British Museum
9h March 1871
My dear Sir
As it is desired if possible to announce at the Inaugural Meeting of such contributions of papers as may be expected from scholars and others on the subject of Biblical Archaeology, comprising Assyrian Egyptian and Semitic inquiries would you favour me with a list of any paper on the subject which you think you may hereafter be likely to contribute to the Society. I am in hopes on account of the accessions with members and the greater development that that Society may take as its field is large and the members consequently likely to increase, that it will be able to publish Proceedings with abstract of some and fuller portions – even entire ones of the most interesting papers. You will I hope favour us with some thing from your pen, as it will add much to the Societys influence to find that scholars such as yourself are likely to contribute to its Proceedings
There is no necessity if inconvenient to you for the proposed paper to be prepared directly but should you favour the Society and have any thing already prepared it would be read at an early meeting
It was with regret that I found you could not accept the office of President and in accordance with the wish expressed by some I have consented to undertake the office for the present at least and deliver the Inaugural address. Mr. G. Smith asks me to tell you that 32 pages were overlooked but will reach you tomorrow
Yours very Truly
S Birch