LETTER TO HUMBOLDT. 193 



AGASSIZ TO HUMBOLDT. 



Paris, May, 1832. 



... I would not write you until I had 

 definite news from Neuchatel. Two days ago 

 I received a very delightful letter from M. 

 Coulon, which I hasten to share with you. I 

 will not copy the whole, but extract the essen- 

 tial part. He tells me that he has proposed to 

 the Board of Education the establishment of a 

 professorship of natural history, to be offered 

 to me. The proposition met with a cordial 

 hearing. The need of such a professorship 

 was unanimously recognized, but the President 

 explained that neither would the condition of 

 the treasury allow its establishment in the 

 present year, nor could the proposition be 

 brought before the Council of State until the 

 opening of the new Lyceum. 



Monsieur Coulon was commissioned to thank 

 me, and to request me in the name of the board 

 to keep the place in mind ; should I prefer 

 it, however, he doubts not that whatever the 

 city could not do might be made good by 

 subscription before next autumn, in which 

 case I could enter upon office at once. He 

 requests a prompt answer in order that he 

 may make all needful preparations. Only too 



VOL. I. 13 



