TALBOT5035

[written on the same sheet as notes from Capt Feilding: see - and Horatia: see ]

My dear Henry

It is a long time since I have written to you, or you to me; I hear however you are got to Brussels; I wonder how you & Mama ¹ can think it enough to give us the list of places you mean to pass through; as if we did not want to know how long you intend to stay at each of them, to be able to send the letters in time; after all Papa ² said & explained to you; quel [illegible deletion] peu de tête! ³ I should not of have done worse. – We are at Pratolino, villa reale e imperiale del Granduca; ⁴ a most beautiful garden just like those in England, but the Palace is quite in ruins though only 300 years old; it the reason is because the ground foundations give s way, owing to a beautiful grotto underneath, built by Buontalenti ⁵ in the time of the Medicis; there was a great quantity of fountains, jets d’eau, ⁶ &c, but the conduits being broken the water ran on all sides & caused the ground to give way. – I have had my Campbells works, ⁷ which you gave me at Marseilles, bound in parchment, & I & Horatia ⁸ have read Gertrude of Wyoming ⁹ –. I have drawn Niobe d’après la bosse, ¹⁰ & I have studied trees here, as it is a good oportunity [sic] for there are not many about Florence, except in the Caserne. Beautiful Syclamons [sic] grow wild in the woods here, if I think of it, I will keep some for you. – Adieu, my dear Henry, if you don’t answer this directly, I will never write to you any more. –

Your affectionate sister
Caroline

Mons^r
Monsieur Talbot
Verona