78 EARLY UNDERTAKINGS. [1838, 



be delayed, and Davis, instead of sending the plan he 

 promised, is coming out here to see for himself. So 

 it is probable the plans will not all be in for a month 

 or so. Chancellor Farnsworth, the chairman of the 

 committee appointed to confer with me, called to-day, 

 but I was out. I saw him this evening. Whipple had 

 repeated to him the substance of my conversation with 

 him, and I am desired to commit my plans to writing, 

 that he may embody it in his report at the next meet- 

 ing of the regents. This I am to do to-morrow (D. V.) 

 and to call on the chancellor to-morrow evening, with 

 Whipple, to talk over the matter. There is every rea- 

 son to believe that my propositions will be adopted. 

 I say nothing about the subject of salary, and avoid the 

 matter's being broached until the rest is settled. I 

 shall leave it for them to propose. If they employ me 

 according to the plan I shall present, they can't well 

 avoid offering to pay me handsomely. Prospective 

 appointments will be offered erelong (the coming fall 

 or early in winter) to Professor Henry, Professor Tor- 

 rey, and perhaps one or two others. Whipple expressed 

 a desire to attempt to secure Professor Douglass 1 for 

 the department of engineering, etc. Everything looks 

 well. The board are determined to prescribe a course 

 of studies and training which shall bring the school up 

 at once to the highest standard. I do not think that 

 there exists another board of regents in the country 

 that will compare with this for energy and capability. 

 But I must break off, as I have a pretty important lec- 

 ture to prepare to-morrow. I am afraid that these long 



1 David Bates Douglass, 1790-1849. He held the professorship of 

 natural philosophy and civil architecture in the University of New 

 York, and was afterward president of Kenyon College. He laid out 

 Greenwood Cemetery. 



