James Madison Papers
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To James Madison from William Beach Lawrence, 30 January 1828

From William Beach Lawrence

London January 30. 1828

Sir,

As supplementary to the testimonials in favour of Mr Ritchie, which I last week had the honour to transmit, I now beg leave to enclose a letter from Mr Herschell to Mr Key and one from Capt Sabine1 to myself.2

Mr Herschell was the late and Capt Sabine is the present Secretary of the Royal Society and they are both among the most esteemed scientific men of this Country. The latter gentleman was some time ⟨in⟩ the United States, where he was engaged in a series of experiments with Professor Renwick of Columbia Col⟨lege⟩ and the reputation of the former for astronomical learning is even superior to that of his distinguished fat⟨her.⟩ Mr Sabine authorizes me to say that Mr Ritchie has be⟨en⟩ written to in order to ascertain his disposition to be a member of that respectable institution, the Royal Society of London, and that he will be undoubtedly elected, if he gives consent, at as early a period as th⟨e⟩ Rules permit.

I would add, that in the expectations, whic⟨h⟩ Mr Ritchie may have formed of the compensation an⟨d⟩ other advantages of the Virginia Professorship, he h⟨as⟩ been governed by the representations of Mr Key, who in ⟨a⟩ letter, which was perused by me stated that his own inco⟨me⟩ had been one year $4000, but that the fixed s⟨um⟩ had been reduced from $1500 to $1000. and that t⟨he⟩ number of Students attending the different clas⟨ses⟩ was necessarily uncertain. I mention this circ⟨um⟩stance, deeming it proper that you should ⟨be⟩ informed of the calculations which Mr Ritchie ⟨had⟩ probably made, when he presented himself as ⟨a⟩ Candidate. I have the honour to be with renewed assurances of the highest respect and venera⟨tion⟩ Sir Your most obedient Serv

Signed W. B. Lawrence

Letterbook copy (DLC: William Beach Lawrence Papers).

1Edward Sabine (1788–1883), a graduate of the Royal Military Academy and a career army officer who achieved the rank of general in 1870, was a veteran of the War of 1812 who fought in the Niagara Campaign in 1814. On his return to England, Sabine immersed himself in studies of astronomy and ornithology, and he was elected to the Royal Society in 1818, serving as its secretary, 1827–29, and its president, 1861–71. He participated in a number of research expeditions, including two to the Arctic.

2Letters not found.

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