Previous to the receipt of yours of the 8th. inst: I had recd. a letter from Mr. Lawrence our Chargè d’Affaires in London, from which it appeared that the enquiries instituted by Mr. Gallatin for a Professor of Nat: Philos:, were continued by him, but without such an assurance of success as I conceived ought to arrest the pursuit of a satisfactory appointment here; against which it was understood, we were not to be committed by anything done there. By the mail of last evening I recd. from Mr. Lawrence the two letters & the one from Mr Key now inclosed with sundry papers refered to in them. From these it appears that a Mr. Ritchie is within our reach, who possesses a personal character & scientific qualifications, that would properly fill the Chair vacated by Mr. Bonnycastle, & make him a valuable acquisition to the University.

He is recommended you will see from the highest sources & in the strongest language. And if nothing has passed with Mr. Renwick, as it seems nothing has with Doctr. Jones, inconsistent with the appointment of Mr. Ritchie, I think it wd. be well to embrace the opportunity of making sure of him. He might be expected to be with us by the month of Sepr. & it is inferred that Mr. Renwick could not be in place sooner. I am induced to put this communication in your hands, as affording the best chance of soon obtaining a competent decision of the Visitors on the subject. Should you concur in my view of it, & any two more do the same, without any ground to presume a dissent in others, I shd. be disposed with such a sanction to authorize Mr. Lawrence to engage Mr. Ritchie at once, & to hasten his coming as much as possible. As Genl. Cocke occasionally visits Richd. & Mr. Cabell often passes through it, I trust more particularly to your being able to ascertain their sentiments.

In the event of a choice of Mr R. shall it be agreed, if made a sine qua non, that the terms be the same as were allowed to the other Professors engaged in Europe, particularly a Salary of $1500. I hope from what is said in Mr Keys letter that not more than $1000 will be looked for.

I am truly sorry to give you the trouble I am imposing, but beside the delay of a circular correspondence with our scattered Colleagues, the alternative of risking the original papers, or multiplying copies or abstracts even, of them, voluminous as they are, will I hope be the apology for me.

I ought to mention, that I recd. some days ago from Mr. Hassler, a renewed offer of himself for the Chair of Nat: Phil: I have no doubt of his entire fitness as far as integrity & science are in question, the latter of which is thought to be evinced by several of his printed works; on the other points, you will probably recollect what formed objections to him: Being now in Richd. & to remain there for sometime, he will scarcely fail to become personally known to you. Mr. Dodd spoken of in the communications from Mr. L may be regarded as a very respectable & promising Candidate for a Scientific career, but not intitled to our particular consideration at present. With great & sincere esteem