Royal Asiatic Society,
5 New Burlington Street W.
London
29th Dec 1856
Dear Sir,
From the tenor of your note of yesterday, <1> I see you cannot have had my note <2> to you which I sent to the Club with your address, a day or two after receiving your former letter that letter I gave to Rawlinson in Panizzi’s <3>presence, and both appeared to think that there would be no difficulty at all in giving you the copies. Sir Henry said he would write to you at once to tell you so. He seemed quite desirous that you should have the copies, and he expressed this to Panizzi in my presence. My note to you stated all this. I conclude that Rawlinson has forgotten this, or that official forms have intervened; I will however send your note to Sir Henry as soon as I get his address. He is out of town for Xmas holidays, and will not return till the end of the week<.> I may see Panizzi in a day or two, and if I do I will ask him about it.
My Scythic studies are all gone by, and I have even forgotten the alphabet. My present lone application to Assyrian (more for the external form than for the inner sense) takes up all the time that I can devote to study. I am preparing work for lithographers and superintending the execution, very useful, no doubt, but I think it rather prevents than forwards my study of the languages and history.
I am dear Sir Yours sincery
Edwin Norris
H F Talbot Esq
&c &c &c
[envelope:]
H. F. Talbot, Esq
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham.
Notes:
1. Not located.
2. Probably Doc. No: 07333.
3. Sir Henry Creswicke Rawlinson, 1st Baronet (1810–1895), orientalist and Sir Anthonio Genesio Maria Panizzi (1797–1879), British Museum Librarian.