TALBOT4290

Lacock Abbey

Friday –

My dear Henry

I did not write to you at Leamington ¹ (though I had a great mind to do so) merely because you gave me no direction & therefore I thought you did not wish it – Jones ² brought me the books for which I am much obliged – & the music I wrote to Horatia ³ yesterday to get for me – and perhaps she may bring it with her tomorrow, when she intends coming here for a few days – She tells me that M^r Calvert Jones ⁴ is to be your travelling companion. I know he is a zealous admirer of your art & I hope he will be useful as an assistant – but how woefully dark the weather is for your operations! & I cannot perceive any promise of change. – the plants you sent down were planted out next day & all look well – for the absence of sun suited them well – & there was therefore no occasion to shade them*.

Three I put in front of the Greenhouse & the others in the different beds of your Botanic Garden where the gaps appeared biggest – I wrote to Hilperton a few days ago for the Geraniums but they are not come yet – I shall be so glad to have Horatia snugly for a wee bit. – & to shew her Ma^lle D. ⁵ I continue to feel well satisfied with all I have seen – I think so far she likes Rosamond ⁶ the least of the three. ⁷ – but R^d has given way to several fits of humour which give a worse impression of her than she deserves – She has not been quite well, to which I attribute the mischance – but she & all the others ⁸ are pretty florishing now – better than they have been for a considerable time – Ela parait déjà cent fois plus aimable & ne se plaint presque pas de faiblesse ni de fatigue. ⁹

I was at Sloperton ¹⁰ yesterday & saw M^r Moore ¹¹ & his Sister – M^rs Moore ¹² was too ill to see him me – & they seem quite depressed about her –

Your affectionate

Constance.

*We can only count 18 plants.