Collingwood <1>
Aug 30/40
My dear Sir/
I enclose <2> you a specimen which (the sun being too superb to resist the temptation of trying once more for colours) I produced this morning. It holds out I think a very fair promise of solving the problem of coloured Photographs being a faint & rainbow like, but yet unequivocal representation colour for colour of the whole luminous part of the spectrum and what is of no small importance a positive one ie. bright on a dark ground. There is a little dingyness beyond the Violet, but that I have not a doubt of completely obviating so that its pretensions shall be literally though perhaps at present not brilliantly vindicated. But the first step made improvements will follow
I also annex a Pink Lady – a positive impression from an Engraving taken on paper stained with the juice of red flowers. The effect is pretty especially if held in certain lights.
May I request the specimens to be returned –
Yours very truly
JFW Herschel
[draft letter in Herschel’s hand:]
Copy Sent H.
Collingwood
Aug 30 1840
My dear Sir/
I enclose you a specimen which (the Sun being too superb to resist the temptation of trying once more for colours) I produced this morning.– It holds out I think a very fair promise of solving the problem of Coloured Photographs being a faint & rainbow-like, but yet unequivocal representation colour for colour of the whole luminous part of the spectrum and what is of no little importance – a positive one ie. bright on a dark ground. There is a little dingyness beyond the Violet, but that I have not a doubt of completely obviating so that its pretensions shall be literally though perhaps not brilliantly (at present) vindicated. But the first step made, improvements will follow.
I also annex a Pink Lady – a positive impression from an Engraving taken on paper stained with the juice of red flowers. The effect is pretty especially if held in certain lights –
May I request you to return the specimen’s?
Yours very truly
JFW Herschel
Notes:
1. Hawkhurst, Kent.
2. Enclosure not located.