[234]

Copy of a letter to The Right Hon[oura]b.le Sir Joseph Banks Bti
      Spring Grove ii--

Sir

I am flattered that you will approve that the plants, in=serted in the inclosediii List may be offered from His Majesty's Collection at Kew to the acceptance of the Mar=quissiv of Blandfordv; I thought so more particularly on this account. They have been exhibited in blossom before the Royal family, and have been much admired by their Majesties --  They are rare plants being to my Knowledge being in no other Garden than the King's from which Collection they can be spared with propriety -- the Garden already possessing duplicate Plants of the several Kinds mentioned in the List [.] 
I shall await with great pleasure to obey your Commands, in order to forward the Plants for the Marquis of Blandford in the way His Lordship may choose to direct [.]
I have the honor to be
Sir
with great Respect --
{your most obed[ien]t & obliged humble serv[an]t
{Signed Mr. T. Aitanvi 

      Royal Gardensvii 
      Kew 16 July 1805 
i Banks, Joseph, Sir, 1st Baronet, 1743-1820, appointed Director of Kew by George III. VIAF 46830189

ii Sir Joseph Banks lived at Spring Grove from 1779 until 1820.
iii Misspelling should be enclosed
iv Marquiss, unclear if should have been Marquess or Marquis
v Marquis of Blandford, Spencer-Churchill, George, Duke of Marlborough, 1766-1840, botanist, created a magnificent garden at Whiteknights Park estate at Earley.
VIAF ID: 33529816
vi Aiton, William Townsend, Mr, VIAF ID: 4416060 W.T. Aiton 
 2 February 1766 - 9 October 1849. Director of Kew Gardens 1793 -1841
vii This address and date were situated on the page to the left of a double bracket that encompassed the valediction and the signature