Amherst  August 20. 1825.

Rev. & Dear Sir

                              Before I received your note of the 18th, I had become quite uneasy with myself, & I began to fear that something would prevent you from coming to Amherst, in time for us to confer further with you on the subject of the professorship.  Accordingly I sat down two days ago, & wrote you in reply to your letter of July 27th, & engaged Mr. Dickinson to  carry it to you this day, on his way to Greenfield.  The truth is, that as I would not visit Conway, I ought to have written by Col. Graves, or at least by Coffin.  My apologies, that I confidently expected to see you here as it now appears I should have done, but for the illness which has prevented you from coming.

     Your long & interesting letter, in reply to mine, made us all read, as we saw in it the painful struggles of your mind & found so much to discourage our hopes of having you soon associated with us in our great work.  If your health is really so preca-