20 Mornington RoadN. W.

Nov^r 23. 1858.

Dear Sir

Illness prevented me from replying to your favour of the 20^th inst, yesterday. The plan you propose of showing the extreme fidelity and minuteness of Photoglyphic Engraving is a very excellent one and would be sure to give a good idea of its capabilities. I have mentioned the subject however to Petter & Galpin and they seem to think that as a kind of promise to the public has been made of a large view they would much prefer not thinking about the plan you now suggest until that has been issued. The great expense attending a good issue of copies would make them desirous not to involve themselves in more than one such presentation at a time. They are at the same time much obliged by your kind offer and in the proposed issue of the large plate they are desirous of effecting it without any such hurry as attended the first. M^r Brooker should have ample time to print off really firstrate impressions and they would not announce it until a certain number of copies were in their hands. I think the recent issue of photoglyphs has been attended with very great success both to the Photo. News and also in the public appreciation of the new art. I have some little acquaintance among the daily press and literary men and thus I have managed to bring the subject fairly before the several Editors. The result has been very flattering. Nearly all the daily and weekly London papers noticed the subject together with upwards of 100 provincial papers and the remarks on the novelty and importance of the process were very favorable – The only unfavorable notice was from the quarter I mentioned in the last “News”. The journal is the Photographic Notes, edited by M^r Sutton, St. Brelades Bay, Jersey. It is a very poorly conducted affair and very little in circulation. I believe that the remarks were made without having seen a copy of the process, and merely out of spite to the “News”. With respect to your very kind offer of assistance on the chronology of Phot^y I should be very pleased to avail myself of your offer but a slight difficulty is in the way. I have not yet written it as the length

<at top of sheet 2> 2^nd sheet Nov. 23. /58.

to which I could extend the remarks would depend upon the space left by other matters. I have as yet only been accumulating materials and shall defer the writing until a few hours before going to press so as to exactly fit the vacant space. I do not think I should be able to give much more than a table in chronological order. The foundation of my article (if article it be) is the one I enclose – it is very imperfect and very much longer than I could possibly give but still it contains the most collected statement that I am acquainted with. I should indeed be thankful if you would put me in possession of any fact in the history with which I am not likely to be acquainted. I must also beg you not to ascribe the opinions of the enclosed article to me I am not the writer and do not intend to make use of the article in any way but in the facts which are therein stated.

Believe me truly yours

William Crooks

H. F. Talbot Esq^re
Please answer as soon as possible, as the article should be in the printers hands by Thursday night or Friday Morning.

W. C.