Temple
Decr 23
My dear Sir
I feel much obliged by your present of the "English Etymologies," which reached me about 10 days ago. A very serious attack of Influenza wh still hangs upon me, has hitherto prevented me from doing more than glancing over it. On some points, as you will readily conceive, I feel am inclined to join issue with you, but there is also much wh is to me both new and interesting. Among #er [number of] instances I wd notice the etymologies of Ermine Arsenal, Mimosa, Jos, Mortice, Splice &c wh appear to me to be very satisfactory. At p. 332 you suggest that the real Eglantine was the honeysuckle. Milton uses it in this sense
Through the sweet-briar & the vine
And the twisted eglantine
and your notion, if correct wd be a sufficient answer to the criticisms, wh have been so often directed agt this passage.
When we last had the pleasure of seeing you, you were kind enough to promise that certain Photographic copies of Lassens Inscriptions shd be sent to the Phil. Socy. It has occurred to the Council that possibly they might obtain a sufficient number for general distribution to the Members – the Society of course paying for the expence of striking off the copies. These inscriptions reduced in size, so as to be adapted for folding, and prefaced with such a description as you could as well give, of their past history, and the present state of our knowledge concerning them wd be a most valuable addition to our Proceedings & wd no doubt be most acceptable to our members. Is the Talbotype capable of being applied in this manner? – & if so, what wd be the expence of taking 500 copies? I shd feel obliged by an answer to these questions
& remain dear Sir Yours very truly
Edwin Guest
H. Fox Talbot Esqr