Middle Hill
12 D 46

My dear Sir

I have received your handsome & ingenious present, which appears to me likely to create a revolution in Etymological Derivations. The greater part seem to be sound & rational Derivations & although a few may be far fetched yet most of them I prophecy will be admitted in future Dictionaries. Some are so plain that it is astonishing how Johnson could have overlooked them. I am happy to see you agree with me in some points. There is one on which I sh^d like to consult you, namely the signification of Barrow. Query if it does not signify a burial place? I do not perceive by your remarks that you have seen my Paper in the Royal Society of Literature Transactions on the origin of Names of Places, derived from the burial of Saxons. I should like you to see that.

I did not request your Photographer to come to me, as I about to leave home soon after I received your letter from Devonshire.

The Winter Sun I suppose w^d be too weak for his operations. I wish I could persuade you to come over here & give me your opinion on the work I propose, whether it is practicable, or not. I do not mean however in this terrible weather.

I have rambled on thus far & have never thought of thanking you for your valuable present just received. Give me leave therefore to thank you most gratefully for a book so congenial to my own pursuits,

& to beg you will believe me my dear sir most faithfully Your’s
Thos Phillipps

To Henry Fox Talbot Esqr
Lacock Abbey

[envelope:]
Henry Fox Talbot Esq^r
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham
Wilts

[copy in Sir TP hand – from Phillipps letter book, Bodleian Library]

Henry Fox Talbot Esqr Lacock Abbey Wilts MH 12 D 46

My dear Sir

I have received your handsome & ingenious present, which appears to me likely to create a revolution in Etymological Derivations. The greater part seems to be sound & rational derivations & although a few may be far fetched yet most of them I expect will be admitted in future Dictionaries. Some of so plain that it is astonishing how Johnson could have overlooked them. I am happy to see you agree with me in some points but there is one on which I should like to consult you namely the signification of Barrow. ? if it does not signify a burial place. I do not perceive by your remarks that you have seen my Paper in the Royal Society of Literature Transactions on the origin of names of Places, derived from the burial of Saxons. I should like you to see that.

I did not request your Photographer to come to me as I about to leave home soon after I received your letter from Devonshire.

The Winter Sun I suppose w^d be too weak for his operations. I wish I could persuade you to come over here & give me your opinion on the work I propose, whether it is practicable, or not. I do not mean however in this terrible weather.

I have rambled on thus far, & have never thought of thanking you for your valuable present just received. Give me leave therefore to thank you most gratefully for a book so congenial to my own pursuits, & to beg you will believe me most faithfully yours TP.