Foreign Office
11 July 1869

My dear Sir,

I received your translation last night after I reached Brompton, and return you my best thanks. I went over a few lines, comparing them with my own notes, and will append my remarks. I think muttaru tebshati of line 2, should be read muttaru teniseti the guardian of the people, teniseti often occurs, with [cuneiform] instead of [cuneiform]; I have not my authorities here. I read kala teniseti in col iii l.92, Muttaru is from [Hebrew] to guard, and although Nebuchadnezzar compounds ú with è as usual, Sennacherib in beginning of Nebi Yunus Ins. wrote I think [cuneiform] carefully avoiding the [cuneiform]. In line [4?]9 read musti[t?]u bladan, delighting the land. root äöùÉ to favour, & I do not think [cuneiform] ever represents ç. often ö or ä. baladan is [Arabic?] The first word of l. 9 I read nil. [cuneiform] must be al, equ. of [cuneiform]. nil would be from the root [Hebrew] to complete; used only in Isaiah xxxiii 1 v Job xv.29. See Neri[gh?] i.16. when you have, Ninu Marduk mada va nil ana bilu idinam. now Marduh [much?] & completely raise[d?] me to power. I advanced no further.

These are hurries jottings, and I hope I do not displease you by communicating them. We shall never get to certainty without such communications, and I think if all students would criticize each other without harshness, all would reap the benefit. I should like to be able to give two hours to the study every day: As my memory is bad. I write down every thing as I go on, in a methodical way. so that any body coming after me may reap the advantage, if there is any thing worth picking up in what I jot down. At my age there is no probability of my ever getting together enough to be worth publishing; but a younger man may build upon my foundations.

If you do not object I will send you a few remarks from time to time, as I find occasion.

I am Yours faithfully
Edwin Norris

H F Talbot Esq
&c &c &c

[envelope:]
H. Fox Talbot, Esq
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham