Lanelay <1>
Augst 10.
My dear Henry
I am afraid we have no plants of the yellow-pink but I will enquire at Coedriglan <2> as Charlotte <3> had the best of any of us I think. ours seem to have turned to a dirty pink now but Mamma <4> hopes by saving seed we may have some yellow ones again. – Have you any Salsafy <sic> in your garden? pray try the recipe in the Gardeners Chronicle if you have, it is at page 528 in the last week’s number I have none here and long to know if the recipe is a good one. I daresay scorzonera or skirrets would make an equally good dish but alas I have none this year. – we always had quantities at Penrice. <5> –
Do you remember how we used to fight the wasps at Penrice formerly? I think we have as great a plague of them this year as we had then, I am killing them with a paper knife almost all the time I have been writing today tho we have had 40 nests destroyed round about the garden & Orchard! –
When I hear any thing about the Aloe I will let you know. –
I hope Constance and the Children <6> are quite well pray give my kind love to them I daresay a little change would do Ela good cannot you continue to come bag & baggage when the Aloe is in perfection? do think of it, you know we can never have too many children here a kind neighbour is always ready to lend cribs if we have not enough small beds!
Mamma is but middling the heat was too great to agree with her and she complains of being very languid. –
Mr Nicholl & Jane <7> seem to have made up their minds to go abroad for a little change I hope it may do both good she is gone down to Tunbridge Wells now. –
I am your affate
coz Mary
Notes:
1. Llanely, or Lanely, Glamorganshire: home of Lady Mary Cole and Mary Thereza Talbot.
2. Coedriglan, near Cardiff, Wales: home of the Rev John Montgomerie Traherne, husband of WHFT’s cousin Charlotte.
3. Charlotte Louisa 'Charry' Traherne, née Talbot (1800–1880), WHFT’s cousin.
4. Lady Mary Lucy Cole, née Strangways, first m. Talbot (1776–1855), WHFT’s aunt.
5. Penrice Castle and Penrice House, Gower, Glamorgan, 10 mi SW of Swansea: home of Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot.
6. 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; Charles Henry Talbot (1842–1916), antiquary & WHFT’s only son.
7. Dr John Nicholl (1797–1853), MP, and Jane Harriot Nicholl, née Talbot (1796–1874).