[Letter from Martin A. O'Brennan (57 Bolton Street) to Eugene O'Curry, enclosing and commenting on a pseudonymous malicious letter, signed 'William John O'Brennan'.]

[left page] fourth chair, which you are so competent to fill? and which is worth your acceptance £250 per annum. We Americans have paid for it, and we ought to have a voice in appointing a qualified person: at last one acquainted with grammar and critical [philo??ogy], not a mere [transcriber?] who is totally unacquainted with the Common technicalities of language, or with anything like classical learning.

I would advise you to call on Dr Newman, at your earliest convenience and explain to him the kind of learning the man possesses whom he is about to appoint to this distinguished chair: and show

[right page] how much more qualified you yourself are than that uneducated person, who is a mere peasant.

As I have taken immense trouble about collecting funds for this Catholic institution I have taken the liberty to address a few lines to Dr McHale on the subject and [scrutiny?] his attention to your claim.

You are an alumniu of St Jarlath's College and the best Irish critical grammarian in existence.

I shall take the liberty of waiting on you when

I return from Paris - say in August, when I hope to see you a professor in the New Catholic university

Excuse the bad writing, and my great hurry and believe me to [??] be, although a stranger

Your Clansman and perhaps cousin,

William John O'Brennan son of William son of Martin Son of John of [illegible] Co. Kilkenny now of New York