TALBOT8006

You will find Mary ¹ here

Dear Henry

you will have received a letter from me – I shall be glad to see my godson ² again – I am only afraid we cannot promise to convey so many from Evershot station here, but will send a little carriage & a supplementary fly is to be had at the station There is to be no party but the Hobhouses ³ – for several reasons –

I shall be glad to see your Ferns – I have got Hookers Sp. filicum ⁴ – & Smith’s shilling Catalogue, ⁵ a most convenient manual – & I am taking in Moore’s Synonymes ⁶ – which is not near the end of Letter A. yet – but is enough to frighten one as to names. Ferns are even worse named than other plants.

My chief work here is cutting down the overgrown beech, ash & sycamore which have grown up like weeds in the garden, old seeds selfsown –

I hope if you go on to M^t Edgcumbe ⁷ you will incite Vall: ⁸ to do all what might be done to make use of the capabilities of that favoured spot – he has time before him & may see a new generation of Antarctic plants grow up there – I trust Lady C. V. ⁹ is worthy of the place & that she is of an improving disposition.

Y^r aff^te uncle
W^m

Melbury ¹⁰
29 Dec^r