5, Richmond Grove,
Barnsbury, N.

20^th Feby 1874

My Dear Sir

M^r Smith ^<1> has only sent two brief telegrams to D^r Birch ^<2> – he is going on all well but gives no details he has met with much opposition from the Turks and is seeking for an extension of his Firman

Will you send your further paper on Ishtar ^<3> to the Printer at once as I am now hurrying on Vol III part 1 – for July – Vol II part 2 being finished & ready for delivery after next meeting

I shall also be glad of your promised contributions to the 3^d vol of “Records” ^<4> to be issued in December –

Yours fa^lly

W. R. Cooper

H. Fox. Talbot. Esq DCL FRS –

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Notes:

1. George Smith (1840–1876), Assyriologist.

2. Dr Samuel Birch (1813–1885), linguist, Keeper at the British Museum, London.

3. WHFT ‘Legend of Ishtar descending to Hades’, Records of the Past being English Translations of the Assyrian and Egyptian Monuments (London: Samuel Bagster & Sons), v.1 (1874), pp. 141–149, edited by Samuel Birch (London: Samuel Bagster under the sanction of the Society of Biblical Archaeology, 12 vols., 1874–1881).

4. Records of the Past being English Translations of the Assyrian and Egyptian Monuments (London: Samuel Bagster & Sons).