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Document number: 5362
Date: 18 Nov 1840
Recipient: TALBOT William Henry Fox
Author: FELLOWS Charles
Collection: British Library, London, Manuscripts - Fox Talbot Collection
Last updated: 21st February 2012

Many thanks my dear Sir for your letter containing much information. My plan in my forthcoming Journal is merely to state the facts & the present appearances of the ruins of the Ancient Cities & their works of Art & inscriptions & as far as possible to avoid any history of them to be found in ancient Authors. Were I to attempt this I feel that I should do it very imperfectly & must delay my book months or years to collect the histories bearing upon this subject – As I stated before the materials of the Lycian language being almost wholy in my own hands I thought that a communication respecting it or even a suggestion would as a hasty communication be excused if afterwards found in error & would give great interest to the Collection of Inscriptions This I think each day more practicable. Mr Sharpe <1> has now made out about 15 words besides the numerals & names of towns & people & this dis-covery [illegible] the progress with more as it enables him to divide the words where they were cut markedly dots – I found that the description of the coin by Moinet is so different from the coin itself which is of quite another class and age to the Lycian, that it was of no service many thanks for the references – We have looked over the whole range of Greek & eastern coins in the Museum & find more bearing either upon the Character or symbols of the Lycians – should any point occur to you respecting the Lycian language perhaps you will be kind enough to write me. I believe Mr Sharpes recent progress has been in consequence of looking to the Persian or some Northeastern Ancient languages for the root & not to the Phśnician or Hebrew. The over whelming vowels led him to search elsewhere –

Believe me to remain Dr Sir Yours truly obliged
Ch. Fellows.

30 Russell Square
18 Novr 1840


Notes:

1. Daniel Sharpe (1806-1856), FRS, American born geologist and philologist, active in England.

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