22 Gerrard St

Sir

I presume from the length of time that has elapsed you have again laid down the project of etching from Photography on Steel ^<1> in the early part of last Spring it occured [sic] to me that your gelatine would act in all respects – over an aquatint ground – as it would on a bare steel and I had prepared some solution of both hopeing [sic] to give you an agreable [sic] surprise. when your plates came up with a ground so like aquatint that I feared you were before hand with me in the idea, and expecting to see a farther progress as well as conscious that I should have much to learn that you had already acquired, I waited rather than acted I am certain however that the principle can be carried out, but do not see my way to the profit. Should I at any future time fancy that most desirable contingency appear attainable how far might you be inclined to facilitate the matter? by a gift of a licence to operate for my sole benefit

I have from the first, lent you my disinterested thoughts, in help of a principle of natures own, the difficulties of which you have more means and greater leisure and infinitely more experience than myself to overcome, yet all seems at a stand

Most Respectfully Yr Obt St
Geo Barclay

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Notes:

1. Barclay started corresponding with WHFT in 1852 and carried on at least until 1858, so his suggestions could apply to either photographic engraving or photoglyphic engraving. See Doc. No: 06795, Doc. No: 06817 and Doc. No: 07735.