TALBOT9597

British Museum
18^h December 1869

My dear Sir

Mr Coxe ¹ after a long illness died this morning having succumbed to his long and painful malady For some time past Mr Smith ² whom you have seen has been temporarily employed in the department and has supplied the ‘missing link’ caused by Mr Coxes illness and will I hope succeed to Mr Coxes place but it will require some expression of opinion by those interested in Assyrian researches to express when the time comes to the appointing parties Mr Smiths merits as an Assyrian scholar and the necessity of the appointment being by a person acquainted with Assyrian cuneiform characters Knowing the interest you take in the subject and how you will regard Mr Coxes loss I just write to tell you how the matter stands

Yours Very Truly
S Birch

[envelope:]
The Honourable
Fox Talbot
Laycock Abbey
Chippenham