I ought to add, that the person's manner was not disrespectful.
No. II. Mr. Panizzi to Sir N. H. Nicolas.
British Museum, May 19th, 1846.
My dear Sir,
I HASTEN to answer your letter of yesterday's date, which I have this moment received.
With reference to the delay of which you complain in the delivery of four out of five of the works you asked, it is now impossible for me to find on whom the fault rests. Had you informed me of the delay at the moment, I might have been more successful. The attendant who sent those four works to the Reading Room has not been here long; and may, therefore, have been less prompt in finding them than a more experienced hand might have been, and I regret it.
As to the fifth book, it appears from your letter that you required a folio printed at London in 1720. You have, however, given on the ticket the size as 8vo. the place as "fvr," which, may be, is meant for London, and the date 1704. There is in the catalogue a work of Burchett different from the one you wanted, and immediately preceding it, "8vo. Lond. 1704." You mistook this part of the entry of what you did not want, and applied it to what you did.
Should you not deem this answer satisfactory, I will thank you by your informing me of it, that I may lay your complaint before the Trustees.
Believe me, &c.