
                                                                                                                                                                                Wms. Jan 20 1823
Dear Sir,

I suppose you wish an answer to your
question, as soon as may be, and I write therefore by 
the first mail. I have know of your projected Journal.
Now you are aware, that such a work can not go on,
unless you have men engaged to write for it, who possess
two qualifications - 1st the knowledge wanted,
and 2nd the habit, as well as the power of writing.
Now these are not always united. You will permit me
to say that there is not in N.Y. such a body of 
literary men, who are also men of  wisdom and of 
literary ambitions, as there are about Boston. You
complain of your Lyecum that only a few do much,
as the greater part are men of business. This is yet
the fact in our country- business must employ our
literary men. Boston affords a greater exception
than most places of our country- and at this university
as such a host of professors, who have not
a press of duties and [added: have] much ambition, and so many
about them, that they can do much more. And
writing too in good style has been their hobby for 
years. Now if you can not have a work altogether
better than the Monthly  Journal, you will not
        