R Asiatic Society
13th February 1856
Dear Sir
The Babylonian inscriptions are not yet begun, the Government not having quite made up its mind as to the expense. It appears to be intended that the inscriptions shall be in all cases accompanied by a transliteration and translation done under the sanction of this society. I suppose that each case the final deliveries will be to members, but I am not aware yet how far we shall have control over the copies. I am glad to hear you are a collaborateur. I learn from Rawlinson <1> that you have published in some journal a successful interpretation of the Nebuchadnezzar slab. <2> Have you tried the hisa inscription yet, in Scythic? This will now be of much interest, for many inscriptions exist in the British Museum apparently in the same Scythic dialect, and some are bilingual, lists of words and grammatical forms chiefly.
I remain, Dear Sir Yours vy truly
Edwin Norris
H F Talbot Esq
&c &c
[envelope:]
H. F. Talbot Esqr
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham.
Notes:
1. Sir Henry Creswicke Rawlinson, 1st Baronet (1810-1895), orientalist.
2. WHFT, "On the Assyrian Inscriptions," Journal of Sacred Literature and Biblical Record, n.s. v. 2 no. 4, January 1856, pp. 414-424]. See Doc. No: 00786