
          Troy Feb 10 -40

My dear friend,

Your letter this moment
received, has developed a mystery, heretofore
beyond my scrutiny. I have recd.[received] numerous
hints [added: [by?] the young [M?] Renssalaers and others,] of a [low?] conspiracy; which I was unwilling
to admit. It was that of Hall, [?]
one Horsford, with the aid of Ezra Carn,
were making me enemies, with all
possible zeal. Hall I nmade into something,
out of a very clever fellow, who
had been a mackerel fisher, below
Boston. As he was abjectly poor, and
appeared to be honest and industrious,
I enlisted the Renssalaers in his favor.
But Mr. V.R. gave up all hope
of his appointment, [added: as state geologist] after he had
[?] for Emmons. They were both
proposed to Marcy by myself. I
persevered and got Hall in [added: from that moment he seemed to be much inflated] A snake
[grassish?], Horsford, was a crony of
Hall. He set about, and succeeded
in exciting Hall's jealousy , also
[Cavors?]. The same engine was plied
with you, as I now see, by them
on their chartered machines* I will
stop here. But I assure you 
that he told me, that you opposed
some application of his, on account
of your opposition to me. He
brought in Boyd, [sow?];
I have now forgotten how,
I solemnly declare, that I never
uttered a disrespectful syllable in re

[folowing note is vertical in left margin]
* Horsford told Hall that I intimated his having sold minerals reputed 
at the Patron's expense, to the students. After I had cursed [him?]
be educated at Mr. V. Rn's expense he got first an appointment in this School at

        