Written from Royal Gardens, Kew. Manuscript
He has just returned from a trip to the St Petersburgh [Saint Petersburg] show and the gardens of Northern Europe, from which he has taken many hints; he has not yet had time to read his letters and go over any garden novelties, but thanks Maw for the specimens of crockery from Fez [Morocco] and Tetuan [Tetouan, Morocco]; when the house is in order, he will give them places of honour; Mr Layard [Austen Henry Layard, envoy extraordinary to Madrid, Spain, ambassador at Constantinople, Turkey], the first commissioner of works, fell in love with the Japanese vases Maw gave Mrs Hooker and he asks if they are on sale; he found no novelties at the china manufacturers of Stockholm [Sweden] and Copenhagen [Denmark]; Russia is very behind, and he learned nothing about the £5,000 Wedgwood service [the Frog Service] made for Empress Catherine [Catherine II of Russia], but he made enquiries and will follow up on them; he saw many charming things cultivated at St Petersburgh, which he hopes to get another year; he will let Maw know how the porcelain labels work out