[author's draft:]

Ex^ve C^tee
Nov^r 17 / 51

Underst^g y^t y. wish to have the phot^c copies for y^r g^t w^k executed in the South of Europe on acc^t of the greater purity of y^e light there especially in winter, I beg to state that I am willing to consent to that the to this [illegible] to a sufft No of plates the copies being so made and imported by you into this country free of any royalty to myself or to my licensees as will in number suffic^t to complete 135 sets of the work, ([illegible] of which you have informed me will contain 170 photog^rc plates or thereabouts) on condition of receiving from you at the time when you distribute the other sets or copies of the work 15 /^{sets or} copies of y^e same, similarly bound and in all respects equally good w^th the other copies (A) As you have informed me /^however that th only 2 volumes of y^t your work will contain any phot^c plates, [illegible deletion] I beg to state that my [illegible] lett^r has ref^nce I [space left blank] to these volumes alone / ^only.

A [with long bracket round following sentence:] I sh^d not think of selling any of these copies but sh^d give y^m all away [illegible deletion] as you intend doing with the remainder

I assume that when you have finished & distributed the work, you will permit allow M^r Hennⁿ the use of the neg^ves to print copies therefrom for sale to the public. [illegible deletion] according to promise, and that afterw^ds the plates will find a permanent place of security in [illegible deletion]

[inserted in margin: And] It may not be irrelevant here to mention to you that altho’ you have paid, as I understand to M^r Henⁿ £600 for the negatives, yet I know that his expenses on the same /^have amounted to £500, so that he has received no reasonable remuneratⁿ for his trouble –

Intending I must ∴ undertake myself to make to him at least some partial what I consider a suitable present as a partial compensation for his disappointment I only mention the subject here to request you to keep it in remembrance in the event of any future transact^ns, that [illegible] he has

An early reply to his demand but little an advantage for his present labours.

I only mention the circ^stce because you appear I content myself w^th merely ment^g y^e circ^stce I h^ve merely ment^d y^e above circ^stce for your information, that you may be aware how little profit he has he has received loss of the time and trouble, w^ch he has spent in this affair and the trouble he has taken respecting it

Request^g y^e favor of an early reply
I remain Yrs tr

[expanded version:]

Executive Committee
November 17, 1851

Understanding that you wish to have the photographic copies for your great work executed in the South of Europe on account of the greater purity of the light there especially in winter, I beg to state that I am willing to consent to that the to this [illegible] to a sufficient number of plates the copies being so made and imported by you into this country free of any royalty to myself or to my licensees as will in number sufficient to complete 135 sets of the work, ([illegible] of which you have informed me will contain 170 photographic plates or thereabouts) on condition of receiving from you at the time when you distribute the other sets or copies of the work 15 copies of the same, similarly bound and in all respects equally good with the other copies (I should not think of selling any of these copies but should give them all away [illegible deletion] as you intend doing with the remainder) As you have informed me that the only 2 volumes of that your work will contain any photographic plates, [illegible deletion] I beg to state that my [illegible] letter has reference I to these volumes alone only.

I assume that when you have finished & distributed the work, you will permit allow Mr Henneman the use of the negatives to print copies therefrom for sale to the public. [illegible deletion] according to promise, and that afterwards the plates will find a permanent place of security in [illegible deletion]

And it may not be irrelevant here to mention to you that although you have paid, as I understand to Mr Henneman £600 for the negatives, yet I know that his expenses on the same amounted to £500, so that he has received no reasonable remuneration for his trouble –

Intending I must therefore undertake myself to make to him at least some partial what I consider a suitable present as a partial compensation for his disappointment I only mention the subject here to request you to keep it in remembrance in the event of any future transactions, that [illegible] he has

An early reply to his demand but little an advantage for his present labours.

I only mention the circumstances because you appear I content myself with merely mentioning the circumstances I have merely mentioned the above circumstances for your information, that you may be aware how little profit he has he has received loss of the time and trouble, which he has spent in this affair and the trouble he has taken respecting it

Requesting the favor of an early reply
I remain Yrs truly