Athenæum ^<1>

Friday night

D^r Sir

I received a communication some time ago to which I have hitherto omitted to reply, simply from want of time & continual occupation, but as perhaps my silence may be liable to misconstruction I will trouble you with a few lines of explanation

I was asked in a printed circular to subscribe towards a testimonial to be presented to you as the author of improvements in Photography as applied to Archaeology ^<2> – Had it been proposed on the ground of your admirable success in applying photography to the Portraiture of Insanity I should have been most happy to have added my name. But the simple fact is that I was not aware you had applied the art to Archæology and that I have laid down a rule to myself never to add my name as testifying to anything which I cannot really vouch for to a certain extent at least –

Believe me
Yours very truly

H. F. Talbot

About 12 or 14 years ago I made a great number of Specimens connected with archæology and philology (inscriptions &c) some of which I could find & sh^d be happy to send you some –

Dr Diamond

---

Notes:

1. Athenaeum Club, Pall Mall, London: WHFT’s club; a gentleman’s club composed primarily of artists and scientists.

2. The cover of the 30 December 1854 Notes & Queries featured an advertisement for this testimonial, listing the contribution received thus far.