TALBOT6979

Sir J. Herschel

Athenæum ¹
May 26 1854

D^r Sir

Altho’ I believe my Solicitor informed you of the successful issue of our application to the Vice Chancellor, yet I think you would like to hear of some curious circumstances which occurred with respect to the affidavit with which you so kindly favoured me. ²

When this was read, it was seen that it distinctly negatived the assertion of M^r R. Hunt, or rather the inference which he drew from your exp^ts published in the Phil. Trans^ns for 1840. ³ The opposing Counsel could not get over this, so what did he do? He took up a volume in his hand and said, I shall be able to show your Honour (the Vice Chancellor) that this discrepancy is more apparent than real, there is an important passage in this volume which will enable me to offer a satisfactory explanation of it; –

And then, after greatly exciting our curiosity about this important passage, he added a few rather vague and unmeaning sentences, and then suddenly diverged to another topic, and never opened the volume at all!

The judgement of the Vice Chancellor was exceedingly clear calm & luminous, befitting the judicial bench –

I remain D^r Sir
yours very truly H. F. Talbot