From James Scott Bowerbank   12 January 1855

My Dear Sir

I have luckily hit upon what you want in the lens way the lot is as under

72 useful low powers various

60 spectacle glasses rubbish

19 small [drawing of a circle] lens’s good

33 plane convex [larger drawing of a circle] capital

184 for 61s – I send you one as a crude idea for mounting them. A hand basin with water as hot as you can bear will enable you to manipulate with rapidity & a very small taper flame will seal the junction of the clips in a second or two. You or the Ladies will very much improve on this my first attempt[.] How shall I put you in the way of getting them? You will find some very good crossed lens’s among the larger ones.

Excuse this blundering note & believe me

My Dear Sir | yours most truly | J. S. Bowerbank