San Remo. Sunday 23d Feb.
My dear Henry
Your letters have (generally) of late, reached San Remo on the 4th day, although ours continue to take one day more, to you. – Thanks for your’s [sic] of the 18th, which I received yesterday – also for the promise of an answer to my flower questions, tomorrow. – I knew you would be sadly grieved to lose two such excellent friends – but though we had read of the death of Sir David (given in Galignani with a long notice of his distinguished scientific career) we did not see that of Sir Charles Lemon till after I last wrote to you – We were much interested in what you tell us of the way in which he leaves his estates of property. – I believe the nephew you speak of, Col. [Teemayne?] lived with him latterly as the acknowledged heir of Carclew. – I write today to give you our address at Genoa, where we intend to be on Saturday next – at the ‘Croise de Matte’ – you had better direct to the Hôtel rather than to the Post-office, as you know there is so much delay & difficulty in getting at poste restante letters. – We are to leave S. Remo on Thursday & sleep at Alassio – 2d day at Abb Savona – 3d Genoa – Mlle Amélina’s hand is nearly well – sufficiently so to use it, though not free from pain – Ela is has also pretty nearly shaken off the irritation of the skin, which I told you of – and which appears to have been of an epedemic character at San Remo, resulting from overdryness in the air. Some of the consumptive Patients also began to suffer from this dryness – And everybody is rejoicing in the present change to rain, which fell abundantly on Thursday night – & again last night – Previous to this, the dust on the roads was something wonderful to behold, and very unpleasant. – Today which would pass for a fine day in England, although a few light showers have fallen, still indicates unsettled weather for a while; but we hope it will take up before Thursday, so as to make our journey to Genoa as enjoyable as it ought to be. Beautiful as we know the scenery to be between this & Genoa, it cannot surpass that between Nice & San Remo; and we did see that part of the Corniche as favorably as possible – By the way, will you tell Goodwin, that it is useless for him to think now of bringing out the cheeses which I wrote to him about, as they were intended as presents for 2 gentlemen at San Remo – If he is embarrassed by having the said cheeses on his hands, he had better send one of them to Mr Vardon – and perhaps you & Charles can eat the other – I had a notice from Galignani’s office yesterday to the effect that our abonnement terminates on the 29th Feb. – Will you please, renew it?, and I will continue, as before, to apprise them of the required changes of address. – I will write to Paris tomorrow to give the Genoa address – but shall say nothing about the renewal of abonnement.
Spring flowers are making progress, & yesterday I saw bouquets of the Roman hyacinth, and a beautiful anemone which I think you call ‘Hortensis’ – The petals are more numerous & much narrower than in the common sort – the color a pale lilacish pink. – very delicately shaded. – But don’t fancy that I have seen any of these beautiful flowers, growing – They are sometimes found in distant places – and if nearer home, are ruthlessly plucked (buds & full blown flowers indiscriminately) till the whole ground is cleared – and the pleasure of later comers is thus destroyed.
Large quantities were brought in about a week or two ago of a beautiful pure white narcissus – with a white cup: I suppose it is the paper-white narcissus –
We have had some talk with Miss Lewis & her Sister of their meeting with Mrs Traherne at Lausanne – It seems they spent only a few days together at the same hôtel: but they were quite charmed withy her: and so sorry to part. Lord & Lady Shaftesbury with their daughters, came here for a few days last week, & made quite a sensation at the Table-d’Hôte. – but they went away yesterday to inspect the Protestant schools at Bordighera, & are afterwards returning to [Cimiers?], whence they came. – Adieu dear Henry – one of us will write from Genoa: & in the mean while we hope to hear from you. –
Your affectionate
Constance
You will have had my acknowledgemt of the receipt of letters of credit. also a letter 2 days later date. –
[envelope:]
H.F. Talbot Esqre
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham
Angleterre