TALBOT4888

13 Great Stuart Street
Edinburgh
Wedn^y April 17

My Dear Charles

I think your idea is not a bad one, of engraving on thin copper and cementing on to a thicker plate, but perhaps copper is too elastic and I think tin would be better, being more flexible - I enclose specimens of both. Kemp & C^{o 1} say that Lac ² would make the best cement.

I think you are a little mistaken about the trees. There were 2 trees, near together, one of these M^r Awdry & Brinsdon had cut down, of their own judgment, last winter - It was then that Edward ³ asked for the other to be cut too, and I asked for M^r Awdry's opinion as to the value of the tree. He reported that it was of very little value, in Brinsdon's & his opinion, and therefore it was ordered to be cut. I told you I think that M^r Merewether ⁴ had given up the shooting on the hill because he could not get from L^d Landsdowne ⁵ some further shootings, which he had expected, and because Croker ⁶ was rude and insolent to him - He appears to be in many ways a tenant discreditable to the estate, and half a poacher besides. I should wish the matter of the monumental stones in the Cloister to rest for the present, till we are all again assembled at the Abbey to consult about it. In the meanwhile straw might be laid upon them, and rough boards upon the straw, as used to be done formerly when the family was absent, and sometimes as I remember, for 2 or 3 years together they were protected in that way. We have not let our house yet, but have had 2 offers, not acceptable ones. One from a Net Merchant of Musselburgh, in a large way of business. I am glad to hear Gilling is flourishing - I have a job for him. I want a Chapter of the Bible photographed on glass (any chapter say from the Epistles.) - I want only the negative ⁷ (no positive copies) but I want the ground to be very black, & letters white, in short a good contrast. If done under your inspection in the cloisters, the large bible in the library might be used. Size of the negative may be 5 inches by 4 -

The scale may be one third of the original, which will give small letters but not too small. I also want a page of the Statuta Ricardi Secundi ⁸ done in the same way - The book is in the lowest shelf of the library bookcase, next the South Gallery - in Black Letter -

Your aff^te
Father

Envelope:

C. H. Talbot Esq
43 Sackville S^t
London