Edinburgh
April 25^th

My dear Papa

Many many thanks for your Kind letter and especially for your beautiful present which I had no difficulty in finding in the drawer in your room –

We all think the engravings excellent and wonder that any thing so delicate could be produced on wood – but it makes one feel impatient…..when will your own art be brought to sufficient perfection to illustrate such a volume from photographs? That is what I want to see. – This beautiful weather must be most favourable for you Engraving I should think – Up till this morning we had been enduring a succession of gloomy foggy days with east wind – ever since Easter Sunday – our last really fine day – but a sudden and most pleasant change has come on – the wind has gone round to the west – and the thermometer outside the drawing room window now stands at 70 [illegegible mark or symbol] – Miss Gibson Craig sent us this morning a most beautiful bouquet from Hermiston – I wish you could have seen it. – Very fine Camelias & Rhododendrons – besides Primulas and other out door plants –

I hope the weather will not continue so hot at Lacock – or the things will come on too quickly – I should be very sorry to miss the Wisteria as you say it is going to be so fine – When we come, which will be as soon as we possibly can, do you wish us to bring the plant from the Botanic garden that was promised you? I have forgotten it’s name –

Tilly has had most beautiful weather at Dabton – which made us quite jealous – and has been enjoying drives in M^rs Ewart’s open carriage – in fact we saw by the papers that Edinburgh and Aberdeen were about the two most unlucky places in the Kingdom. – I never remember such a fog before in the month of April – what could have been the cause of it? –

You must excuse a short letter as there is really nothing to mention – people are leaving Edinburgh fast – our neighbours at n^o 11 are departed – and the Lord Advocates family are just going –

Good bye dear Papa Your affec^te daughter
Ela

[envelope:]
H. F. Talbot Esq^re
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham
Wilts