Penrice <1>
July 16
My dear Henry
I am ashamed of myself for not having written before to thank you for the beautiful Chrystal <2> you sent me by Jane <3> I conclude it came from Chamouni as I have seen some from thence in several collections that were equally clear but none of mine are half as fine. – I have appropriated the little box of treasures which arrived on Saturday too, as I am the genius <4> of the Mineralogical part of the Museum here, tho’ I do not understand much of it I am sorry to say. The native Amethyst is a magnificent specimen and I wish my cabinet was more worthy of it. However it will be taken care of & must put up with humble neighbours, the little garnets, aquamarines &cc are so pretty cut, I can hardly imagine them to be the same stones as the rough ones & my sisters have half a mind to take them from me, as too pretty for me! – We are going to visit some new caves <5> soon where we hope to find curiosities, but of a different kind as you may imagine! However nothing comes amiss to us. –
Our garden is brilliant do you know an annual called the Kaulfussia amelloides? it is blue and I like it very much. I have heard a great deal about one called the Clarkea pulchella but I have never seen it. We have some beautiful cistuss [sic] in blow they are lilac or pink and came from some seed you sent, the Symphitifolius we keep in the Green house but the others are very hardy. I believe one is the incana & the other salvifolia or some such name. The seeds you sent Mamma <6> the other day are flourishing amazingly, the linum is quite tall. – Jane & her children and Miss Nicholl <7> are here and enjoying this delightful weather with us. we have many tea parties out of doors and some times dinner too. I think our intended tour will be put off till the Autumn, our plans are never like the laws of the Medes & Persians <8> as you know. Sir Christopher <9> goes to Milford to meet the Duke of Clarence <10> some time soon but further than that we are not tied down to anything. –
I hope you are all settled at Laycock by this time and enjoying the fresh air after your long visit to London. I don’t think you want any thing for a shrubb[ery]<11> if you have the Willowherb & the Tussilago you mentioned they are inveterate creepers and even come up in our gravel walks! –
We have just had a letter from Kit <12> from Trieste it was only a fortnight coming, he was in good spirits as usual & amused us very much with his remarks He has not heard more of John <13> than we have and I am afraid is not likely to meet him anywhere – Pray give our kind love to all
I am your affate coz
Mary
1827. Swansea July sixteen – Chrishr Cole.
Henry Fox Talbot Esqre
Laycock Abbey
Chippenham
31 Sackville St <14>
London
Notes:
1. Penrice Castle and Penrice House, Gower, Glamorgan, 10 mi SW of Swansea: home of Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot.
2. Of amethyst – see below.
3. Jane Harriot Nicholl, née Talbot (1796–1874).
4. Guardian spirit.
5. See Doc. No: 01481.
6. Lady Mary Lucy Cole, née Strangways, first m. Talbot (1776–1855), WHFT’s aunt.
7. Mary Anne Nicholl, eldest sister of John Nicholl.
8. Immutable laws. ‘Now, O king, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered-in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed’, Daniel 6:8.
9. Sir Christopher Cole (1770–1836), Captain, MP & naval officer.
10. Subsequently William IV.
11. Text torn away under seal.
12. Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot (1803–1890), immensely wealthy landowner, mathematician & politician; WHFT’s Welsh cousin.
13. John George Charles Fox Strangways (1803–1859), MP.
14. Readdressed in another hand.