[engraved letterhead/address, and marginal publicity material]
The Photographic News.
Office, La Belle Sauvage Yard,
Ludgate Hill, E.C.
London,
20 Mornington Road
N.W.
Septr 6. 1859.
Dear Sir
I am glad to hear from Messrs Petter & Galpin that they have your permission to proceed with the issue of the Photoglyph of the Tuileries. In accordance with which I propose to announce it for No 2 of the new volume I have no hesitation in saying that its appearance will give general satisfaction, as no person who possesses one of the small pictures issued formerly, can fail to be struck with the great advance the art has made when they see this large plate; and as it will with your assistance be shortly followed by another issue, the imperfections which your practised eye can see in the “Tuileries”, will not, I consider, be attended with any injurious effect on the position which the new art will occupy in public estimation.
With respect to the subject of the third issue my opinion is (and I think you agree with me) that a reduced copy of some well known engraving or that of letter press would be the best subject to attempt, and nothing seems to me to be more well known than the “Times” and “Illustrated London News”. I fully understand your requirements in respect to matrix and when once the particular page to be copied is decided upon (this will require some deliberation) I will see that the preliminary photographic part is properly executed. I rather expect there will appear in a few days a well written account of the trial trip of the Great Eastern by the writer of the celebrated “cruise of the Agamemnon”, in the “Times” and as the Illustrated London News will doubtless give some good Engravings of the same I think that promises to be as good a subject as one could wish to have. This point however will require some thought, and perhaps you will honour me with any idea which may strike you on the subject.
Believe me very truly yours
William Crookes.
H. F. Talbot Esqre
[envelope]
H F Talbot Esqr
Laycock Abbey
Chippenham
Wiltshire