208 Edward Livingston Youmans. 



88 KENSINGTON GARDENS SQUARE, LONDON, W., April 10, 1866. 



MY DEAR YOUMANS : Yesterday I received your letter 

 containing the certificate of the shares in which you have 

 invested the amount due to me. This letter and the two 

 preceding ones have greatly encouraged me. Thanks to 

 your skilful superintendence and untiring energy, without 

 which it is clear that nothing would be practicable, it 

 seems to me that I may take a hopeful view of matters. 

 The amount that has come to me is far greater than I 

 had anticipated; and if I may take it as evidence on the 

 strength of which any estimate for the future may be 

 formed, the difficulty becomes greatly lessened. I quite 

 recognize the fact that, after omitting the amounts arising 

 from the Psychology and from Mr. Silsbee's payment, which 

 do not enter into the estimate, the remainder largely con- 

 sists of the sums arising from the sales of books recently 

 published, which can hereafter be expected to bring in 

 comparatively little. Still, taking the case of the Educa- 

 tion as some sort of index (though one evidently much 

 too favourable to apply generally), there seems reasonable 

 ground for anticipating an annual total not to be despised. 

 And if, as you think, the financial condition will improve 

 with tolerable rapidity, the ability to draw the proceeds 

 without much loss would make things much easier. 



As to the progress of matters here, though I have been 

 aware from hints dropped for some time that something 

 was doing among those interested in preventing the im- 

 pending stoppage, I did not learn until two days ago what 

 was the nature of the course taken ; and when I did learn 

 it, a misapprehension very nearly led me to put a peremp- 

 tory stop to it. Indeed, I was on my way to the printers 

 with the draught of an adverse circular, when I learned the 

 true state of the case. It is now probable that, after insist- 

 ing on certain qualifying conditions, I may agree to the 

 arrangement that has been secretly made, and which I find 



