Mr F. 1 rode to Croker’s to inquire into the affair of the Sand, & found that the Farmer really had been from home when it occurred but on his return perceiving what had been done, he immediately went & informed Blackham, who warned them off. So that B. has not quite the mint of being a Whigintarian any more than Mr A. The Bartons 2 have not the least objection to your planting any thing you like against their Malt house, 3 it should be something that does not require nailing, but that adheres of itself. Mr A. recommends Ivy, but not Irish Ivy because the cattle are particularly fond of that & will cut it down as fast as it grows. But nothing can be planted there till the décombres 4 that surround the house are removed. He offers them à qui vent les prendre 5 merely for the hauling, which tempts me much, as I want some Curtius 6 to devote himself to my gulph. Blackham advises its being done by contract as the cheapest way, & the lowest tender is eleven pounds! Eleven! Mr F. will give me £5 towards it, but won’t hear of any more, tho’ I have declared I will never ask him for a diamond necklace I so much prefer rubble. There will be more I think than I shall want, but perhaps some of these days you will fill up the others & so It will not be wasted.
Bankes 7 is still ill, but his son 8 is the [missing text] same thing, & Mr F. has desired Lund to make an estimate of the Steps, but he hopes you will not be content with an estimate but have a contract when they are really about to be done.
The weather is detestable & the Spring very backward – no symptom of leaf or flower on the earliest fruit trees, nothing in blow but my glorious circle of crocusses, which still glow in rich [missing text]9 & the lovely hyacinths in the window I wish you could see the Diadême de Flore! 10 & the Sphera Mundi! are you yet in Harley Street? we have heard nothing for several days
yrs
EF
Henry Fox Talbot Esqre
31 Sackville Street
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