Charmouth
10 Septr 1859
Dear Sir
Your letter <1> has reached me at this little village where I am trying to get a holiday. Rawlinson’s <2> last letter reached me a day or two ago, written an hour before his departure. He has been exceedingly busy, as you may suppose and has hardly had time to do any thing to our immediate subject. The whole of the 70 sheets which comprise the first delivery of the inscriptions have been for some time complete, and are still waiting for a detailed table of contents to be put before them. This table Rawlinson has had in hand some time, but he tells me in his last that he has not finished it; he hopes however to have a few day’s leisure in Paris, when he will do all he can, and leave the rest to me. I shall send the work to the printer as soon as I get his table, and I may promise that all shall be ready for delivery within a week after I get it into my hands. – I shall be in town about the end of next week, and will then see to your having the remainder of your copies. It can hardly be done in my absence, for Bowler <3> could do nothing without Panizzi’s <4> authority, and I fear red-tape would prevent him from granting authority without Rawlinson’s signature; but I will try at all events. I think you might now address any remarks to the R As Soc. <5> now. The whole will be published before the next public meeting of our members, and I would take care that nothing should be made known previously. I should be delighted to receive your communications.
As to the second livraison of the Inscriptions, it will be prepared under my superintendence, but nothing will be printed until it has had Rawlinson’s imprimatur, I shall be communicating with him constantly.
Rawlinson has not completed any thing of his interlineary versions; in his usual way of working, he has a great deal in nearly the same state of advancement, and we shall have all done at once.
It is just the same with the Himiyaru inscriptions from Sana, which were all in progress when he went away. I believe I have now, (ratherly lengthily) replied to all your questions, but I shall be happy to give any further explanations; and I shall be happy to have your advice and aid in the preparation of the forthcoming livraison. I am now trying to complete the Oravian inscription from the imperfect copies brought home: and I am also proceeding with the facsimile of the Behistun inscriptions, the foundation of our knowledge, which I propose to include in No II.
Please excuse this long story
Yours very truly
Edwin Norris
H. F. Talbot Esq
[envelope:]
H. Fox Talbot Esq
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham
Notes:
1. Letter not located.
2. Sir Henry Creswicke Rawlinson, 1st Baronet (1810–1895), orientalist.
3. Robert Ewan Bowler (1794-1874), engraver, lithographer & artist, London.
4. Sir Anthonio Genesio Maria Panizzi (1797–1879), British Museum Librarian.
5. Royal Asiatic Society