11th June 1840
My dear Henry
tho’ I have ten letters I ought to write in preferance to you I must tell you some derivations – the welsh of a foxglove (the yellow ones have never vegetated) is Manyg Ellyllon which means fairies gloves – now as fairies are constantly called the good folk, it may come from folks glove as they inhabit the same wild regions. perhaps you have seen this in the same book I did, but the next you are less likely because it occurred in conversation. Oysters may be derived from Huitres & that from their being eatable only during the months in which there is an R which is 8 – the eight Rs or huitres – what do you think of this, at any rate you will get a scrawl supernumerary & I shall get some account of your employments & what Lily is doing or intending to do –
I have at present my house fuller than it can hold properly – Emma <1> & her 4 Chilrn & Mr & Mrs Vaughan & their Child but the mountain gives me plenty of room when the weather is fine – the plants you gave us are all flourishing & frequently cause us to pronounce the word Lacock but whether with any ideas attached to it I leave you to guess. My kind love to Mrs Talbot <2> & believe me your
Affec Aunt
Mary L: Cole
Henry Fox Talbot Esqr
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham
Notes:
1. Emma Thomasina Llewelyn, née Talbot (1806–1881), photographer; WHFT’s Welsh cousin.
2. Constance Talbot, née Mundy (1811–1880), WHFT’s wife.