My dear Sir
I should have written you an extract from my Journal saying how ill cut & how difficult to see was the Greek portion of the long Xanthian inscription I have but little confidence in the accuracy of the letters but at the time was not aware of the importance of the undertaking or would have contrived to climb up to it. I am sorry that I have not a copy of Mr D Sharpes Alphabet but I enclose some of his notes from which it may be made out–<1> I shall be obliged by the notes being preserved as they may be interesting as the first essays at the inscriptions, he has many other words since discovered but I have no memoranda of them by me – Accept many thanks for your kind offer as to my Greek Inscription – I have 2 or 300 & being too laborious to place in the hands of friends I have placed them in the hands of a most persevering German a Mr H. Weiner [sic]<2> who is making rapid progress & finds among them much of interest although most of those copied in Caria are already published by Birch<3> from Chandler’s MSS in our Museum – I am not disappointed at present as to the Obelisk for I think you will think differently of it on further examination. I will endeavour to see Mr Sharpe & learn more of his proceedings –
Believe me to remain Dr Sir Yours truly obliged
Ch Fellows
[address panel:]
H. F. Talbot Esq &c &c &c
Saturday eveg 30 R Squr<4>
Notes:
1. Enclosure not located. Daniel Sharpe (1806-1856), FRS, American born geologist and philologist, active in England. An engraved plate of his alphabet was published as a long appendix, derived from a letter of 24 February 1841, added to Fellows's An Account of Discoveries in Lycia, Being a Journal Kept During a Second Excursion in Asia Minor (London: John Murray, 1841), pp. 427-520.
2. Paul Ernest Hermann Wiener, who also contributed an appendix to Fellows's Account.
3. Very badly overwritten, but almost certainly Dr Samuel Birch (3 Dec 1813 - 27 Nov 1885), Egyptologist, linguist, antiquary, Keeper at the British Museum, London.
4. 30, Russell Square, London; his home address.