Correspondence (incoming) - F-G

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

French Catholic literature of that day, and being an imaginative boy, I turned a Papist, and set out for Rome, Italy. I remained in the Roman College of Propaganda until the year 1859. I left the Propanganda without having engaged in the study of theology. I returned to Iceland in 1859, and in the following spring of 1860 I undertook an extensive journey to southern Italy, Greece, Asia Minor and Egypt. On my return to Naples, Italy I completed a three years course of Sanskrit and comparative [Philology?] in the University of that City. receiving highly flattering testimonials for proficiency from the Professor of the Philological Faculty [Cav.?] [Giancomo?] [Lignoma?], at present, as I believe, of the Roman University. I have the honor of enclosing a translated copy of my Neapolitan testimonials. I left Naples in March 1868 for London, England. Already from the year 1860, while staying a few months in Edinburgh, Scotland. I had been invited by persons of high social standing to teach the Danish language, then in a certain [vogue?], on the occasion of the marriage of the prince of Wales. On my return to Britain, the same persons again extended to me their patronage, and in 1869 I became a Teacher of Danish to Princess Helena Christian, a daughter of the Queen. During the following years I have taught the modern and ancient languages in

a number of English private schools. I worked for two years for the North British Review, and did a considerable amount of literary work of various kinds. During the last two years of my London career I enjoyed the friendship of prince Louis Lucien Bonaparte, the distinguished philologist. I was introduced to him by prince [Jerome?] Napoleon, through my brother Dr. Olaf [Grulogsen?], who for many years has resided at Paris, France. Under the auspices of prince Bonaparte I once read a paper before the philological society of Great Britain. My last literary work in England was a translation of Gothe's Wilhelm Meister for a London Publishing Firm. My last private pupils in London were Lady and Miss Drummond Wolff, the wife and daughter of the noted English Statesman Sir Henry D. Wolff. I left England because I had found no opening in the English Universities. In this country, however, my whole career since the year 1880, has been beset with many difficulties. I have incessantly been pulled this way and that way, particularly by catholics and other denominations. The first two winters I taught in Roman Catholic [Initiations?] in New York City, and thereupon, at the suggestion of Mr. Horace White, for whom I had translated the science of finance from the Italian language, I went out West. During the next two winters I taught in Madison, Wis.

I translated for Prof. R.[B.?]Anderson the History of the Literature of Scandanavian; and a series of articles for John [Lawlor's?] "Encyclopedia of the Political Sciences." In Madison I have taught French, German, Italian in the families of Gen. Fairchild, Col. Vilas etc. etc. During the last two years I have systematically revived and continued my Sanskrit and philological studies, and still continue todo so here in Chicago, where I am trying to awaken a little interest in modern philology. There is at present in the hands of Mr. W.P. [Nixon?], of the "Inter Ocean" Newspaper an article of mine with the heading: "A plea for the Study of the Sanskrit language and literature." I recently also sent an article to the North American Review, inscribed: "Clerical Training in the Roman Propaganda." I have frequently corresponded with Prof. W.D. Whitney of Yale Colleg, and with Prof. C.A. Russel, at the time he acted as Vice - President of Cornell University in the absence of Andrew D. White. These gentlemen have certainly expressed the wish, that I obtained a chair in an American University; but strictly speaking I am not concious of possessing any patrons in this country, and I am aware of the multitude of candidate in the field against me.

Dear Senator Stanford: during the space of seven years I have been in this country, I have all the while been and still am struggling single-handed in the course of philological learning. I am the first man, who ever ventured to form a class of Sanskrit students in the City of Chicago. During the coming winter this Sanskrit Class consists of four American Public School Professors; and a little later I shall add a few more private pupils in the same department. If you should have no actual opening in your University for a Sanskrit - Teach, in such event I submit to your attention, that there still remain all the languages and literatures of Northen Europe, Italian and Italian literature. I speak and write the Italian tongue like any native Italian; and there further remains the Philolosophy of Languages, in which I have constant sought to attain to an exceptional standard of proficiencu, and there finally might be mentioned "General History, Literature and Ethnology" This may seem a long enumeration