TALBOT9890

Mount Edgcumbe ¹
Devonport.
Sunday 23^rd June 1872

My dear Henry

I enclose two specimens which I thought you might like to see. One is the Benthamia which flowers beautifully among the Evergreens on the Terrace drive, over the Sea – It bears fruit too I think. The other is a small shrub with blueish green leaves, growing in the garden above the house. I don’t remember ever seeing it before.

Ernestine ² writes me word she is going to Laycock tomorrow. It will be charming now, if the weather remains fine. Everything is extremely late this year – but the roses are just coming into beauty here – & at Cotehele. ³ We had a great thunder storm last Tuesday – with rain really like ramrods. At Cotehele it did some damage indoors. The rain came thro’ the ceiling of Ernestine’s room, & through the floor, into the Housekeeper’s room below – wetting her books, & soaking some clothes in a drawer.

The carpet was taken up as quickly as possible, & hung up to drain – & the rain from the quadrangle ran down 2 steps into the lobby – & 3 buckets full of water had to be taken up before they could lift off the matting on the floor.

It put me in mind of a similar thunderstorm we had at Varese. ⁴

Please tell Ernestine that her books have been dried – & only 4 or 5 are injured. It is quite lovely here just now! Love to Constance ⁵ & C^o, & Amandier ⁶ –

Y^r aff^te Sister
Caroline

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