APPOINTMENT AT NEUCHATEL. 199 



are favorably disposed toward the creation of 

 a new professorship we must not let them 

 grow cold. But you have shown me so n\uch 

 kindness that I may well leave to your care, 

 in concert with your friends, the decision of 

 this point ; the more so since you are willing 

 to take charge of my interests, until you see 

 the success of what you are pleased to look 

 upon as an advantage to your institution, 

 while for me it is the realization of a sincere 

 desire to do what I can for the advancement of 

 science, and the instruction of our youth. . . . 



The next letter from M. Coulon (June 18, 

 1832) announces that the sum of eighty louis 

 having been guaranteed for three years, chiefly 

 by private individuals, but partly also by the 

 city, they were now able to offer a chair of 

 natural history at once to their young coun- 

 tryman. In conclusion, he adds : — 



" I can easily understand that the brilliant 

 offers made you in Paris strongly counterbal- 

 ance a poor little professorship of natural his- 

 tory at Neuchatel, and may well cause you to 

 hesitate ; especially since your scientific career 

 there is so well begun. On the other hand, 

 you cannot doubt our pleasure in the pros- 

 pect of having you at Neuchatel, not only 



