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Document number: 4084
Date: 01 Jun 1840
Recipient: TALBOT William Henry Fox
Author: TALBOT Mary Thereza
Collection: British Library, London, Manuscripts - Fox Talbot Collection
Last updated: 21st February 2012

June 1st.

My dear Henry

This fine bright day makes me think of your Photo: it must be just the thing for you, the Apple trees however are all out of flower now & I cannot guess what you will next try your hand at. I should like to have a peep at you, the day is far too hot for any active employment and almost incapacitates one from any thing requiring diligence but it would be too bad to lose it, so I hope you are very busy – My pen goes along lazily enough today but gardening being quite out of the question I thought I would try and write some letters this morning – I wanted to send you some seed of a plant I raised from seed several years ago, it does not boast much beauty but it might perhaps be acceptable to your Botanic Garden. I do not know whether it is colchiveflora or – folia, from flowering very early in the year it is soon spoilt by the weather but if it was in a more genial climate than we have here I daresay it would do better. – We want you sadly I I think Lanelay <1> much more in the way to Llanwrtyd than London is! tho’ I have often been told that is the way every where

We cannot tell the use of half the things in the microscope and want your instructions very much, then you might see how well the importations from Lacock thrive here

The Allium sub-husictum is remarkably fine this year & I admire it as much as ever, I have three bunches of it out of doors besides what I keep in pots – The roots you gave us of Sir J. Herschell’s <2> are dead so you see what you lost by not coming last year when I sent you word how beautifully they were in flower! – When Photo. Weather goes, scrambling weather succeeds in general & there is much to explore in this neighbourhood please to think upon it, as the folks say We expect Emma <3> & her family the middle of this month, they have migrated from home and are now at Coedriglan. <4> we are all alone but expecting an old Lady to spend a couple of days here this week I do not know whether you recollect her in former days Mrs Markham of Nash. <5>

Mamma <6> is very languid & has had some sneezing fits but not very bad lately.

Our kind love to Mrs T. and the little dears <7>

I am your affate Coz
Mary

Henry Fox Talbot Esqre
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham


Notes:

1. Llanely, or Lanely, Glamorganshire: home of Lady Mary Cole and Mary Thereza Talbot.

2. Sir John Frederick William Herschel (1792–1871), astronomer & scientist.

3. Emma Thomasina Llewelyn, née Talbot (1806–1881), photographer; WHFT’s Welsh cousin.

4. Coedriglan, near Cardiff, Wales: home of the Rev John Montgomerie Traherne, husband of WHFT’s cousin Charlotte.

5. Probably Nash Hill, also Naish Hill, a hill and farm 1 mi NE of Lacock, Wiltshire.

6. Lady Mary Lucy Cole, née Strangways, first m. Talbot (1776–1855), WHFT’s aunt.

7. Constance Talbot, née Mundy (1811–1880), WHFT’s wife; Ela Theresa Talbot (1835–1893), WHFT’s 1st daughter; Rosamond Constance ‘Monie’ Talbot (1837–1906), artist & WHFT’s 2nd daughter; Matilda Caroline Gilchrist-Clark, ‘Tilly’, née Talbot (1839–1927), WHFT’s 3rd daughter.

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