TALBOT4075

M^t Edgcumbe ¹
Friday May 15^th 1840 –

My dear Henry

I should be very much pleased to have the loan of your own Arabian nights ² for Valletors ³ – There is a handsome edition here with points, but quite altered in many respects from the original stories I remember in my youth.– We have not yet begun to think of sending him anywhere, but I should like at any rate to hear a little more ab^t y^r friend & where he lives – & particularly if he is married & has a nice wife, w^h is essential for little Boys – I had thought of M^r Foster’s ⁴ near Abbotsbury ⁵ – but I find he only has a very few much older Boys – M^r Condy ⁶ was much gratified by your offer of some Photographs, & will accept with many thanks any you may please to send him – He has made attempts himself – If you send any it had better be thro’ me – he lives close by, at Plymouth, & is continually coming over here.– We took Uncles W^m & John ⁷ to Cotehele, ⁸ for one day & night – They were charmed – We are just now in great beauty – The woods are looking lovely – narcissus poetiens, lilies of the valley, pink & white may, lilacs, laburnams, boules de neige, rhododendrons & azaleas in fine bloom – & splendid cactus of various sorts in the greenhouse – on the 2^nd May the Eceremocarpus on my Pergola was in blow.– I hope Mamma ⁹ is careful of herself – pray try & instil a little prudence into her, if possible –

Y^rs aff^ly
Caroline