Glasgow.
Mar 20th
1839
My dear Sir
I return your specimen of Photogenic drawing, which has interested the Glasgow people <1> very much, especially the Muslin Manufacturers: – & it also excited great attention at a Scientific Meeting when Professor Gregory <2> pronounced it to be “a discovery likely to be productive of most valuable results.”
The Duke of Bedford <3> has taken a great interest in this subject & without knowing that I had the pleasure of your acquaintance, has asked me if I can give him any further information about it. He has read all your papers in the Athenćum Lity Gazette <4> & I have directed him to the Echo du Monde Savant which I find contains a good deal about Daguerre’s <5> experiments.
I shall return your drawing through His Grace, <6> that he may have a sight of it: – & if you could kindly give him the inspection of any of your perfect drawings especially of a Plant or a building I should be greatly obliged to you. I hear that Bauer <7> of Kew has written on the subject but I have not seen what he has done.
Your’s most faithfully
W. J. Hooker.
H. F. Talbot Esqre
44 Queen Ann Street
London.
Notes:
2. William Gregory (1803–1858), who was appointed professor of medicine and chemistry at the university of Aberdeen in 1839, who took a great interest in matters photographic.
3. John Russell, 6th Duke of Bedford. (1766–1839).
4. See Doc. No: 03779.
5. Louis Jacques Mandé Daguerre (1787–1851), French artist, showman & inventor.
6. That is, the Duke of Bedford.
7. Franz Andreas Bauer (1758–1840), Austrian botanical illustrator, resident at Kew.
8. Woburn Abbey, Bedfordshire, seat of the dukes of Bedford.