“September 27th, 1850,
“Dear Sir,
I was certainly prepared for the melancholy tidings brought by your note; I am, nevertheless, shocked at seeing it. I did promise I would do what I could for Mr. Garnett’s eldest boy, and shall keep my promise, and not without confident hope of success.
When I saw him last Tuesday, Mr. Garnett requested me to receive his salary (£100, due to-morrow) and pay it to his bankers, he signing the receipt, which I was to send him to-morrow morning, the pay day. All this now cannot be. It struck me that at the first moment it might be convenient for Mrs. Garnett to have a few pounds at once, and till she has time to settle her affairs; but not knowing her enough, I dare not make any offer of assistance. Can you help me in conveying my humble and poor offer to her in a proper and unobtrusive manner?
With many thanks to you, my dear Sir, for having made me aware of this sad event without delay,
I remain, &c., &c.,
A. Panizzi.”
Mr. John Winter Jones had been in the Institution since 1837, and besides ranking next to Panizzi, was also his friend, and stood firmly by him through all the vicissitudes of fortune which attended him; it will hereafter be noticed that he, in 1856, succeeded Panizzi as Keeper of the Printed Books, and finally in 1866, as Principal Librarian.
Mr. Thomas Watts, the linguist, was another of the “Temporary Assistants,” appointed in 1838, who rose to the grade of Keeper of the Printed Books, in succession to Mr. Jones, but did not live long to enjoy his promotion, for he died three years afterwards, on the 9th of September, 1869, aged 58.
In the autumn of the year 1835, Mr. Watts’ attention was attracted to the publication of the Parliamentary Commission of 1835-36, previously discussed. He read the evidence with great interest, and ere long, in 1836-37, wrote some valuable comments upon it, which embodied several suggestions for the improvement of the Museum service, some of which he had the satisfaction of seeing carried out during his lifetime.