(seq. 1)

Cambridge 17 {October} 1785

{Reverend} Sir,
You undoubtedly have before this time
heard that our Oriental Profesorship has been
vacated, & that Mr. Pearson has been elected to
that department. Suspecting that S.'s? books
might be transferred to him, I waited on the
late Profesor & proposed to buy the Lexie. [Neptag.?]
for you. He did not incline to part with it
immediately, but expresing great friendship
for you, promised that you shall have the
refusal of it when he does part with it. I
supposed at that time that his mind was too
much chafed with his misfortune, for me to
urge a bargain. Some prejudices now exist in
his mind against his nearest neighbors which may
wear off, & of course his esteem for those who have
not supplanted or deceived him is as great as it