12 Charlotte Street Portland Place ^<1>
Jan 31. 1829

My dear Sir

The immediate occasion of my thus troubling you is a reference given me to you by your ci-devant ^<2> servant J. Sharp, who tells me he travelled with you for five months. This reference is the chief inducement to me to engage him as I should have the greatest confidence in any servant who had lived with you and of whom you spoke favorably. I am about to travel on the continent & under circumstances in which it will be of the utmost consequence to me to have a man about me on whom I can fully depend as to his Honesty, sobriety, activity and general steadiness of conduct. In particular I would ask whether he is respectful in his manner and behaviour to ladies and has been used to wait on them. I propose to engage him not merely as a travelling, but a permanent servant and if you can therefore speak to his qualities as a house servant you will add to the favor done me.

I have not been much occupied of late with optical matters but I hope that is not the case with you and that you continue your interesting enquiries.

Believe me dear Sir Yours tru^ly
JFW Herschel

An answer at your earliest convenience addressed as above will oblige me as I am at [illegible deletion]

---

Notes:

1. London.

2. Former.