Dear Talbot
Thanks for the offer of your second Hermes <1> which though only a second may I hope be second only to a third, & that third a genuine Trismegistus <2>
That Ph©«bus should have never learnt to see his long pencils (of rays) artistically (for he has long been a practical colourman) - till so late a period of his Wandeljahre as the 19th Century appears to me strange: for his general department of ¥ì¥ï¥ô¥ò¥é¥ê¥ç clearly includes [illegible] - The more credit however to you for at last teaching him his craft.
- But have you got out of mere light & shade, or monochromatic [illegible]? Can you provoke his colours to stay where they fall, or to leave in departing their proper analogues? This if you can do I will say something, though I am fain to confess some of the specimens I have seen are very pretty - I expect to be in Town shortly to look after furniture as my Lodge is very soon to undergo a thorough repair -
People are not yet returned from Xtmas vacation - if however I do not appear in a week or ten days to claim it pray send me the parcel here.
I have offered our Court to the Duke of Richmond for the Agricl Socy's meeting in July, & they accept but am sorry I cannot be here in person as my house will fall to pieces if the repairs be delayed beyond the Vacation
Whewell's <3> philosophy of the inductive Sciences is going through the press - I have seen all that is yet out printed & expect much from the book.
Yours Ever
T Worsley
Downing Lodge
Jan 29 - 40
Yours <4> is dated 25 but came yesterday
[envelope:]
to
W. H. fox Talbot Esqr.
31 Sackville St
London
Notes:
1. WHFT, Hermes: or Classical and Antiquarian Researches, No. 2. (London: Longman, Orme, Green, Brown & Longman, 1839).
2. Hermes Trismegistus was the supposed author of works on mysticism and magic which were also regarded as ancient science of alchemy.
3. Rev William Whewell (1794-1866), Master of Trinity College, Cambridge, Professor and natural philosopher.
4. Letter not located.