TALBOT6982

Mount Edgcumbe ¹
Monday May 29^th 1854

My dear Henry

I have but a minute to save the Post, in order that you should get this before leaving the poor old Abbey. I am sorry not to have had a glimpse at you while you were so comparatively near. I am delighted to hear that the Work of the Royal Commissioners has turned out so well & so handsome, & that they have given you 15 copies of it, I remember your telling me of it at the time. It certainly was the least they could do, after all the trouble & vexation they & others gave you.² Milord ³ begs me to thank you very much indeed for your kind intentions of presenting him with a copy. He will be charmed to accept it – but says he is almost ashamed to receive anything so very handsome & great!

He desires me to explain that he is building a Chrystal Palace on a diminutive scale, with a house inside it, for his winter residence – & he further says that if you can find means of drying the air for him, he will carry it anywhere by means of an invention which has been seen & much approved of by M^r Gurney, the H^e of Commons ventilating man, who wants Milord to patent it.

I hope you & Constance ⁴ will see Horace ⁵ in London – He is with Jane ⁶ I believe.

Love to Constance & Ela ⁷

Y^r very aff^te
Caroline

I heard from Amandier ⁸ today. She says the plants at Laycock have suffered a good deal – Here they are in great beauty –
I go to Town on the 3^rd

[envelope:]
Henry Fox Talbot
Esq^re
Laycock Abbey
Chippenham

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