Penrice <1>
Saturday
My dear Henry
A parcel of plants goes tonight to be in readiness for the Steam packet on Sunday Morning, it contains the following,
French Willow, for your Mother
Windflower seed
Striped gardener’s grass
Campanula Collina
Probus niger
Calla Ethiopica
& Scilla Peruviana.
The other names Mamma <2> had put on her list were plants in blossom now so we have put off sending them till a more suitable time of year. I beg you will send me word how they are when they arrive, they are directed to the Gardener <3> at Laycock Abbey to be forwarded from Bristol by the coach, if they are not very exhorbitant in their charges we might send many packages for of course the steam boat shortens the time very much. You ought to have them on Tuesday at the latest. –
Jane <4> comes to us in about ten days with her little people & I hope she will pay us a long visit this time she is already better for country air &cc –
Sir C. <5> arrived today having had a most prosperous voyage from Bristol. He landed at Swansea in less than nine hours and was here in about an hour & a half afterwards! We were very sorry to hear of colds at Laycock I hope Caroline <6> & Horatia <7> will be quite well before they go to London or they will not be able to enjoy all the gay parties there will be. –
Mamma’s sore throat was too obstinate to depart without
Love from all
I am your affcte coz
Mary
We found a letter from Kit <13> here he says Wm <14>[text missing] <15> botanizing in the plains of Apulia.
1829 Swansea April eighteen Chrishr Cole
W. H. Fox Talbot Esqre
Laycock Abbey
Chippenham
Wilts.
Notes:
1. Penrice Castle and Penrice House, Gower, Glamorgan, 10 mi SW of Swansea: home of Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot.
2. Lady Mary Lucy Cole, née Strangways, first m. Talbot (1776–1855), WHFT’s aunt.
3. John Mcphail, Lacock Abbey gardener.
4. Jane Harriot Nicholl, née Talbot (1796–1874).
5. Sir Christopher Cole (1770–1836), Captain, MP & naval officer.
6. Caroline Augusta Edgcumbe, née Feilding, Lady Mt Edgcumbe (1808–1881); WHFT’s half-sister.
7. Henrietta Horatia Maria Gaisford, née Feilding (1810–1851), WHFT’s half-sister.
8. Text obscured by seal.
9. Produced by the application of for example mustard as a counter-irritant [to supposedly draw inflammation to the surface away from its original pathological site within the body].
10. Charlotte Louisa 'Charry' Traherne, née Talbot (1800–1880), WHFT’s cousin.
11. Isabella Catherine Franklen, née Talbot (1804–1874).
12. Emma Thomasina Llewelyn, née Talbot (1806–1881), photographer; WHFT’s Welsh cousin.
13. Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot (1803–1890), immensely wealthy landowner, mathematician & politician; WHFT’s Welsh cousin.
14. William Thomas Horner Fox Strangways, 4th Earl of Ilchester (1795–1865), botanist, art collector & diplomat.
15. Text torn away under seal.