TALBOT778

Paris,
1^st Sep^r

My Dear Henry

The Tomb of Eloïse ¹ is removed from the Museé des Monumens ² to the Cimetière du Pere de la Chaise, ³ at the other end of Paris, which is a most singular spot. Heretics are allowed to be buried there as well as those belonging to la Sainte Eglise, some of the tombs are surrounded with roses, some with weeping willows, & some with Cypresses, it is on a high spot & commands a fine view of all Paris, over which we happened to see burst a Thunder Storm [illegible deletion], it was sublime. I have visited le Jardin des Plantes ⁴ & was very much pleased with the arrangement M. Lucas the Gardien ⁵ is a son of Buffon's, he was in raptures when he heard I was a cousin of M^r Fox's, & said he could never do too much for me Last night I saw Talma ⁶ in œdipe, ⁷ Mad^lle Duchenoy ⁸ acted Jocaste, ⁹ I did not think I would have liked French tragic acting so much, I always consider their tragedies fitter for the closet than the stage but it was really moving, Talma conveyed so much variety into his tones & manner that it prevented the monotony I expected from the constantly recurring rhyme.

The Poem I sent you by L^d Winchilsea ¹⁰ is by M^r Frere, ¹¹ it is very clever & original, I am glad it amused you.

I picked up a plant for you in the Forest of Fontainebleau, I am not sure [text missing] ¹² curious but I never saw it before. I was surprized to see then how very well dwarf Juniper flourishes as under wood, it is very pretty & bears the droppings of the Trees - Lord & L^y Holland ¹³ are here, they have thoughts of sending Henry Fox to M^r Bonny's ¹⁴ I think we shall be in England in about 3 weeks, plenty of time for you to write again, if you I want to go back some other road its so ugly by Calais

W. H. Fox Talbot E^r
Rev^d M^r Bonny's
Normanton
Stamford