TALBOT7703

Mount Edgcumbe¹
Oct^r 6^th 1858

My dear Henry

I received your parcel quite safe, & Milord² begs me to say he is extremely obliged to you for them, & for sending them so quickly. – They are very curious, as far as we can make out – but that is not much – & we want you very much to enlighten our minds a little, before presenting them to M^r Turner³ – as Milord would like to be able to tell him something about them – We wish therefore you w^d tell us all you can, without compromising your secret – as I imagine you have a patent-⁴

In the first place, they look like other photographs – I mean there is nothing in their appearance to make one suppose they are engraved – 2^ndly what is the advantage of engraving over other Photography, as you can always multiply the positives? 3^rd How are these views done from Nature – when we know you have not visited either Paris, Spain or Bohemia lately? 4^thly why do they come out small, instead of the usual size?

How lovely our Comet⁵ appeared last night! I am so glad you told me ab^t Arcturus⁶ – We were fascinated, & continued spying thro’ glasses all the evening from the Deck – The sky was beautifully bright after sunset, & the brilliance of the whole thing, the moment it c^d appear against the bright sky, was surpassingly beautiful – Arcturus shone with red & green colors, like a diamond, thro’ the tail –

Y^rs aff^ly in haste to join the Yacht, as steam is up –
Caroline