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l2th, I called on Mr. Parnell, one of the sub-committee, to inquire whether the "liking" mentioned in the report was to be reciprocal. He said that that was the intention of the sub-committee.

15th, I visited Dr. Watson at the school in order to inquire into the duties of his assistants. He informed me that it is expected of them, and would be of me, to be in the school from seven o'clock in the morning till eight in the evening and also with the pupils in their hours of recreation. He observed that the first employment of an assistant is to teach the pupils penmanship. This I remarked would be a part of the principal difficulty that I had anticipated and would serve to illustrate it. For it showed that I might be familiar both with the theory and practice of certain stages of his pupils' improvement and yet be detained from advancing until they also should become familiar with them. This I observed would be a useless sacrifice of time on my part. I suggested again the plan of my having intercourse with his private pupils, but he declined saying any thing on that point, till I had made up my mind with regard to the proposal of the committee.

I called also on Mr. Parnell. He informed me that the committee had accepted the report of the sub-committee.

Thus you see, my dear sir, the dilemma in which I am placed. The committee throughout all this affair have been obliged to act with the greatest caution toward Dr. Watson. They have not been willing to offend him. I think I do not use too strong language. And I do believe had my business rested solely on the feelings of the committee I should have had every facility granted me that I could wish. But Dr. Watson, I must say, from the very first has conducted toward me with a cautious reserve that I did not expect, and suggested certain plans which I thought interfered a little with my right of private judgment, not to say with my feelings of delicacy and honor. For instance, he alluded to the Mr. Braidwood, who is now in America, and suggested the expediency of his being associated with me in the school at Hartford. On this I need make no remarks. He also urged quite strongly the scheme of my carrying one of his assistants to America with me. How could I do this? How could I at present (not having heard a word from you) pledge myself to bear the expenses of an assistant across the water, and also that he should be supported when he arrived there. Besides, I knew not the character or talents of his assistants, and a more formidable objection still was the fear, lest my plans of instruction and government might clash with this assistant's. He would be wedded to Dr. Watson's mode. I should wish, and I yet hope, to combine the peculiar advantages of both the French and English modes of instruction. For there are considerable differences between them. Well, Dr. Watson saw that I was bent upon acquiring the art myself and of pursuing my own plans of conduct. He now began to talk of difficulties in the way of my admission into the institution, always taking care to let me know that I ought originally to have applied to him and that the committee had no control over him in reference to this affair. He invited me, to be sure to visit the school and look among the pupils. He promised to give me any information in his power and to solve if possible any difficulties I had found in his art. But although I feel thankful to him for these civilities yet he must have known that I never could think of visiting his school, day after day, in the character of a mere visitor. I should soon have rendered myself obnoxious to him and to his assistants by the ardor of my curiosity and the frequency of my intercourse with his pupils. No, I wanted a definite arrangement with him of some kind or other that would have enabled me for several months, perhaps more than a year, to have become familiar with the theory and practice of his art. I offered him a remuneration for any services of this kind, but he declined it. He always talked of the length of time that would be necessary to acquire his art and generally spoke of four or five years. He alluded also to the difficulty of introducing me into the school in any other character than that of an assistant and for any short period of time; inasmuch as doing otherwise would create disaffection among his assistants, who engage to stay with him five years. I doubt not his views and feelings had great influence upon the sub-committee in making their report. And you see what this report is. If I comply with it I must bind myself to labor for Dr. Watson three whole years, be subject to his complete disposal of me during that time, have no hope of freedom unless he please (and all his feelings of interest would lead him to detain me in order to make his art appear as difficult and important as possible), and what is worse than all, be continually retarded and cramped in my progress, because I should be obliged to wait for the progress of the pupils whom I might instruct. Besides, when am I to avail myself of the Abbé Sicard's kindness? During these three years? No; Dr. Watson would not consent to this. Afterwards? Then four or five years must elapse from the time when I left you to my return. This is too monstrous