British Museum
15th January 1870
My dear Sir,
Many Thanks for your note and testimonial for Mr Smith which has come safely to hand. Mr Layard and Mr Norris who I regret to say has sustained a severe accident – run over by a cab – which confines him to his bed have also written in his behalf. He will I hope succeed as Sir H. Rawlinson does not come so often – detained as he is at the India Office by official duties, and the loss of Mr Coxe <1> leaves a gap in the ranks. Mr Oppert called upon me the other day to see if he had any chance but told me that he was rather too old, above thirty years – for the appointment besides he knows nothing of Assyrian not to mention other reasons. He is at present in the Queens library at Windsor where he assisted the late Mr Woodward. You are I trust well and continuing your Egyptian studies The Plates of Vol. III of the Cuneiform inscriptions are all finished and await only Sir H. Rawlinsons preface and list of contents
Yours Very Truly
S Birch
The Honourable Fox Talbot
Notes:
1. William H. Coxe, who died on 18 December 1869 after an illness of 3 years; son of Rev. H. O. Coxe, Bodley's Librarian; Asst. to Birch at the British Museum and, briefly, Prof of Sanskrit at Kings College, London.