Nice.
Feb^y 27^th

My dear Henry

I am determined not to let a day pass without answering y^r letter for fear another fit of indolence sh^d come over me, & I sh^d behave as ill as I did before – it was not however for want of gratitude to you for thinking of me I assure you & I feel exceedingly obliged to you for the books you sent me by M^r Hetherington wh: tho’ late arrived at last & amused us very much. With respect to the Steam Boat the answer is short, that there is none – it was tried for a little while (I believe last year) & failed – & I do not hear of any attempt to revive the Scheme. – I will do what you desire if possible as to the juice of the Euphorbia dendroides. – what can you want to do with that viscous, acid stuff? – We are in such dismal want of rain here that we are at least a month backwarder than usual – everything is parched up with the drying wind & they say here it has been an unnatural Season – However some flowers are beginning to come out that delight me. I have seen only the coronaria yet – as the Pavonina is not out I believe – The Ophrys insectifora (as Risso ^<1> calls it) is in profusion but no other [yet?] What has hitherto enchanted me more than any thing is (what he calls) the Narcissus albidus – it is quite lovely nectary & flower of so pure & dazzling a white – is it after all only the white variety of the N. tazzetta? The petals are particularly sharp pointed & they have the effect of a star. I certainly never saw it dry when in England & mean to take as many roots as I can. – The [illegible] grounds are full of leaves of different bulbous plants but nothing more yet. – The Ornithopus Scorpioides is another new plant to me & I like it f^r the singularity of the leaves – the Astragalus monspeliensis I f^d in the autumn – but you have no idea how few flowers there are in consequence of the weather. – I went 3 months ago to the Rochers [songes?] & saw the fan palms & f^d the Anthyllis barbajovis – the Andropogon contortu, the Trincia tuberosa, &c. but I must go again as you hold out other hopes to me now. – We mean to go from hence to Genoa & then by Milan & Turin over M^t Cenis to Geneva tell me what I shall find in that route. I intend having a shallow box filled with earth to go over the front trunk upon springs – in which I flatter myself I shall be able just to keep alive any thing that particularly strikes me. – You may tell me therefore any small plant that you wish to have. – Is there a good Botanical garden at Genoa? – Is the Avens I find here on the rocks Micensis? Risso calls it Meridionalis & I think it is vernus? –

I was delighted to hear of William’s appointment ^<2> – & I hope he may be as pleased with it as we are – I think it possible he may take this in his way – it will be hard if we do not catch him in part of our tour if not here. –

I intend writing to your Mother ^<3> in a day or two – I have time only for one letter now. –

My dear Hen^y y^r aff^te
C A Lemon

Can you explain what [illegible] when we were at Nevers we [saw] sold in the market some curious looking vegetables, which at first we took to be roots, but which [are?] the seeds of a Plant that grows in ponds in all that country & which the country people eat after it is boiled^<4> – it is a singular shape ab^t the size of a chesnut & with points something like this [illustration] & brown – a tough skin & a sort of nut inside – I never c^d get any name for it that I c^d at least make out. – Risso is exceedingly puzzled & knows nothing about it & I can get nobody else to explain it. Can you? –

a Monsieur
Monsieur H. F. Talbot
Hotel de la Terrasse
Rue de Rivoli
Paris

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Notes:

1. Antonio or Antoine Risso (1777–1845), natural scientist.

2. William Thomas Horner Fox Strangways, 4^th Earl of Ilchester (1795–1865), botanist, art collector & diplomat. He was appointed Secretary of Legation at Florence. [See Doc. No: 01250].

3. Lady Elisabeth Theresa Feilding, née Fox Strangways, first m Talbot (1773–1846), WHFT’s mother.

4. Water chestnuts or water caltrop were sold in markets throughout Europe until 1880.