à M. le professeur Amici
17 July 1844
Monsieur
J’ai laissé chez vous aujourdhui un exemplaire de mon ouvrage, <1> et 10 autres échantillons photographiques pour vous – et aussi un exemplaire de mon ouvrage adressé a Sua Altezza Imple e Rle Leopoldo II°. <2>
Je vous souhaite un heureux voyage
Je pars pour la campagne – ainsi adieu
H. F. Talbot
Translation:
to Professor Amici17 July 1844
Dear Sir
Today I left at your home a copy of my book, and 10 more photographic samples for you – and also a copy of my book addressed to His Royal and Imperial Highness Leopoldo II.
I wish you a good journey
I am leaving for the country – so farewell
H. F. Talbot
Notes:
1. WHFT, The Pencil of Nature (London: Longman, Brown, Green, & Longmans, June 1844–April 1846 [issued in six fascicles]).
2. Leopold II, Leopoldo Giovanni Giuseppe Francesco Ferdinando Carlo (1797-1870), Grand Duke of Tuscany 1824-1859. Amici conveyed No. 1 of The Pencil of Nature to the Duke before the following March - see Doc. No: 01215. It was inscribed (probably in the hand of one of his sisters): "A sua Altezza Imple eĨe Leopoldo IIo Gran Duc di Toscana omaggio dell' Autore". It is now preserved in the Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale in Florence. See Larry J. Schaaf, Introductory Volume to the Anniversary Facsimile of H. Fox Talbot's The Pencil of Nature (New York: Hans P. Kraus, Jr., Inc., 1989), p. 81.