[draft letter]
I hd alry retd yr 6 Ns pd fm blocks whn I recd yr lr askg me t keep ym But this will not be necy as I believe y hve but few copies left, and I hve now recd yr prest of 9 Ns done by yr 1st prss. They came qu safe by raily. They are undtly vy butfl & I am mch oblgd t y for sendg thm. 每 My objt hs bn t render the Art q. indept of the Engraver 每 to do the whole by natl psses, if it be possible. I believe it is q. possible to do this with certn classes of objts 每 But when vy large photgrs are copied there is a risk of failure or weakness, in some part or other, & the aid of the Engravers tool may ﹤ sometimes be necessary Still But so long as this is the case the problem must be considd unsolved 每 the view of Strasbg wch I sent y. is entirely untouchd
14 April 61
[expanded version:]
I had already received your six Numbers printed from blocks when I received your letter <1> asking me to keep them. But this will not be necessary as I believe you have but few copies left, and I have now received your present of nine Numbers done by your first process. They came quite safe by railway. They are undoubtedly very beautiful and I am much obliged to you for sending them. 每 My object has been to render the Art quite independent of the Engraver 每 to do the whole by natural processes, if it be possible. I believe it is quite possible to do this with certain classes of Objects 每 But when very large photographs are copied there is a risk of failure or weakness, in some part or other, and the aid of the Engravers tool may therefore sometimes be necessary Still But so long as this is the case the problem must be considered unsolved 每 the view of Strasbourg <2> which I sent you is entirely untouched.
14 April 1861
Notes:
1. See Doc. No: 08366.
2. Both Pretsch and Talbot had made photographic engravings of images of Strasbourg Cathedral by their respective processes. See Doc. No: 08363 and Doc. No: 08366.