TALBOT7094

My dear Sir

I took some pictures to day of a leaf on Talbotype ¹ paper & on

1^st paper prepared by Nitrate of Silver 60 grain solution, afterwards Gallic Acid – used moist

2^nd paper similarly prepared but with watery solution of Galls ² – (used moist.

Talbotype gave in 5 seconds and in 10 seconds pictures hardly to be preferred the one to the other –

The 1^st preparation took 17 minutes to darken to the tone that seemed to correspond (rather redder) to the Talbotype picture –

The 2^nd preparation was also in 17 minutes well darkened, but after 32 minutes did not seem to reach the tone of the Gallic acid picture –

I think we should be within the mark in putting the difference at that of from10 seconds Talbotype to 15 minutes Reades process ³
i.e. 1 : 90

Obviously this is far within the mark – it is probably as 1 : 300, [illegible deletion] to 1 : 300 or to 400 or even more. The day was most sullen & dark & the light would not penetrate the leaf a bit.

I hope to be in Town on Saturday. Perhaps we may meet in the Evening at the Athenæum. ⁴ I will call on your Solicitor. ⁵

Yours very truly
Nevil Story Maskelyne.

Ashmolean Museum. ⁶
Dec^r 14. 1854.