BM
6th February 1869
My dear Sir
Many thanks for your note about Nigab which might represent the Egyptian [hieroglyphics] or phieroglyphics] nb (Coptic NHB) but there is no asperate in the middle of the Egyptian word. And I inclined to the reading Ni- gas or possibly representing the Aethiopian Negus. It is however rather adverse to my hypothesis that the word referred to rulers set over Egypt by the Aethiopian conquerors that it should be found as superintendent or priest of a Temple not under Aethiopian’s influence There may have been a similar word in the Assyrian and Aethiopian’s languages, and the Accadian has not as yet been distinctly affiliated although its construction is admitted to be Turanian. I am glad to find you still at work on Assyrian and hope you will give us some more of your lucubrations.
Believe me Yours Very truly
S Birch
H. F. Talbot Esq
&c &c
[envelope:]
The Honorable
Fox Talbot
Laycock Abbey
Chippenham