22 Gerrard St Soho
August [28?] 1852

Sir

I send herewith a small quantity of ink. take [sic] a smaller rubber than that described in my last loosely tied, made of flannel dip it into this ink, or rather lay a little ink on its surface & rub it in the plate covering every portion equally. take [sic] a peice [sic] of canvass an [sic] gently lick off only the superfluous ink always wiping across the lines. finish [sic]taking the greasy surface away (leaving your steel quite clean) with the hand this is the part that requires attention for if you allow accumulations on the hand you will have stringy effects as on the enclosed card to prevent this and also to assist in removing the grease you gently whiten the fleshy part of the hand against a ball of whiting always removing the surplous [sic] whiting from the hand againts [sic] a leather or cloth, and herin [sic] lays [sic] all the art of printing. it [sic]is in these after wipings that all the effects are produced for perhaps no print is ever put before the public that is a “fair state of the plate”

You must not expect that the man who knows how to make a printing press, has any more idea of “how to print” than an elephant – it will I fear be necessary you should have a man down to fix your press that done we must look out for a respectable individual (?) and they are not easy to get) who is not occupied to come down and set you going

I would volunteer a week myself but I do not want to pry into your views. I could give you perhaps during that period a general insight into etching & printing without at all enquiring the bent of your ideas.

Try the process above described and pour on plaster as if you were merly [sic] taking a cast having taken several of these off the same plate observe the difference,

The moment I can I will look after a press and let you know the result

Most Respectfully Y^r obt St
Geo Barclay