4 Raymond Terrace Cheltenham
9^th Nov^r 52

My dear Sir

I take the opportunity of sending to you, by M^r Alder,^<1> a copy of each Number ^<2> which has hitherto issued – and should be very much obliged to you, as indeed I already am, for any opinion, or judgement which you, as the illustrious Inventor of the art, will have the kindness to pass on them – & by which you will allow me to profit – for you are aware of the difficulties I had to contend with, not only in taking the negatives where I had but scanty material, & no convenient place, better than my tent – often no other than my cloak, under which to manipulate – also in the operation of copying, always to me, a matter of laborious uncertainty: – unsatisfactory withal.

As to the price at which it was thought to issue them to the public I thought of 7/6 for each Number of 4. with letter-press – Lord Ellesmere,^<3> & our friend Calvert Jones,^<4> proposed 10/6 – seeing the heavy expences, & the very limited number which, by the labour of my own unassisted hands, I can produce, not exceeding 80 copies – I would therefore limit the price to 8/6 – content if I do not lose by this first essay – on which I would improve by the suggestions of friends & none I should value so much as your’s –

A few copies have been exposed in Alder’s shop here – where the views in Syria & Egypt are not looked at – & only those of the more picturesque Athens, Pompei [sic], Sicily, & Naples, sell, at prices varying from 1/6 to 3/6 each –

Would you recommend me to continue it in this shape – & only 4 in a Number, of mixed views – or to confine each Number to one place & subject – or give more views in each, with only one descriptive sheet to the whole? – Any suggestions which you may do me the honour to give me the advantage of, would confer a very great obligation on, my dear Sir

Your obliged Servant
G W Bridges

P.S.I find that some of my negatives which have not seen daylight for the last four years have faded – & am told that there is a way of restoring them. – Of course, if there be, you are the discoverer of it – Would it be too much to ask you to make it known to me. –
I enclose one which has so faded, yet once good –

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Notes:

1. Daniel and John Alder, Stationers, Cheltenham; they declared bankruptcy in 1861.

2. Attached to the letter are two title sheets of Bridges’ Selections from seventeen hundred genuine photographs;…taken around the shores of the Mediterranean…by a wayworn wanderer, also attached is a printed note encouraging to subscribe by applying to M^r Alder, 1 Promenade, Cheltenham; Alder also sells single views from 1/6 to 2/6, which can be bound with “The Holy Scriptures”.

3. Lord Francis Egerton, Earl of Ellesmere (1800–1857).

4. Rev Calvert Richard Jones (1802–1877), Welsh painter & photographer.