a sacrifice of time and patience and money. Again, is it generous to place me thus absolutely at Dr. Watson's disposal to say when I am qualified? Shall I be treated like a mere apprentice, whom his master must chain by indentures lest he make his escape? Is no confidence to be placed in my own judgment and integrity? The more I think of this proposed arrangement the more I dislike it, and I already begin to look for some other way in which Providence may guide me to the accomplishment of my wishes. I do hope my perplexities here have taught me more sensibly my dependence on Him. To Him do I look for direction and I ask your prayers and the prayers of my friends, that I may be enabled by His grace to conduct with all due wisdom, discretion and prudence in my arduous undertaking. I ought to have observed that a salary of £35 per annum (with my board), for the first year and something more for the next is offered me, if I become Dr. Watson's assistant. This would be well earned in toiling for him from morning till night with only one-half day's recreation in the week allowed me!!! Think, my dear sir, what a wound my feelings have received in all this business. Think how we used to speak before I left you of the ready welcome and the cheerful assistance that I should receive here. Compare this with what has happened. You can easily fill up the picture. Well, it has all been ordered right and I have not despaired. I do not. Edinburgh and Paris are yet open to me. At the former is a very respectable school under noble patronage, of which a Mr. Kinniburgh is the teacher. My friends here (many of them) advise me to go there. I can not get worse terms than are offered me here. I may get better. The Scotch are hospitable. No rivalry exists between Mr. Kinniburgh and the Abbe Sicard. Living may be somewhat cheaper. The voyage thither occupies at this season of the year only three or four days and costs only as many guineas. The Rev. David Bogue, of Gosport, of whom you have doubtless heard, is now in London. I have often consulted with him on my business. He advises me strongly to go to Edinburgh. He has been there and is intimately acquainted with several eminent characters. He does not doubt my success. He will give me the best letters of introduction, among others, one to his particular friend, J. F. Gordon, Esq., one of the secretaries of the deaf and dumb institution. If I go to Edinburgh, I shall hope for more openness and cordiality, and for some arrangement with Mr. Kinniburgh which will enable me to become acquainted with the English mode of instruction at the same time that I may be revising my French in order to go to Paris, as soon as the state of France and my own preparation for such a visit will permit. As to revising my French here or having any leisure, it would be out of the question under the arrangement which the committee propose to me. I can not write you any thing yet respecting the internal economy and arrangement of the school here, for I have not had the opportunity of becoming acquainted with them. I hope you are advancing in the affair at home. Whatever arrangements can be made with regard to the collection of money, for the erection of buildings and the support of charity scholars ought, I think, to be done. With regard to the structure of such buildings, and the mode in which the pupils are received, and supported and taught, I shall give you the earliest information in my power. My funds also will require an increase. My expenses are considerable already, although I conscientiously study the strictest economy. They were much increased by my journey from Liverpool hither. Besides, I wish to purchase all the valuable books that I can procure which have a reference to my future profession -- the instruction of deaf-mutes. I have already been to almost every bookshop in London for this purpose and have procured a few, both in French and English. The school in Hartford must have such a library. It is a pleasure to me to think that I have the confidence of my friends at home, so that when I ask for funds they will, I know, feel satisfied that they will be applied with prudence to the furtherance of my object. I sometimes feel, however, that as I have devoted myself to the deaf and dumb in the early part of my life, with no stipulation with regard to my future support, trusting for this to the ordering of events by a kind Providence, that I might now be indulged with something more than the mere paying of my expenses. A trifling sum which I might use while in Europe for the procuring of a small library of my own would be a favor to me, and this I desire only because I have now so good an opportunity of collecting a few books, and have no resources of my own to do it with. And, In fact, rather than be deprived of the advantage of this opportunity, I should even seek for a loan of a small sum of money from some of my friends, hoping to be able to refund it after the establishment of our school. But on this point I merely disclose my feelings to yourself and Mr. Woodbridge, and I should never wish to have it mentioned if it would be at all unfriendly to the nicest honor of my own character as a man and a Christian, or unfriendly in the least to the welfare of the projected undertaking in which we have embarked.