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Life Of Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet

Creator: Edward Miner Gallaudet (author)
Date: 1888
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company, New York
Source: Available at selected libraries
Figures From This Artifact: Figure 2

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I ought to have mentioned that there are various school-books and ingenious modes of instructing youth in the different branches of knowledge, which I ought to purchase while abroad for the use of our school, and this also will make an increase to the fund necessary. Perhaps in the course of the fall, if it is practicable, you had better remit some money to Peter Barlow, Esq., 8 Tokenhouse Yard, London, by the way of a bill drawn in his favor on some house here for my use. This would be better than to draw in my favor directly, as I may be in Edinburgh. In the meanwhile I shall hope to get permanently settled and to write you more explicitly than I now can respecting the probable extent of my expenses and the length of my absence. I have already expended since I concluded to embark in this enterprise a little more than £130 sterling. But you will observe this sum went to pay for the necessary preparations for my voyage before I left America; my expenses from Hartford to New York and same at New York; my passage to Liverpool and expenses there; my journey from Liverpool hither; a month's residence here and some clothes and books. What my expenses will in future be I can not tell. I fear, however, that with the strictest economy my personal expenses when settled (not including necessary traveling or voyages, nor books, etc., for the school), will not be less than 1000 dollars a year. And this in London just enables a single man to live comfortably if he means to preserve an intercourse with a few respectable people. August l7th. This morning I breakfasted with Mr. Bogue and laid before him all my views with regard to the arrangement proposed to me at the school here. He thought it best for me immediately to go to Edinburgh, so that you must not be surprised if I conclude to shape my course thither within a few days.

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The mother of Mr. Braidwood, who is in America, will be much obliged by any information you can give me respecting him. Do take some pains to do this. I wish to oblige her, and write all you know of him, be it good, bad or indifferent.

65  

If, after all, I should judge it expedient to carry back with me an assistant from this side of the water for the benefit of the school in Hartford, when I have qualified myself, -- or should this become the more necessary, in case I should continue to be met with obstacles in becoming familiar with the English mode of instruction, and have easy access only to the French school, what would the patrons of our school say to such a plan? Should we commence with a considerable number of pupils, such an assistant might be quite necessary; for I said that one person can not successfully devote his whole attention to a great many. I only suggest this for consideration and I wish to hear from you and the other gentlemen on this point.

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BE PARTICULAR also to send me by the earliest opportunity an exact account of what has been done with regard to the proposed school. And also something in the shape of a document to show these two things: that the school is to be a public and charitable institution, and that I am the proposed teacher of it and sent abroad for that purpose. Let this be signed by some persons in their official capacity. I have wanted already such a document very much.

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August 19th. Yesterday I saw Dr. Watson and informed him that I had concluded not to accept of the arrangement proposed to me by the committee. I asked him whether he could propose any plan for the accomplishment of my wishes. He rather waived the subject and soon observed that I might perhaps as well make experiments upon deaf and dumb pupils in the United States as here. And yet he often speaks of the long time in which, under Mr. Braidwood, he was acquiring a familiarity with the theory and practice of his art. I did not press the subject. He again alluded to the difficulty there would be in introducing me into his school in an unknown character, meaning, no doubt, that I had not brought with me any official document to show , that I was designated as the instructor of a public and charitable institution.

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But with regard to what I have said of Dr. Watson's character and motives, it is my most earnest and particular request, that no publicity be given, in any shape. I have a right to form my own opinion of the treatment which I have met with here and to communicate it in confidence to my friends. But it is the part of prudence and of Christian forbearance, too, in what we say openly of others, not to impeach their motives of conduct unless they avow them. It will be enough, therefore, to say, that the committee have proposed terms to me, that I could not feel myself justified in accepting, when I considered the importance of accomplishing my object as speedily as its final success would permit.

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I hope to leave London for Edinburgh next week. I shall have the best letters of introduction, and I hope Providence will see fit to smile upon my visit there. You shall hear from me very soon again. Yesterday I wrote Mr. Woodbridge by the Criteria for New York, giving him a sort of epitome of this letter. This I did that you might be sure to hear from me.

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