TALBOT2914

Monday

My Dear Henry

It is promised by Mr Kendrick ¹ that if Horatia ² goes on as well the next few days we shall certainly move to Bath Saturday, therefore now I am of opinion you had better not come down till after our return, as it would be such a mutilated visit. I have been gathering flowers for Constance, ³ they have short stems on account of the buds, but if she has one of the flat flowerpots with wet sand, they will do just as well as long stalks.

The enclosed I gathered [illegible deletion] in the Botanic Garden, the leaves are like Tulip leaves, & I thought it some new & extraordinary species of N exotic Tulip, but the smell! Oh! it is one of your horrid alliums I am sure. I gathered a specimen of all sorts knowing that you Botanical people like ugly as well as pretty flowers. Poor Fitzsimons ⁴ was anxious you should not hear of his illness, because he said you would immediately be uneasy about your plants. But he said there was no reason, because he stole out morning & evening (which is exactly what the Doctor told him not to do) to look at them, & il giovane Onofrio ⁵ is perfectly competent to [sic] watering. M^r F. ⁶ says the Camilla sails at a convenient hour not again (after the 23^d for which we shall certainly not be ready) till the 7^th July. – This was the day we should have been crossing the Water – what a glorious day to lose! we cannot expect such another. Pullen ⁷ went over with Lord V’s ⁸ horse last week & performed it all in a very short time & is now quite bouffi ⁹ as a travelled Man. The Sea was smooth he says & nobody sick.

Henry Fox Talbot Esq^r
31. Sackville Street
London