TALBOT6371

Melbury ¹
29 Dec^r

My dear Henry

I was to have sent you some specimens from Abb ² but I found I could send nothing satisfactory but leaves & I did not know whether you were come home. The weather was like Nice.

The best thing out was a large spike of Morina longifolia a fine plant with flowers at once pink & white. Erica codonodis. Arum arisarum & tenuifolium. Crocus Imperati. Arbutus hybrida. Oxalis cernua. Lithospermum rosmarinifolium<.> Calceolaria integrifolia. Jasminum nudiflorum. Hellebores & Christmas roses. Allium fragrans & chamæmoly which is the reverse.

What a holy mess the country is getting into with religious disputes. ³ I long for something to happen somewhere to divert the public mind – which is yearly becoming more difficult of amusement.

There are some interesting articles on climate in the two last numbers of the Agricultural Journal.

I hope there are no more colds at Lacock. I had a good account from Mary ⁴ a few days ago – but I feel for poor Isabella ⁵ very much.

Your Aff^te
W F S

[envelope]
Henry F. Talbot Esq
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham