[This letter was listed in A Catalogue of Autographs Formed by Ferdinand Julius Dreer (Philadelphia: Printed for Private Distribution, 1893), v. II, p. 152. In 1890, Dreer (1812-1902) donated his collection of 150,000 manuscripts to the Historical Society of Philadelphia, where he had been a life member since 1852.]

London 31 Sackville S^tr
21 Jan^y. 45

Dear Sir

I beg to acknowlege the receipt of your letter of the 13^{th <1>} but I am not prepared to make any answer at present.

If I had your friend's address, I would call upon him the next time I come to Oxford.

I wish to send you the second number of the Pencil of nature which will appear in a day or two - shall I send it in a parcel per railway?

Yours truly
H. F. Talbot

P.S. on second thought I believe it is simpler to enclose a note to the publishers to deliver a copy, which if you will give to one of the Oxford booksellers it will come down in their parcel at the end of the month.

D^r Mackenzie
Oxford

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Notes:

1. This was about an artist wanting to obtain a license to use the calotype. Joseph Vickers Richardson (1803-1880) was a landscape painter and self-styled 'Professor' of Drawing and Painting, at 20, Magdalen St, opposite the Martyrs' Monument. There is no record that he was successful in securing a license. See Doc. No: 05155.