrages she has brought up from her garden, & as you are for Switz^d you may chance to find them there again in situ - Elinor Llewelyn ⁴ has also brought up a Dianthus alpinus which I dare say you know.

But what will be most interesting to you is a curious fern, found by Maurice, Louisa Howards ⁵ little boy, near Hazelby. I suspect it a variety of Ruta Muraria running into the character of A. Septentrionale or some such, but becoming not only spearshaped but palmate Two have been found I hear. Shelburne ⁶'s youngest boy is taking greatly to ferns & cultivating them - Floret amor filicum ⁷. After you have seen it I shall send the specimen to Hooker. ⁸

Y^r affec
W^m

I hope you left all well near Edinburgh ⁹ - for a letter to M^rs Talbot at Edinburgh was returned to us - ignored in that city