[draft:]

Hogarth

April 9 / 61

I am by no means sure that I underst^d you, but I take y^r meaning to be this viz. that you accede to a royalty of 3^d p^r sqe inch; provided the measurem^t is that of the Engraving – w^ch you propose to estimate in the following way, [deleted diagram] viz. a square, or _^^oblong parallelogram is to be drawn round the engraving, so as to enclose it; the parts outside this square _^^{or oblong} to be considered “margin” & not to be subj^t to royalty, _^^{and all} the parts ^contained within the square or it, to be considered as the engraving, whether actually engraved in every part or not, – This appears to be me to be a practicable mode of measurem^t & if such is your meaning I am willing to agree to it provided we understand each other on a few minor points namely the Lic^se sh^d must be drawn out by my Pat^t Ag^t & sent to y for approval,

It is custom^y for the licensee to pay for the lic^se

M^r Pretsch has formerly given me great cause for dissatisfⁿ by giv^g h^msf out _^in var^{s publicatns} as the [so]le inv^tor of this his mode of engrav^g

I sh^d shall expect Therefore that in all publicat^ns of the Comp^y in w^ch M^r Pretschs “inventⁿ” is spoken of it shall be stated to be founded upon mine, & due credit given to me –

I do not make use the electrotype process myself, & wish to keep my style of engrav^g distinct f^m M^r Pretsch’s, your Comp^y you will engage to use the electrotype process in all your product^ns and as I ought not to have the engravings & blocks produced made or manufact^d under this licence; and to avoid the any necessity for inspectⁿ of _^^your processes, you will admit that all engravings made by the your Company are shall be subject to the royalty agreed upon notwithstanding any variation _^^{of greater or less importance} w^ch may be introduced into the process after longer experience –

A copy of print from each engraving so made ^{under this Licse} to shall be _^^duly numbered & kept in a portfolio for the sake of accuracy, & avoid^ce of mistakes

With the usual Covenants w^ch the Pat^t Ag^t w^d will introduce

Lacock Abbey

[expanded version:]

Hogarth

April 9, 1861

I am by no means sure that I understand you, but I take your meaning to be this viz. that you accede to a royalty of three pence per square inch; provided the measurement is that of the Engraving – which you propose to estimate in the following way, [deleted diagram] viz. a square, or oblong parallelogram is to be drawn round the engraving, so as to enclose it; the parts outside this square or oblong to be considered “margin” and not to be subject to royalty, and all the parts contained within the square or it, to be considered as the engraving, whether actually engraved in every part or not, – This appears to be me to be a practicable mode of measurement and if such is your meaning I am willing to agree to it provided we understand each other on a few minor points namely the License should must be drawn out by my Patent Agent ^<1> and sent to you for approval. It is customary for the licensee to pay for the license. M^r Pretsch ^<2> has formerly given me great cause for dissatisfaction by giving himself out in various publications as the sole inventor of this his mode of engraving. I should shall expect therefore that in all publications of the Company ^<3> in which M^r Pretsch’s “invention” is spoken of it shall be stated to be founded upon mine, and due credit given to me ^<4> –

I do not make use the electrotype process myself, and wish to keep my style of engraving ^<5> distinct from M^r Pretsch’s, your Company you will engage to use the electrotype process in all your productions and as I ought not to have the engravings and blocks produced made or manufactured under this licence; and to avoid the any necessity for inspection of your processes, you will admit that all engravings made by the your Company are shall be subject to the royalty agreed upon notwithstanding any variation of greater or less importance which may be introduced into the process after longer experience –

A copy of print from each engraving so made under this License to shall be duly numbered and kept in a portfolio for the sake of accuracy, and avoidance of mistakes With the usual Covenants which the Patent Agent would will introduce

Lacock Abbey

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Notes:

1. Carpmael & Company, London patent agents, London.

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

3. Hogarth, with Pretsch and others, were proposing to set up a photographic-engraving company – see Doc. No: 08329. Talbot declined to join them.

4. See Doc. No: 08371.

5. Talbot had taken out two patents relating to the use of photography in engraving: Improvements in Photographic Engraving, No. 565, November 1852, and Photoglyphic Engraving, No. 875, April 1858. While the first part of Pretsch’s process for photographic engraving appears to have been based on WHFT’s first patented method, the second part involved the use of electrotype. At one point [see Doc. No: 08340] WHFT evidently hoped that the proposed company would use his photoglyphic engraving process.