THE YOUNG PROFESSOR 177 
From George P. Marsh to Spencer F. Baird. 
WasuincrTon, Dec. 30, 1847. 
Dear Sir, 
I am much gratified to hear of your success in your 
investigations, and the rather because I have promised great things 
of you and set great value on my professional judgment. 
The Smithsonian Regents (before I became a member of the 
Board) had adopted a plan of operations which excluded all collections 
for some years, but I hope to break it up at the meeting next fall, 
if not before. 
Baird’s visit during the previous summer to the Uni- 
versity of Vermont, and the occurrence of a vacancy in 
the Faculty there, led to his consideration as a Professor 
to fill the vacant place, which was offered to him as pre- 
viously mentioned. While holding it under consideration 
the following letter was received: 
From George P. Marsh to Spencer F. Baird. 
WasuincTon, Jany. 28, ’48. 
Dear Barrp,— 
Before I left Burlington, I had conversations with Mr. Wheeler 
and other persons connected with our University in respect to the 
propriety of inviting you to fill the chair vacated by Mr. Benedict, 
and so far as your qualifications or the interest of the University 
were concerned, I had no hesitation in thinking the measure highly 
desirable. I, however, anticipated the objections you would make, 
viz: the niggardly salary, and the reluctance you would feel to come 
under an implied obligation of making the University the permanent 
field of your labors; and, as I could not hope that these objections 
would be removed, I did not choose to take the responsibility of 
mentioning the matter. : 
The financial argument is therefore against your acceptance, 
and I must admit that the grounds for hoping that you could make 
yourself useful in your vocation with such slender means as we can 
put at your disposal, are by no means flattering. On the other hand, 
so far as concerns the question of your own intellectual improvement, 
12 
