G Smith Esq B. Musm
Lacock
Aug. 16. 1871
My dear Sir
I am very much obliged to you for the copy of the tablet – I think that I can now translate the part relative to the Eclipse correctly<1> – My transcript was made many years ago, and as I only had this and some other tablets in my hands for a few minutes mistakes were inevitable. I wish to know whether
which ends line 1 is not
on the tablet? I was very sorry to hear of your illness, caused by overwork, and I wish you could have obtained a longer leave of absence to remain by the seaside while London is so hot as I hear it is now.
Who is to be the publisher of your Assurbanipal?<2> Is there any mention of KuKuru the writer of this tablet, elsewhere? Can it be proved where he was residing, when he wrote it?
I received from Harrisons the last 32 pages of your work for which I am much obliged.<3>
Yours very truly
H. F. Talbot
Notes:
1. WHFT published 'On an Ancient Eclipse', read 4 April 1871, Transactions of the Society of Biblical Archæology, v. 1 pt. 1, January 1872, pp. 13-19; 'Additions', v. 1 pt. 2, December 1872, pp. 348-353.
2. Smith, History of Assurbanipal, translated from the cuneiform inscriptions (London: Williams & Norgate, 1871).
3. Harrison was a printer. WHFT was helping to edit Smith's Assurbanipal text.