<hi rend="bold">Letter from Alexander J. Davis to David L. Swain, August 25, 1845:</hi> Electronic Edition. Davis, Alexander Jackson, 1803-1892 Funding from the University Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill supported the electronic publication of this title. Text transcribed by Bari Helms Images scanned by Bari Helms Text encoded by Brian Dietz First Edition, 2005 ca. 11K The University Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, North Carolina 2005

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 University of North Carolina Papers (#40005), University Archives, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Letter from Alexander J. Davis to David L. Swain, August 25, 1845 Alex J. Davis 3 pages, 3 page images 1845 Call number 40005 (University Archives, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

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 </bibl> </taxonomy> </classDecl> </encodingDesc> <profileDesc> <langUsage> <language id="eng">English</language> </langUsage> <textClass> <keywords scheme="unc_history"> <list> <item> Any special keywords assigned for this project </item> </list> </keywords> </textClass> </profileDesc> <revisionDesc> <change> <date>2005-07-07,</date> <respStmt> <name>Brian Dietz</name> <resp/> </respStmt> <item>finished TEI/XML encoding.</item> </change> </revisionDesc> </teiHeader> <text id="unc03-11"> <body> <div1 type="official letter"> <pb id="unc03-11-p01" n="1"/> <head>Letter from <name key="pn0003045" reg="Davis, Alexander Jackson" type="person" rend="yes">Alexander J. Davis</name> to <name key="pn0001638" reg="Swain, David Lowry" type="person" rend="yes">David L. Swain</name>, August 25, 1845</head> <opener> <dateline> <name key="name0000731" reg="New York, NY" type="place">N. Y.</name> <date>Aug. 25 '45</date> </dateline> <salute>Dear Sir:</salute> </opener> <p>I received yours of the 8<hi rend="sup">th</hi>, with the enclosed to <name key="pn0003053" reg="Donaldson, Robert, Jr." type="person" rend="yes">Mr. Donaldson</name>, and have delayed answer, until I could look around and consult one or two friends upon the subject of the gardener. From the first, I have had a person in view, who studied with <name key="pn0003056" reg="Downing, Andrew Jackson" type="person" rend="yes">Mr. Downing</name>, and who now lives at <name key="name0003015" reg="Cincinnati, OH" type="place">Cincinnatti</name>, Mr. Eliott, brother of H. H. Eliott of our city, and formerly resident near <name key="pn0003056" reg="Downing, Andrew Jackson" type="person">Mr. Downing</name>, at <name key="name0003020" reg="Fishkill Landing (now Beacon, NY)" type="place" rend="yes">Fishkill, N.Y.</name> opposite <name key="name0003042" reg="Newburgh, NY" type="place">Newburgh</name>. Mr. Eliott is a young man of education, and an active spirit — fond of his art, and I think destined to take a high rank as a landscape Gardener. His manners, general intelligence, and love of science in his art, make him the very man for <name key="name0000165" reg="Chapel Hill, NC" type="place" rend="yes">Chapel Hill</name>, and I have little doubt but that a very moderate remuneration would content him for a time, until he shall have become known, and sought after.<pb id="unc03-11-p02" n="2"/>His connection with your university would be a stepping stone to his deserts, and would probably lead to some practice in your state — both in the line of Agriculturalist and as Landscape Gardener, and serve as an inducement to him to leave <name key="name0000795" reg="Ohio" type="place">Ohio</name>, (where I believe he is well contented with his prospects) for at least a portion of the year, to reside in <name key="name0000745" reg="North Carolina" type="place">N.C.</name> — Thus extending his field of practice, and enabling him to acquire a more intimate knowledge of the varieties of soil and climate. I have seen Mr. Eliotts' brother here, and as soon as we can hear from <name key="name0003015" reg="Cincinnati, OH" type="place">Cincinnatti</name> I will write you again.</p></div1> <div1 type="official letter"> <pb id="unc03-11-p03" n="3"/> <p>With respect to settlements, or fractures in your new walls, it is a subject with which I have not much experience, — <hi rend="underscore">as how to reform them</hi>, that is, <hi rend="underscore">practically</hi>, since I have never had occasion to exercise any theory upon such matters. <hi rend="underscore">Most masons</hi> would prefer to <hi rend="underscore">rebuild the entire wall</hi>, but a truly scientific one would like to exercise his ingenuity in the most <hi rend="underscore">economical way</hi>! (The true <hi rend="underscore">economy</hi> <hi rend="underscore">is</hi> the question!) I think, unless the settlement is a considerable one and the adjoining wall evidently <hi rend="underscore">feeling</hi> for its neighbor, I would endeavor to join a <hi rend="underscore">portion</hi> of new wall, and <hi rend="underscore">allow for the settlement in seasoning</hi>, rather than rebuild.</p> <closer> <salute rend="right">Yours, respectfully and truly</salute> <signed> <name key="pn0003045" reg="Davis, Alexander Jackson" type="person">Alex J. Davis</name> </signed> </closer> </div1> <div1 type="postscript"> <opener> <dateline><name key="name0000731" reg="New York, NY" type="place" rend="yes">N. York</name>, <date>July 12, 1845</date></dateline> </opener> <p>Received from <name key="pn0001074" reg="Manly, Charles" type="person" rend="yes">Chas. Manly</name> the sum of one hundred dollars: remuneration for services as Architect to the <name key="name0001146" reg="University of North Carolina" type="organization">University</name>, <name key="name0000165" reg="Chapel Hill, NC" type="place">Chapel Hill, N.C.</name> to said date, as above.</p> <closer> <signed> <name key="pn0003045" reg="Davis, Alexander Jackson" type="person">Alex J. Davis</name> </signed> </closer> <pb id="unc03-11-bk" n="Back"/> </div1> </body> </text> </TEI.2>