Miscellaneous Intelligence. 297 



all ordinary expenses shall have been paid, one half of the tuition fees 

 till they amount to a sum annually not exceeding three thousand dollars, 

 including their stated salaries ; and that the government of the college 

 pay such sums to other teachers, whether temporary or permanent, as 

 they may deem expedient, and that the other half of the said tuition 

 fees be reserved and added to any fund that may be hereafter contribu- 

 ted to establish and found the two professorships before mentioned. 



" I have now, my dear sir, given you a brief and very imperfect 

 sketch of such a school of science as I believe the condition of our ex- 

 tensive and growing country requires, and you will ask how the means 

 are to be obtained to carry out the plan, when we shall soon have an 

 appeal made to our liberality, as well as to the sense of our best inter- 

 ests, to contribute a large sum of money for the purpose of finishing 

 the astronomical department so auspiciously commenced in Cambridge. 

 This department of science has already engaged the public sympathy, 

 and will, I doubt not, be taken up at an early day, and placed in an 

 independent and useful position. I cherish a wish to see the observa- 

 tory, the telescope, and every instrument required to prosecute the 

 heavenly science, ready for use, and do not intend to interfere with the 

 claims the world has upon our community to accomplish this great and 

 important object. Nor do I mean to occupy the ground of another 

 branch of science that will, I suppose, at a future time, present strong 

 claims upon the public bounty. 1 allude to natural history now in 

 charge of that accomplished naturalist, Dr. Gray. I wish to see all 

 these branches of science prosecuted with vigor, and moving forward 



*a perfect harmony at Cambridge. 



" I therefore propose to offer, through you, for the acceptance of the 

 President and Fellows of Harvard College, the sum of fifty thousand 

 dollars, to be appropriated as I have indicated in the foregoing remarks. 

 The buildings, I have supposed, without having made estimates, could 

 be erected, including an extensive laboratory, for about thirty thousand 

 hilars. If so , there will remain the sum of twenty thousand dollars ; 

 ^d I suggest, that whatever sum may remain, after the erection and 

 furnishing of the buildings, should form the basis of a fund, which, to- 

 gether with one-half of the tuition fees, till the amount shall yield the 

 ^m of three thousand dollars annually, shall be equaHydwided be- 

 tween the professor of engineering and the professor of geo ogy , and be 

 m ade a permanent foundation for these professorships. 1 he object is, 

 to Place the three professors in this school in the same pecuniary situa- 

 t! °ns. I beg to suggest further, that the whole income of this school be 

 ^voted to the acquisition, illustration, and dissemination of the practi- 



sciences forever. 



between 



may be here- 

 I now leave the 



*hol e subject in the hands of the gentlemen composing the ^ or P°™ l '°" 

 1Q the hope and faith that the plan may be adopted, and executed with 

 18 wuch expedition as may be consistent with economy ; and ha it 

 *ay prove to be honorable to the University, and "s^ 1 / . 1 ^ ^; 

 f "I Pray you, dear sir, to believe I remain, most faithfully, you* 



B<J ston, June 7, 1847. 



Sscobd Series, Vol. IV, No. II.— Sept., 1847. 



Abbott 



38 



