Dear Mr. Hutchinson,
I beg your pardon for my forwardness in thus introducing myself. My name is Vertiline Dodge. I am a studier of mechanical engineering and attended your recent lecture, “On Clockworks and Coal” at the British Museum last week, and was fascinated by your design for a mechanical hand. I myself am designing several mechanical devices and am interested in incorporating the cylinder to elicit specific sets of motions, as you mentioned during your lecture. I am wondering if you might be generous enough to cast your experienced eye on my schematic diagrams, a sample of which I enclose here.
As you can see in my plans…(here the letter descends into esoteric technical descriptions and somewhat incoherent ramblings)..
I am available at almost any time that you might wish to meet and would be proud beyond words to have your guidance.
Yours respectfully,
Miss V. Dodge
(Note: In her haste and excitement, Verdie neglected to enclose her design for a mechanical crab as she intended.)