Melbury <1>
2 Jany 1827
My dear Henry
On coming here this morning from Abbotsbury <2> I was perfectly astonished to hear you had set out for Berlin & Dresden a fact which is to me inexplicable & almost incredible – At this season to botanise in Wettecaria Thuringia & the Hartz? – But not to waste time in notes of admiration I must as I have missed the moment of giving you letters beg you to call on some of my acquaintance & only mention my name for instance – on Mr Chad <3> our Minister at Dresden – who was Secretary at the Hague when I was there & who you will find very civil & agreable the more so as they are not plagued with English in those parts. Mr Zea Bermudez <4> late Prime Minister in Spain now Spanish minister at Dresden & an old acquaintance of mine at Petersburg & Constantinople & was educated in England. Count George von Einsiedl <5> if there, who was Saxon Minister in Russia & whom I knew very well there –
I conclude you will stay the Spring to botanise in the Eizgebirge – & Silesia & being in a favorable season will go into Poland see the coronation at Warsaw <6> – an interesting sight & where you will see all the best society make acquaintance with the following people who shewed me much civility – the Countess Rosalie Rzewuska <7> – the Prince Constantine Czartoryski, <8> the Princess his mother – his Sister<s?> Pss – of Wirtemberg & Countess Zamoyska & her sons – who were educated at Edinburgh. Also the Countess Stanislas Potocka <9> & her family, & the Poet who live in their house – Madame Zielonka – Prince Henry Lubomirski <10> & his family – the Counts Alfred & Arthur Potocki <11> (whom I knew but slightly) Prince Michel Radziwil <12> who has thousands of acres of Azalea Pontica in the marshes of Pinsk & General & Mad. Fredro <13> – very old friends of Petersbg – Florence & Warsaw – Every one of these persons will ask you to visit them in the country – go to all you can; if you go to Gallicia – see the garden of Mad Moiska, if to Cracow – make the acquaintance of President Wodzicki <14> who has a very find garden – of Senator Grodicki whose family will shew you every attention go to the castles of the Wielopolskis at <Such?> <15> & Piaskova Skala & herborise in the vale of <Vicow?> – see the praiseworthy botanic garden & speak of me to M. Estreicher, <16> & enquire for the Countess Adam Potocka’s grotto 10 miles long I do not know where – & make the usual tour to the Carpathians of Neumarkt &c – If you go to Opole look for Pyrola umbellata in the wood of the Cross – near the Cross – Write to me here –
Yr Affte
W T H F S
If I hear from you, or learn where you mean to stop so as to write to you with more certainty you shall hear from me again –Kit <17> writes that John <18> is expected at Rome
We have not heard of your family in England yet. Giles <19> is getting gradually better – No post at Abby up to this day – Olea fragrans – Coronilla gl. <20> – Phlomis frut. <21> &c &c mesembry. in flower & in bud Narcissi – Cisti – &c –
Notes:
1. Melbury, Dorset: one of the Fox Strangways family homes; WHFT was born there.
2. Abbotsbury, Dorset: home of William Thomas Horner Fox Strangways.
3. George William Chad (1784–1849), charge d’affaires in the Netherlands 1816–1817, secretary of embassy 1817–1824, minister to Saxony 1824–1828, minister to the Germanic Confederation 1829–1830, minister to Prussia 1830–1832. See Private Papers of British Diplomats (London: Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, 1985), p. 13.
4. Francisco Cea Bermudez (1772–1850), diplomat and liberal politician, prime minister of Spain twice, under Fernando VII and again under Maria Cristina de Habsburgo.
5. Georg von Einsiedel (1767–1840), Saxon minister to Russia in Petersburg, son of Johan Georg Friedrich Graf von Einsiedel (1730–1811), cabinet minister in Saxony.
6. Coronation of the Russian Grand Duke Constantine Pavlovich (1779–1831), as Imperial Lieutenant of Poland within the Russian empire.
7. Countess Rosalie Rzewuska of Saxen–Coburg, renowned for her beauty.
8. Konstanty Adam Aleksander Tadeusz Czartoryski (1773–1860), Polish brigade general; his second wife, Maria Dzierzanowska (1790–1842); his mother Countess Izabella von Flemming (1746–1835); his sister was Maria Anna (1768–1859), married to Ludwig Friedrich, Duke of Wurttemberg (1756–1817); Countess Sophie Zamoyski, née Czartoryski (1778–1837), and her sons Konstanty Zamoyski (1799–1866), and Wladyslaw Zamoyski (1803–1868), Polish patriot.
9. Possibly the widow of Stanislaw Felix Potocki (1752–1805).
10. Prince Henry Lubomirski, the subject of the famous painting by Elisabeth Vignee-Lebrun, dating ca.1800.
11. Arthur of Potocki (1815–1834), and his father Alfred Wojciech of Potocki (1785–1862), or his brother Alfred Jozef of Potocki (1817–1889).
12. Possibly Michal Hieronim, Prince Radziwil, Palatine of Wilno.
13. Possibly Aleksander Fredro (1793–1876), participated in Napoleon’s Russian campaign and returned to Poland to become a celebrated playwright of comedies.
14. Stanislaw Hrabia Wodzicki, President of the Republic of Cracow 1815–1831.
15. Text torn away under seal.
16. Alojzy Rafal Estreicher (1786–1852), botanist, entomologist; he greatly improved the Botanical Graden at Cracow.
17. Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot (1803–1890), immensely wealthy landowner, mathematician & politician; WHFT’s Welsh cousin.
18. John George Charles Fox Strangways (1803–1859), MP.
19. Giles Digby Robert Fox Strangways (1798–1827).
20. Glauca.
21. Fruticosa.