TALBOT7389

M H. 13 Ap 57¹.

My dear Sir

I returned home from Wales yesterday & found your very kind offer of your spare copy of my Babylonian Cylinder Inscription, which I most thankfully accept. For I do not like to keep Rawlinson's² Copy longer than I can avoid, although he has not limited me as to time, and I have not been able to get a copy yet. I thought it w^d be worth your trouble as you do it so easily & well, to take some Photograph impressions of it, or persuade Halmeman [sic]³ your London Photographer to do so. He might sell them at a reasonable rate, & enable literati to study it in this Country.

I passed by the beautiful seat of your Cousin at Margam⁴ the other day, & admired the beautiful Wood adjoining it. I intended to take Lady P⁵ to see the seat of her Ancestors while I was in Wales, but events occurred to interrupt me.

I went however to see the seat of those whom I believe to have been my own ancestors, at Picton Castle,⁶ according to our family tradition, & according to the Monument at Winchester College.⁷

I had an opportunity of seeing the ancient Records of the family also. The oldest I saw, might have been of the time of Henry 3, but it had no date, & I judged of course by the writing.

M^rs. Talbot & your Daughter⁸ I hope are quite well, & begging you to present my kind remembrances to them

Believe me my dear Sir Very faithfully yours
Thomas Phillipps

PS. There is an interesting account of LIbraries in general about to be published by M^r Edwards of Old Trafford Manchester, which, if you care the Notitia Bibliothecarum I would recommend to you.⁹ The price is ^£1ּ^s16ּ M^r Edwards is the author of it, in 2 Vols.

May I ask to which work you intend regularly to send your Translations of Assyrian for I sh^d like to subscribe to it

[draft copy in author's letterbook, Bodleian Library:]

To W H F Talbot Esq^r. Laycock Abbey Wilts

My dear Sir

I returned home from Wales yesterday & found your very kind offer of your spare copy of my Babylonian Cylinder Inscription which I most thankfully accept. For I do not like to keep Rawlinson's Copy longer than I can avoid, although he has not limited me as to time and I have not been able to get a copy yet. I thought it w^d be worth your trouble as you do it so easily & well to take some Photograph impressions of it or persuaded Halmeman [sic] your London Photographer to do so. He might sell them at a reasonable rate, & enable literati to study it in this Country. I passed by the beautiful seat of your Cousin at Margam the other day & admired the beautiful Wood adjoining it. I intended to take Lady P to see the seat of her Ancestor's while I was in Wales, but events occurred to interrupt me I went however to see the seat of those whom I believe to have been my own ancestors, at Picton Castle, according to our family tradition & according to the monument at Winchester College I had an opportunity of seeing the Ancient Records of the family also The oldest I saw, might have been of the time of Henry 3, but it had no date, & I judged of course by the wrighting [sic] M^rs. Talbot & your Daughter I hope are quite well, & begging your to present my kind remembrances to them believe me my d^r Sir Very faithfully yrs TP

PS There is an interesting account of Libraries in general about to be published by Mr Edwards of Old Trafford Manchester, w^ch if you care the notitiæ Bibliothecarum I wd recommend to you. The price is 1:16 2 Vols. Mr Edwards is the author of it.

May I ask to which work you intend regularly to send y^r Translations of Assyrian, for I sh^d like to subscribe to it.