[The original letter is preserved at Birr Castle and WHFT's draft is in the Royal Photographic Society Collection, now at the NMeM. Both are transcribed below. This letter was WHFT's response to the (undated) letter from Rosse and Eastlake published in The Times, no. 21193, 13 August 1852; repeated in the Imperial Journal of Art, Science, Mechanics and Engineering, 1852, pp. 720-721; and published retrospectively in The Photographic Journal, 15 December 1862, p. 193. Their letter is Doc. No: 06653.]

Lacock Abbey,
July 30. 1852 ^<1>

My Dear L^d Rosse

I have had the honour of receiving a letter from yourself and Sir Charles Eastlake respecting my photographic invention, to which I have now the pleasure of replying. Ever since the Great Exhibition I have felt that a new Era has commenced for Photography as it has for so many other useful arts and inventions. Thousands of persons have now become acquainted with the art, and from having seen such beautiful specimens of it produced both in England and France, have naturally felt a wish to practice it themselves. A variety of new applications of it have been imagined and doubtless many more remain to be discovered. I am unable myself to pursue all these numerous branches of the invention in a manner that can even attempt to do justice to them. And moreover I believe it to be no longer necessary, for the art has now taken a firm root both in England and France, and may safely be left to take its natural development.

I am as desirous as any one of the lovers of Science and Art whose wishes you have kindly undertaken to represent, that our country should continue to take the lead in this newly discovered branch of the Fine Arts. And after much consideration, I think that the best thing I can do, and the most likely to stimulate to further improvements in Photography will be, to invite the Emulation & Competition of our Artists and amateurs by relaxing the patent right which I possess in this invention. I therefore beg to reply to your Kind letter by offering the Patent (with the exception of the single point hereafter mentioned) as a free present to the Public together with my other patents for improvements in the same Art, one of which has been very recently granted to me and has still thirteen years unexpired.

The exception to which I refer, and which I am desirous of still Keeping in the hands of my own Licensees, is the application of the invention to taking photographic Portraits for sale to the Public. This is a branch of the Art which must necessarily be in Comparatively few hands, because it requires a house to be built or altered on Purpose, having an apartment lighted by a skylight &c. &c. otherwise the portraits cannot be taken in doors, generally speaking, without great difficulty. With this exception then, I present my invention to the country, and trust that it may realise our hopes of its future utility.

Believe me to remain My Dear L^d Rosse Your obliged & faithful Servant
H. F. Talbot

Earl of Rosse
13 Connaught Place
Hyde Park
London
Parsons Town
Ireland

[draft]

#

L. Abbey
July 30. 1852

My D^r L^d R

I h^ve had y^e honor of receiv^g a l^r f^m your_^^self & Sir C. E. respect^g my ph^c invⁿ t w^ch I will now reply (h^ve _^^now y^e pl^sre of now replying) Ever since y^e G^t Exbⁿ I h^ve felt y^t a new Era has comm^cd for ph^y as it has for so many oth^r useful arts & inv^s.

Thous^ds of pers^ns have now become acq^d w^th y^e art & from hav^g seen s^ch beaut^l spec^ns of it produced both in Engl^d & F^ce have nat^lly felt a wish t practise it themselves.

A variety of new appl^ns of it have bⁿ imagined & doubtless many more remain t be discov^d

I am unable myself to pursue all these var^s num^{s new} branches of y^e invⁿ in a manner that still _^^{can even attempt to do} hope do just^ce t them

and moreover and I believe it to be

And At y^e same time I feel y^t it is _^ ^{my personal exertns are} No longer necess^y, for y^e art has now taken a firm root even in both in Engl^d and F^ce where I had m^ch trouble in planting it

& may safely be left t follow to take its natural course development.

I am as desir^s as any one of those num^{s many} pers^ns emin^t for their of the love^rs of Sc^ce & art whose wishes y have so kindly undertaken t represent that our country sh^d continue t take y^e lead in this newly inv^d discov^d branch of the fine Arts

And after much consideⁿ I think y^t y^e best thing I can do & y^e most likely t stimulate t further improv^ts in Ph^y will be / invite the Emulatⁿ & competition of _^^our artists & amateurs by relaxing y^e pat^t right w^ch I possess in this invⁿ

I ¡à beg to reply t y^r kind letter by offering y^e pat^t (with y^e exceptⁿ of a ^the single point shortly t be ^hereafter ment^d) as a free present to y^e public together with my other patents for improvem^ts in y^e new Art, 1 of w^ch has been v^y recently granted t me & has still 13 y^rs unexpired

Y^e excep^tn t w^ch I refer & w^ch I am desir^s of still keeping in y^e hands of my own licensees is y^e applicⁿ of y^e inventⁿ Art

#2 the Art ^invn t tak^g ph^c port^s for sale t the public

This is a b^ch of y^e art w^ch must necess^y be in compar^vly few hands, because it requires a house t be built or alter^d on purpose having an ap^tmt lighted by a sklight &c otherwise y^e port^s cannot be taken indoors gen^lly speak^g with^t g^t diff^ty

With this exceptⁿ then I present my invⁿ to the Country & trust y^t it may realise our hopes of its future utility

Beli^ve me to remⁿ My D^r L^d R. Y^r obliged & faithful serv^t
H. F. T.

[expanded version:]

Lacock Abbey
July 30. 1852

My Dear Lord Rosse

I have had the honor of receiving a letter from yourself and Sir Charles Eastlake respecting my photographic invention to which I will now reply (have now the pleasure of now replying) Ever since the Great Exhibition I have felt that a new Era has commenced for photography as it has for so many other useful arts and inventions.

Thousands of persons have now become acquainted with the art and from having seen such beautiful specimens of it produced both in England and France have naturally felt a wish to practise it themselves.

A variety of new applications of it have been imagined and doubtless many more remain to be discovered.

I am unable myself to pursue all these various numerous new branches of the invention in a manner that still can even attempt to do hope do justice to them and moreover and I believe it to be And At the same time I feel that it is my personal exertions are No longer necessary, for the art has now taken a firm root even in both in England and France where I had much trouble in planting it and may safely be left to follow to take its natural course development.

I am as desirous as any one of those numerous many persons eminent for their of the lovers of Science and art whose wishes you have so kindly undertaken to represent that our country should continue to take the lead in this newly invented discovered branch of the fine Arts. And after much consideration I think that the best thing I can do and the most likely to stimulate to further improvements in Photography will be to invite the Emulation and competition of our artists and amateurs by relaxing the patent right which I possess in this invention.

I therefore beg to reply to your kind letter by offering the patent (with the exception of a the single point shortly to be hereafter mentioned) as a free present to the public together with my other patents for improvements in the new Art, one of which has been very recently granted to me and has still thirteen years unexpired.

The exception to which I refer and which I am desirous of still keeping in the hands of my own licensees is the application of the Art invention to taking photographic portraits for sale to the public. This is a branch of the art which must necessarily be in comparatively few hands, because it requires a house to be built or altered on purpose having an apartment lighted by a skylight etc. otherwise the portraits cannot be taken indoors generally speaking without great difficulty.

With this exception then I present my invention to the Country and trust that it may realise our hopes of its future utility

Believe me to remain My Dear Lord RosseYour obliged and faithful servant
H. F. T.

---

Notes:

1. Primarily, the calotype, which WHFT felt had the same underlying basis as the new wet collodion on glass process.