TALBOT8197

Lacock

Tuesday 18 Sept^r

My Dear Constance

The books went to you today – I have given Wilkins White’s Selborne for his son, which is nicely bound and has some lines of R’s writing on the fly leaf. Matildas present of 5/ to old Pullen has been delivered to him. I sent in the box your copperplates for visiting cards. Gale is making good progress with the alteration in the gallery. The weather is showery not at all cold, but damp. No autumnal hints yet on the leaves except the Virginia creeper.

I was very glad to receive such a good account of Charles, I think a little reading will do him much good as it is half fancy his not being able to read anything serious.

Do not forget to send me further accounts of Matildas progress The last were very satisfactory. Uncle W^m is gone on a visit to the Sheffields in Lincolnshire I asked him whether he had really visited the Pyrenees this summer? In his answer he evades the question. Our grapes are not bad though smaller than the Speddoch ones We have some very good peaches & a good show of apricots in the courtyard on the tree near the clock tower. While in Town last Thursday I visited Kew garden – the day was splendid and though nobody is in Town the gardens were quite thronged with people enjoying themselves very much. I stopped so long in the Fern house that I had not time to enter the stoves. Since I was last there they have built a new Museum The news from Italy is important – Victor Emmanuel seems resolved to conquer the Pope’s dominions.

Your aff^te

Henry