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Document number: 08356
Date: 02 Apr 1861
Recipient: TALBOT William Henry Fox
Author: HOGARTH Joseph
Collection: British Library, London, Manuscripts - Fox Talbot Collection
Collection number historic: LA61-057
Last updated: 11th December 2009

Haymarket
April 2 – 1861

Sir

You can hardly have gone into the calculation or you would be convinced the terms proposed <1> wholly excludes general productions and to close the door against the ordinary run of work is to shut out a large revenue and also a source for gaining much practical experience which would ultimately be brought to bear upon more important because a higher class of art

I look to works such as the Illustrated News <2> & hope to obtain them<;> at the same time at a penny per inch royalty the competition would be by rapidity of execution & not in price. The Blocks for that publication being of a large size and generaly free and broadly executed

I can send no examples of the class of work I intend to do but you will understand my meaning when I say I shall introduce the process into every description of Work to which it is applicable but in its present state and my inexperience of its capabilities it is impossible to define what that work may be and it is to this end I wish to have the power of using it to an unlimited size

As an Advertisement and as the means of present employment and to gain some experience it is my intention to reproduce a bye gone work but that done my efforts will be directed to original productions

Mr Pretch <3> will communicate with you on the subject of the “ Small line Engraving <4>” – To me I should feel it more satisfactory if the trial of skill was made upon the Photograph after Richmond forwarded a week or two since <5>

In conclusion I do trust you will give the royalty question a more broad and liberal construction, both for your own interest and mine & also for enabling a great discovery to be worked out which at present is only in its infancy

I remain Sir Your obedient Servt
J. Hogarth

The Hon Fox Talbot
&c


Notes:

1. See Doc. No: 08350.

2. The Illustrated London News [see Doc. No: 08353 to which this is the reply].

3. Paul Pretsch (1808–1873), Austrian photographer & inventor; founder of the Photogalvanographic Company.

4. See again Doc. No: 08353. See Pretsch’s reply, Doc. No: 08363.

5. Not located.