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247 E. Erie Street, Chicago, [Ills?]
September 18, 1887

Senator Leland Stanford
Honored Sir: During the last three years from time to time I have read in the papers very interesting reports concerning the great University, which the State of California and the whole country will be endowed with through your noble and enlightened beneficience. The object of the present humble letter is to respectfully submit to your kind attention my own valid claims as an efficient and experienced Teacher of the Indo-European Languages and Literatures. I came to this country in the year 1880, and I have ever since been engaged in scholastic work, and in private philological studies for my own improvement; but I have never before formally applied for a chair in any American University. I was born at Reykjavik, in the island of Iceland in the year 1839, of a good family, and received a careful education, until my 13th year in Iceland, but from 1851-1855 at the Metropolitan High School of Copenhagen, Denmark. At the early age of 15 years I was ripe for the Copenhagen University, when a certain event suddenly changed the originally contemplated course of life. I had fallen under the influence of the fascinating