Feb. 26 7 1840
My dear Sir
Knowing your liking for Etymological speculations I enclose a little theory of our neighbour Granville Penn (of Geological Scriptural note) <1> who thus amuses his downhill of life. <2> It strikes me as a good hit.
I waited till the 14th was come and gone before I sent in my Photographic paper <3> to the RS as soon as it is printed I shall send you a copy unless you would like to see the sheets as they are revised in wh case I will cause revises to be sent you and will gladly alter any expression you may disapprove.
Yours very truly
JFW Herschel
H.F. Talbot Esqr
Lacock Abbey
near Chippenham
Wilts
Notes:
1. Granville Penn (1761–1844), author. Enclosure with etymology, something to do with freemasonry [see Doc. No: 04046], not located.
2. A reference to the poem by William Collins (1721–1759), ‘In the Downhill of Life’.
3. John Frederick William Herschel, ‘On the Chemical Action of the Rays of the Solar Spectrum on Preparations of Silver and Other Substances, Both Metallic and Non-metallic, and on Some Photographic Processes,’ Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, 1840, pp. 1–59.