British Museum
18h December 1869
My dear Sir
Mr Coxe <1> after a long illness died this morning having succumbed to his long and painful malady For some time past Mr Smith <2> whom you have seen has been temporarily employed in the department and has supplied the ‘missing link’ caused by Mr Coxes illness and will I hope succeed to Mr Coxes place but it will require some expression of opinion by those interested in Assyrian researches to express when the time comes to the appointing parties Mr Smiths merits as an Assyrian scholar and the necessity of the appointment being by a person acquainted with Assyrian cuneiform characters Knowing the interest you take in the subject and how you will regard Mr Coxes loss I just write to tell you how the matter stands
Yours Very Truly
S Birch
[envelope:]
The Honourable
Fox Talbot
Laycock Abbey
Chippenham
Notes:
1. William H. Coxe, who died 18 December 1869 after an illness of 3 years; son of Rev. H. O. Coxe, Bodley's Librarian; Asst. to Birch at the British Museum and, briefly, Prof of Sanskrit at Kings College, London.
2. George Smith (1840–1876), Assyriologist.