TALBOT4131

Lanelay ¹
Monday

My dear Henry

We have been spending a few days with Charlotte & M^r Traherne ² at Tresilian a cottage by the sea side in a secluded valley to the south west of Cowbridge you would like it for the summer in point of being close to the Sea the Cliffs however are not fine being Lias but S^t Donat’s Castle is within a mile and there are other remains Antient [sic] Edifices in the neighbourbood which make it an interesting place. in our way home we went round by Dunraven ³ & saw Lady H^t Gallwey & Louisa,⁴ neither of whom are looking well but I daresay the air will do them good & the complete liberty to do as they like about every thing will suit very well. – I daresay Horatia ⁵ is enjoying herself at Lacock very much now, I hope her garden is gay & that her peas & beans have been very productive pray tell her so. I think she ought to have some seed of a dwarf french bean I had from Boulogne called “Pois de pauvre homme”. they are very prolific. –

We have the dried stem of an Aloe now at Margam ⁶ which flowered there the year before Chris^{r 7} came of age it was 21 feet high but the branches did not sprout so low. –

We have not heard from Jane ⁸ since they started they go to Switzerland at once I believe – but I do not think John ⁹ & his Tutor will remain there no doubt they will make the most of their time. –

Mary Anne Thackeray ¹⁰ lives at Prestbury near Cheltenham, her Eldest has has [sic] just been placed at a private School at Bath M^r Kilvert on Claverton hill I believe it is. John Llewelyn ¹¹ kindly having undertaken to be at the expence of his education She has two other Children and a young Lady to take care of, who is a pleasant companion and pays for her board &c of course. –

Good bye write again pray.

I am your aff^ate coz.
Mary

Mamma ¹² wishes for some seed of your yellow foxglove.