4

& therefore should prefer to have
this claim out of the way as soon
as possible. I have therefore to
ask you to do the University
the favor to go to Winchester
& investigate the character of this
grant. If it is older than that
of Porter, Logan, & Estell, & there
is{underlined} no{underlined} mistake{underlined} about{underlined} that{underlined} point{underlined},
then I think it the duty of the
parties representing the interest
of the University to{underlined} buy{underlined} that{underlined}
grant{underlined} at{underlined} once{underlined} &{underlined} without{underlined}
delay{underlined}. It may be that some
showing or the other may be {illegible: held?}
up by Porter, Logan, &c, such
as that they have had possession
&c & so Thompson's claim may
be contested. But even if this
were likely to end in our
favour, it would injure us
more than ten times or one
hundred times the amount