Autograph Letter Signed to unnamed male correspondent [William <Lecardale?>]

Scottish geologist (1805-98), Fellow of the Royal Society. Written in capacity as Secretary of the Geological Society. Four pages, 12mo. On grubby, stained paper discoloured with age. Second leaf of bifoliate attached to two fragments of draft replies in similar condition. 'Your very elaborate Paper on the L[ower]. Greensand Corals came before the Council yesterday for consideration: and the unanimous wish was to print it in the Journal with the fullest illustrations. [...] the means at the disposal of the Council are not infinite; at the same time they are such as to enable us (we hope) to do justice to your labours, and add to the attractiveness of the Journal. The Council cannot pronounce, neither would the gentleman to whom the paper was referred, what specimens it is of paramount importance to figure, & what may be omitted without injury to the Paper [...] Can you inform us what figures you think may be omitted without detriment, arranging them in a sort of scale of importance; so that if we are obliged to retrench any thing we may know where to do so most safely. [...]' The illustrations to his correspondent's 'Paper on the American Corals were on wood: but it is believed that such delicate structures cannot be given faithfully on any thing but Copper.' Moore has recently been visiting his brother, and regrets not being able to pay his correspondent 'a morning visit'. The draft replies are torn vertically, leaving no sentence complete. One is on the back of an envelope and the other over another text written in pencil.