TALBOT3716

Gayton, Northampton,

15 Aug. 38.

My dear Talbot,

A short absence from home is my apology for not having sooner answered your very kind note, and thankfully acknowledged the receipt of your Hermes, N^o 1. ¹ It is, indeed, a very learned & most ingenious production, and I am happy to see, that your powerful mind finds leisure for such profound researches. In truth I am quite astonished at the wide range of learning, the multum in parvo, ² comprised within the <narrow?> limits of 95 pages.

I am expecting tomorrow the arrival of an Uncle of M^rs Butler, Henry Lewis Esq. a friend of Champollion, ³ &c. who has travelled much in Egypt & various parts of the <East?>, and has been many years resident upon the continent. Your elegant present is, therefore, most fortunately timed. It will be to him a source of much interesting study, & will afford us topics of profitable discussion. Macte Esto: ⁴ I hope No 2 will shortly appear.

I know not, whether you are aware, that, in order to secure to a publication that attention to w^h it is entitled, it is found advisable (in these degenerate days) to have it duly noticed in the Reviews. This ought to be looked-to. You must have friends connected with the Quarterly & Edinburgh, who would gladly review such a captivating work; & they ought to be immediately applied to.

As a trifling return for so valuable a work, (χαλκεα χρϒσ ειων), I take the liberty of forwarding to you the Harrow Prolusiones, ⁵ containing, inter alia, ⁶ my Son George’s successful translation into Greek Iambics: you will agree with me in thinking the passage as difficult as it is unquestionably beautiful, and in tracing some promise of Scholarship in the successful version: to the Writer of the best Porson prize poem, that has yet appeared from the Cambridge press, such an offering of friendship is at least appropriate. George goes to Trinity ⁷ in Oct^r. I beg my most respectful comp^ts to M^rs Talbot, ⁸ and am Ever

Yours faithfully & affect^ly

G Butler