TALBOT2192

Florence

21 May

Dear Henry

It is just such weather as you remember here, I have been the walks we took together & find nearly the same plants. I have a second hab^{t 1} for Ophrys Epipactis microphylla having found it in Villa Strozzi – it is as sweet as a clove pink – I found quantities of limodorum abortivum – On the Apennines I found Primula suaveolens var. inodora & Orchis Sambucina vera. I mean to botanise about Radicofani next week – & to go to Orvieto –

What a happiness to be out of hearing of reform! I wonder you dont dream of it. I prefer the beauties of Riva & the Lago di Garda to the hustings of Chippenham or any other. Why is Burlington House ² like the Gulf of Corinth?

Now the poor Bolognese are wanting money, to satisfy the rapacity of the Guelfs & Ghibbelines ³ who for once are united against them, you may get fine pictures for little. Rossi has some good. Neri nothing. Montana very good, for a dealer. Guinardi was not there. There is to be another insurrection I understand as soon as ready – with entire new machinery &c – The events of next July are foretold to be of a nature that will eclipse the last. It is a prevalent opinion here that at the present moment Louis Philip ⁴ is cutting his own throat. The Austrians ⁵ are so overbearing & care so little to conceal their wishes for troubled waters wherein to fish, that the next opportunity for war will be seized with avidity. Carignano ⁶ is the man who has Italy more in his power than any other.

I go to Naples in a day or two – write to me there I shall send you a cargo of bulbs &c next month. – Pray remember to give us some of M^r Herberts ⁷ bulbs – Glad. tristis (what an odd approximation ⁸) flowered out of doors at Ab. ⁹ this Spring – I know M^r H. made some varieties of it I found Erythræa maritima did you ever?

Y^r Aff^te

W F S.

I think there is but one Erythræa & two Polygalas in Europe

H. Talbot Esq^r
31 Sackville Street