Inscribed by the author.
Haigh, Wigan - AWC is delighted that WW is interested in Lindsay's book [James B. Lindsay: See AWC to WW, 19 January 1858 and 4 February 1847]. WW's suggestion to forward the work to the Astronomer Royal [George Airy] was most welcome and he has subsequently done so by today's post.
Haigh, Wigan - AWC sends WW a work by James B. Lindsay [see AWC to WW, 4 February 1847]. For the last 25 years Lindsay has devoted his time to a Comparative Lexicon of fifty languages, and to the study of electricity: 'He proposed the electric telegraph long before the idea was popularly entertained, and the submarine telegraph likewise'.
Haigh, Wigan - Could WW give his opinion of the philological merits of the accompanying volume - a sort of advertisement - to his Comparative Lexicon in fifty languages, which has the objective of proving the common origin of Man: 'I am not capable of judging of its philological merits, and still less so of appreciating his apparently very profound calculations respecting the date of the creation of man'. Can WW further comment on his [James B. Lindsay] two letters - also enclosed - relating to his electric experiments. Lindsay would like a position 'which wd. render him more independent and relieve him to a certain extent from drudgery - that of assistant librarian is what he wd. prefer'.
Letter of introduction for his nephew who 'is going up to Trinity next month'.