Univ: Coll: Lond:
Jany 26. 1860.
My Dear Sir
More than ten years have elapsed since some correspondence between us <1> was very abruptly terminated by circumstances of a very painful nature, which have probably never been explained to you. In the early part of 1849 the insanity of a brother in law, since dead, brought after pecuniary ruin on as on two sisters and nearly so on myself, swallowing up nearly every penny I had put aside for a large family but leaving me under a heavy pressure of debt, from which I am not yet altogether free. Then followed the sudden death by Cholera of my only surviving brother Mr Aston Key, <2> well Known in the medical Profession. Ten years of over-hard work have enabled me to fight up against my difficulties; and I am now easier in mind. I mention all this to account for my otherwise unaccountable silence at the period I refer to. But I have now a special object in writing to you
Some friends have urged on me the consideration that in the Royal Society it is very desirable that letters shd be more numerously represented, and so have prevailed on me to offer myself as a Candidate for the honour of F.R.S. It is only this afternoon that I have concluded to do so, and I am naturally desirous that these also have known something of my efforts in the improvement of [Luigentes?] Science shd lend their names as sponsors for any futures. No name could I more desire than your own as a support. But I am now very late in the field and can ill afford to lose [illegible deletion] even a day’s post. I must beg you therefore to excuse this hasty scrawl.
Yours very Truly
T. Hewitt Key
Fox Talbot Esqre &c. &c
[envelope:]
Fox Talbot Esqre. F.R.S.
Lacock Abbey
Wilts
[annotated on recto by WHFT:]
Profr. Key
Notes:
1. See for instance Doc. No: 06015.
2. Charles Aston Key (1798–1849), surgeon and cardiologist.