TALBOT3228

Nice
19^th March

My Dear Henry

I saw your letter with a black seal on the table all the morning & as M^r F. ¹ did not come in till near dinner, I was all that time in tortures to think what might have happened. Poor Constance! ² how much we feel for her – & it makes me still more impatient to be in England to help to soothe her mind. Such a loss ³ to all her family & such an unexpected one as it must have been. It could not have occurred at a more unfortunate moment just as you were comfortably settled in town & seeing your friends after such a long sojourn in the Country. I was consoling myself for the delay in our journey by thinking that you would the longer enjoy the house in Sackville Street. ⁴ Why did you not tell me who were the Convives ⁵ favoured with your first invitation? Eight is the exact number for conversation, it should never exceed that, if intended to be really agreeable.

I have spent 40 francs more for some seeds which have been acclimatés at Hyens – they were brought here by a Man who has lived there 12 years & has a large garden entirely for that, as it is the warmest place in France, & he is employed by the jardin des plantes ⁶ at Paris on purpose to induce the natives of hot countries to grow & prosper in moderate climates. De toutes les productions d’outre mer ⁷ I only took one large parcel chiefly from Algiers & the different côtes de la Méditerranée, ⁸ & qui n’exigent pendant l’hyver que des serres tempérées ou d’Orangerie. ⁹ Each small pacquet has its botanical etiquette ¹⁰ supervised by Risso. The Man himself is well known & they say que je peux me fier à lui. ¹¹ I hope I have done right & that you have not already any from the North of Africa – but I had not much time for deliberation as he only staid here 3 days. He had seeds from the hottest part of India, but I thought it no use to buy what requires a serre chaudiss[ime.?] ¹² I received all Constance’s letters & yours why should you doubt it?

We leave this the 26^th & Turin the 7^th – so you may direct there & then to Lyon – I shall inquire for letters at Turin, at Chambery, at Lyon. M^r F. will answer yours very soon he is very busy at the moment superintending trois grandes caisses de houx, de bois d’olivier & que sais-je moi ¹³ – that are to go by sea – the sight of so much packing revives my spirits, which otherwise would droop as the weather is become hot & beautiful, with a splendid sun which gives me headaches & puts out my eyes

H. F. Talbot Esq^r
31. Sackville Street
London
Angleterre