- Panizzi Esq.
[added in another hand:] 19
[added in another hand:] Assured will ask the Trustees
Nov 4th. 1856
AP
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham
Nov. 3. 1856
Sir
Being very desirous of contributing towards the elucidation of the Assyrian antiquities in the British Museum, a subject to which I have devoted much time and attention, I have to request you would favour me with a copy of the lithographic facsimiles which have lately been made of the inscription of Sennasherib, Tiglath Pileser and one or two others. My object is to make a translation independent of the one which has been made by Sir H. Rawlinson (and without seeing his) and this for the purpose of convincing those incredulous persons who deny the truth of Rawlinson's discoveries, by showing them that independent translators arrive at the same result-
I have communicated with Mr Norris and through him with Sir H. Rawlinson on this subject, and they approve of the plan, as one likely to be useful in the present stage of Assyrian enquiry- If you can oblige me with these copies, I will undertake of course that nobody should see them, or my translations from them, until the Museum publishes the lithographs-
I have the honor to be Sir Your obedt Servt
H. Fox Talbot