TALBOT7119

Lacock
Tuesday E^vg

D^r Sir

I regret that I missed seeing you at M^r Bolton’s ¹ today, but as I am leaving Town by the afternoon express and had several matters to arrange with him, this business caused me to lose the opportunity of seeing You.

I have allowed my patent ² to expire, without asking the Privy Council ³ to renew it, which M^r Carpmael ⁴ thinks they would certainly have done for 5, 6, or 7 years. But I had presented to the Public ⁵ that part of it in which Paper negatives are still extensively used, and as I should have renewed the gift I thought it the most advisable course to let the patent expire.

I remain Yours vy Truly
H. F. Talbot

Envelope:

N. S. Maskelyne Esq
Ashmolean Museum ⁶
Oxford