TALBOT4203

20 Conduit St ¹
March 1^st 1841.

My dear Sir

I duly received your cheque for ten pounds.

I had foreseen the liability to explosion from the cause you mention and had requested the workman to furnish the model with a safety valve, but as I found the expence would be thereby augmented I resolved for the present to do without it. I intend to keep at a respectful distance during the experiment and to use one of my telegraphic connectors ² so that I may break the circuit from a distance before I have occasion to approach the instrument. It may however be as well to take the additional precaution you suggest. I have devised an extremely simply safety valve for the engine ³ itself, but I do not think it can be added to the present model.

Your new photograph ⁴ excited great much interest at the Marquis’ ⁵ on Saturday. The artists generally greatly prefered [sic] it to the more elaborately finished Daguerotype [sic] portraits which were also exhibited there. One academician said it was equal in effect to any thing of Sir Joshua’s. ⁶

Yours very truly
C. Wheatstone.