TALBOT4009

Dear Talbot

Thanks for the offer of your second Hermes ¹ which though only a second may I hope be second only to a third, & that third a genuine Trismegistus ²

That Ph©«bus should have never learnt to see his long pencils (of rays) artistically (for he has long been a practical colourman) - till so late a period of his Wandeljahre as the 19^th Century appears to me strange: for his general department of ¥ì¥ï¥ô¥ò¥é¥ê¥ç clearly includes [illegible] - The more credit however to you for at last teaching him his craft.

- But have you got out of mere light & shade, or monochromatic [illegible]? Can you provoke his colours to stay where they fall, or to leave in departing their proper analogues? This if you can do I will say something, though I am fain to confess some of the specimens I have seen are very pretty - I expect to be in Town shortly to look after furniture as my Lodge is very soon to undergo a thorough repair -

People are not yet returned from Xtmas vacation - if however I do not appear in a week or ten days to claim it pray send me the parcel here.

I have offered our Court to the Duke of Richmond for the Agric^l Soc^y's meeting in July, & they accept but am sorry I cannot be here in person as my house will fall to pieces if the repairs be delayed beyond the Vacation

Whewell's ³ philosophy of the inductive Sciences is going through the press - I have seen all that is yet out printed & expect much from the book.

Yours Ever
T Worsley

Downing Lodge
Jan 29 - 40

Yours ⁴ is dated 25 but came yesterday

[envelope:]
to
W. H. fox Talbot Esq^r.
31 Sackville S^t
London