My dear Henry,
I hope by this time you have received the Etchings <1> such as they are I am afraid your expectations were raised too high by having seen those at Sir Joseph Banks’s <2> – mine were done with the Chemical Ink – The German Flora was done with chalk which makes a great difference but both are good in their way. I am ashamed I did not thank you for Bryum cuspidatum but I thought I had. I like Bryum’s better than any other Genus. I long to hear whether what I sent you are right pray let me know soon. The Cairne is the heap of stones in the East end of Cyfn Bryn – it is the same as a barrow only composed of Stones instead of Earth. You say the Phascum’s you sent me are not Smith’s, <3> who did you name them by? – I have dried a great quantity of Plants & a good many grasses but not all I could get here, pray whenever you meet with an uncommon one save it in a Book for me. Since I wrote last I found the [illegible deletion] Hippuris in the edge of the Pond – I was very glad indeed it was in full blossom –. How would you be so tantalizing as to tell me about the O Lunaria <4> & not send me some. I don’t think I will be good friends with you till you send me some which I desire may be done as quickly as possible
Yours
Jane
Send me anything you have ready to spare, O Lunaria &c as Uncle Harry <5> is here so I shall have them free
– mind you send it directly as he will not stay long.
If by any chance you have got Brynam punctatious[?] Aunt Ilchester <6> [illegible] you would give her some.
Swansea, July Twenty 1816 Ilchester
W. H. F. Talbot Esqr
Revd Mr Barnes <7>
Castleford
Ferrybridge
Yorkshire
Notes:
1. See Doc. No: 00702.
2. Sir Joseph Banks (1743–1820), botanist, president of the Royal Society.
3. Sir James Edward Smith who wrote Introduction to Physiological & Systematic Botany (London: Longman, Hurst, Reese, Orme, and White, 1807).
4. Ophioglossaceae Lunaria.
5. Henry Stephen Fox Strangways, 3rd Earl of Ilchester (1787–1858).
6. Caroline Leonora Fox Strangways, née Murray, Countess of Ilchester (1788–1819).
7. Rev Theophilus Barnes (1774 –1855), of Castleford.