Sir
The local interest attached to the publication of which I take the liberty of enclosing a Notice 1 may recommend it to your attention my kind friend Mr Provis 2 of Chippenham will shew to you some of the Engravings of the remarkable Fossil 3 if you condesend to look at them the price of the publication (five shillings) may cause an impression that the work will be so trifling as not to deserve a place in your library. I hope however that it will not be unworthy of the distinction, by avoiding the ruinous cost of advertisements and printing no more copies than are positively ordered I hope to be secured from loss. for this reason I beg most respectfully to receive your commands if it should be your pleasure to patronise my project as early as convenient.
If the Viscountess Valetort 4 knew of my intended publication I am so bold as to believe that her Ladyship would encourage it but I do not know her ladyships address Lady Mary Fox5 some had the kindness to allow me the opportunity of shewing her Ladyship and my Lord Valetort 6 some drawings of Tropical Flowers and Scenery – some of which her Ladyship purchased at Leamington.
I cannot express to you Sir the intense delight which it affords me to know that you have discovered so grand a secret and that you have with such noble generosity detailed the process 7 by which “Nature presents her own pictures” I heard great boastings in Paris about this discovery and rejoice with english pride that to my own Country belongs this sublime achievement of profound science. pardon me Sir for having ventured thus boldly to address you
I am Sir Your Obedient Servant
Charles Empson
Museum
9 Cleveland Place Bath.
Feby 11, 1839
Charles [sic] Fox Talbot Esq
Laycock Abbey
Chippenham
44 Queen Ann Street
London
paid
Please cite as “TALBOT3802,” in Ɛpsilon: accessed on