Microsoft Word - The Richest Man In Babylon

The Clay Tablets

from Babylon

ST. SWITHIN'S COLLEGE

Nottingham University
Newark-on-Trent

Nottingham

October 21, 1 934
Frofessor Franklin Caldwell,
Care of British Scientific
Expedition,
Hillah, Mesopotamia.

My dear Professor:
The five clay tablets f r o m y o u r r e c e n t
e x c a v a t i o n i n t h e r u i n s o f B a b y l o n a r r i v e d o n
t h e s a m e b o a t w i t h y o u r l e t t e r. I h a v e b e e n
f a s c i n a t e d n o e n d , a n d h a v e s p e n t m a n y
p l e a s a n t h o u r s t r a n s l a t i n g t h e i r i n s c r i p t i o n s. I
s h o u l d h a v e a n s w e r e d y o u r l e t t e r a t o n c e b u t
d e l a y e d u n t i l I c o u l d c o m p l e t e t h e tr a ns l a t i o n s
which are attached.
The tablets ar r ived w ithout dam age, thanks to
y o u r c a r e f u l u s e o f p r es e r v a t i v e s a n d
excellent packing.