I recieved in due time your favor of June 16. and with it your Syllabus of lectures on Spanish literature. I have considered this with great interest & satisfn, as it1 gives me a model of the course2 I3 wish to see pursued in the difft branches of instruction in our University. i.e.4 a methodical, critical & profound5 explanation by way of prælection of every science we propose to teach.6 I am not fully7 informed of the practices at Harvard, but there is one from which we shall certainly vary,8 altho’ it has been copied I believe by nearly every college & academy in the US. that is, the holding the students all to one9 prescribed course of reading & disallowing10 exclusive applicn to those branches only which are to qualify them for the particular vocations to which they are destined. we shall on the contrary allow them uncontrouled choice in the le[ctures] they shall chuse to attend. and require elementary qualificn only and sufficient age.11 our institution will proceed on the principle of doing all the good it can without consulting it’s own pride or ambition of letting every one come and listen to whatever he thinks may12 improve the con[dn] of his mind.13 the rock which I most dread is the discipline14 of the instn., and it is that on which most of our public schools labor.15 the insubordination of our youth is now the greatest obstacle to their educn.16 we may lessen the difficulty perhaps by avoiding too much govmt, by requiring no useless observances, none which shall merely multiply occasions for17 dissatisfn disobedience and revolt,18 by referring to the more discreet of themselves the minor discipline, the graver to the civil magistrate as in Edinburg.19 on this head I am anxious for informn of the practices of other places, having myself had little experience of the govmt of youth. I presume there are printed codes of the rules of Harvard, and if so you would oblige me by sending me a copy, and of those of any other academy which you think can furnish any thing useful. you flatter me with a visit ‘as soon as you learn that the university20 is fairly opened.’ a visit from you at any time21 will be the most welcome possible to all our family who remember with peculiar satisfn the pleasure they recieved from your former one. but were I allowed to name the time it shd not be deferred22 beyond the autumn of the ensuing23 year. our last building,24 and that which will be the principal ornament and keystone, giving unity to the whole, will then be nearly finished, and afford you a gratifn compensating the trouble of the journey.25 we shall then also26 be engaged in our code of regulns preparatory to our opening which may perhaps take place in the begg of 1825. there is no person from whose informn of the European instns and especially of their discipline27 I should expect so much aid in that difficult work. come then, dear Sir, at that, or any earlier epoch, and give to our instn the benefit of your counsel. I know that you scout, as I do, the idea of any rivalship. our views are Catholic for the improvemt of our country by science and indeed28 it is better even for your own University to have it’s yoke mate29 at this distance, rather than to force30 a nearer one from the increasing necessity for it. and how long before31 we may expect others in the Southern, Western, & middle regions of this vast country?

I send you by mail a print of the ground-plan of our instn. it may give you some idea of it’s distribn & conveniences, but not of it’s architecture which being chastely classical, constitutes one of it’s distinguishing32 characters   I am much indebted for your kind attentions to mr Harrison. he is a youth of promise. I could not deny myself the gratificn of communicating to [his fat]her the part of your letter respecting him.