TALBOT6147

Frankfort
29 May 1848

Dear Henry

I have not had much time to write lately for we have a good deal to do – The Diet ¹ is all but defunct & I have more to say to it than ever I had. The Assembly is in train & will begin its really constitutional discussions soon. Hitherto they have been taken up with preliminaries. They have a good Speaker, who keeps order firmly, & wards off irrelevant propositions. But they have got rid of one good rule already viz the speaking only 10 minutes each. There are many sections & Club[s] There is a Catholic Party, an ultraliberal Party, a moderate Conservative, a Republican &c There is also a considerable aristocratic Club forming.

If I can get you any seeds I will send them but it is not very likely now. Orobus formosus & O. Smouthii are in fine flower they are very distinct.

Magnolia gigantea has flowered, it may be a fine tree but I prefer macrophylla. Peonia Witmanni is a humbug some of the P. sinensis are yellower I never saw Aristolochia Sipho flower before – or a yellow trumpet honeysuckle. Quercus lanuginosa seems forming acorns.

I do not expect to stay here very long – nor do I regret it. I hope the M^t Es ² will take care of themselves, the Trahernes ³ have been most prudent in coming home betimes. I wish Jane ⁴ & family were safe.

We are annoyed at the Danish war, ⁵ it is such nonsense & ought to be stopped by force. I wonder if the German debates will be reported in our papers.

Martius ⁶ has sent me the remainder of his catalogue of American books – I wish some great Library would buy them. I was in hopes he would be elected ⁷ as well as Sudlicher.

Y^r aff^te
W F S

I enclose the professors letter. Can you count 15 Orobi? ⁸