Lacock Abbey
Novr 26
Sir
in Answer to your letter of this morning I beg to inform you that there is not any books come for you to the Abbey yet if they should come we will send them on to you at once as you directed
We have not much in flower in the house at present in the Stove we have several Begonias the two Sorts of Cypripedium very fine and Jasminum hirsutum the great <Hamanthus?> is showing flower as usual at this time Your Thunbergia from the Hortl Society have <sic> some fine flower buds upon it but we have not sunshine enough to bring them out Our Seedling Tasconia in the Great conservatory is still in flower and I should think there is nearly a hundred fruit hanging upon it which looks very well and is much admired and the great Cassia which we cut down every year is very fine in flower yet Also Bignonia Pandora is very good about a week ag<o> we had two rather sharp frost for Novr the first 12 Deg the Second 14. Since that we have it very Stormy
I am Sorry to tell you that some time ago Sir John Awdry’s Gardener had his cottage burnt down and nearly the whole of his furniture distroyed <sic> by the fire valued about 30£ there have been about 12£ made up for him by a Subscription and he wished me to mention the circumstance to you I forget it the last time I wrote I See the other Gentleman have gave <sic> 10s/ each it was a thatched cottage which was the reason there was so little Saved
I beg to remain your Obet Servant
Geo: Wilkins