5. Lansdowne Circus
Leamington
Feb. 13th 1862.
Dear Sir
I should have written yesterday to thank you for your kindness in your note and very obliging gift of your publications upon the Cuneitic inscriptions, only I waited for the arrival of the latter, which only came to hand a few minutes since by the second post delivery of the day. I now beg to gratefully acknowledge the favour you have conferred upon me. It is beyond my power to enter into the question of the value of the cuneitic words and letters, but I will carefully read over your papers, and as far my [sic] capability and means extend will examine the point of the origin of money in a bullion or metallic form. I am, however, just now unable to do so, as I am confined to my bed room, and can only make a few remarks. That bullion was as early as the period of Abraham used as a medium of exchange, we cannot doubt, and that silver was the first material is almost as certain, but I have hitherto understood the word in hebrew [sic] for money, [Hebrew characters] (keseph), to be derived from a root – signifying pale; applying to its colour, distinguishing from gold. That gold was also held as a representation of property, and was passed as such, I feel inclined to believe from Job’s rings, set down as earrings, and Rebecca’s bracelets, and various other instances to which I cannot now refer – but I believe certainly from the time at least of Moses, from the mention of the Shekel and half shekel [sic], and in the time of Samuel quarter shekel there was a silver currency. With you I do not think they could break off and weigh off a piece of bullion for each small article. There was I think one of these two modes – either silver wire of a certain thickness, a certain length of which would be of a certain weight, and of this there is in my judgment written presumptive evidence; – or lumps of silver regulated to weight, – and this I think is obscurely pointed out also. At a time when I can get to my papers and books I hope to establish these points to you. My opinion is, that both these modes were practised, and that we have abiding types of them to the present day in various parts of the world. How the lumps were easily arranged to weight I conceive was by granulation in water from mother bullion – granules being picked out to weight by scales – and then cast into lumps. Analogy of this lump money, the step to coined money in Lydia and Ægine, may be found in these two named countries – and last week Mr Vaux and myself were quite satisfied from inspection of Lydian and Æginetan coins such must have been the case. That these lumps had not a stamp I think evident – a stamp to indicate weight and value, but when doubted were weighed (for which scales were carried) – and when quality was in question were cut, knotched [sic], as now is often done. – I have heretofore through Dr McGowan of Jerusalem endeavoured to obtain evidence of this lump money in Palestine from treasure trove, but as yet have failed to do so; – the Dr is now dead, and I shall try to reach the Bishop through some friends here. The reason why this point could not be settled before is – that medal money was only thought money; and again, finds were concealed, and melted down to prevent claims.
When I am able to get about, I will enter, if you permit it, further into this matter – in the mean time allow me to express my grateful sense of your kindness, and to assure you that
I remain, Dear Sir Your much obliged
W B Dickinson
H. F. Talbot Esqre
[envelope, annotated by WHFT "Mr Dickinson, Lemington":]
H. F. Talbot Esqre
Milburn Tower
Edinburgh
WBD.