Penllergare <1>
Feb. 28th.
My dear Henry
I am charmed with the piece of lace <2> you sent, it is much too pretty for you to have it again– John Llewelyn <3> has been making some paper according to your process and they are all busy trying little scraps of lace & ribbon one succeeded very well this morning before breakfast but the day is clouding over– Mr Calvert Jones <4> is quite wild about it and I dare say by this time is making experiments in Swansea for himself. John Llwelyn’s paper turns out browner than your piece and not so dark– We put a piece in the Camera obscura but got only a faint outline or rather shadowing of the trees – but the sun was not strong or steady – We received your Van Diemen’s Land seeds and are much obliged to you for them – they are all sowed – Several of the cape plants you gave us – bulbs &c are come up, but as we are not at home now I cannot specify their names – you should come & see them– I am sure you would like to see the lake that John Llwelyn has been making and which is to be filled some time next April it is formed by stopping back the river and making a bank across the valley – you will not see it from the house but it is lower down the valley and will hide some ugly ground besides – I suppose you are still expecting Mrs Talbot’s <5> confinement. I hope you will let us know when the event <6> takes place– We shall be very glad to hear there was any prospect of our seeing you & we have as you know plenty of room for all the children – the house here is now finished and there is plenty of room for them here too – how they would enjoy playing with their little cousins who are such nice gentle little dears that they would just suit them –
Your affectionate cousin
Charlotte Traherne
Notes:
1. Penllergaer, Glamorgan, 5 mi E of Loughor: home of the Llewelyn family.
2. WHFT sent many examples of photograms of lace to various friends, introducing them to the process of photogenic drawing.
3. John Dillwyn Llewelyn (1810–1882), Welsh photographer, JP & High Sheriff.
4. Rev Calvert Richard Jones (1802–1877), Welsh painter & photographer.
5. Constance Talbot, née Mundy (1811–1880), WHFT’s wife.
6. The birth of Matilda Caroline Gilchrist-Clark, ‘Tilly’, née Talbot (1839–1927), WHFT’s 3rd daughter.