Bucklands
Faringdon
Berks
Jany 20th 1843
In presenting his compliments to Mr Fox Talbot, the Revd Dr Rock begs he will excuse the liberty he is now taking, and although he once had the pleasure of meeting Mr Fox Talbot when he came to Alton Towers some years ago, still unless he was so well aware of his kindness and readiness in communicating the results of his beautiful and interesting experiments on the Calotype, Dr Rock would not have ventured to trouble him on the present occasion.
Dr Rock has been for some time occupied on a work upon the Ecclesiastical antiquities of England,<1> and therefore has perpetual need of consulting MSS and illuminations. Now the Calotype of all things is what will best help him. May he therefore beg Mr Fox Talbot to inform him if there be any one in London who makes the apparatus and who could show him how to use it. Dr Rock is induced to ask this favour as he intends being in town the greater part of next week
Notes:
1. Although Rev Rock used photographs extensively in later publications, after the process was more commercially viable, no calotype or other early photographic work by him has been traced thus far.