Mitchell, Elisha, 1793-1857
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Chapel
Hill
Dec. 28th 1835
To Duncan
Cameron Esq.
Pres. of the Executive Committee
Dear Sir,
I inclose a letter I received yesterday from
Dr Griscon
of
New
York, resident as it seems at this time in
Philadelphia. On the third page
of the letter I have copied an advertisement that appeared in the last number of
the American Journal of Science and the Arts. On reading that I wrote to
Dr. Griscon
asking of him information respecting the sum for which he would dispose of his
cabinet and the letter inclosed is his reply.
My title here is "Professor of Chemistry
Mineralogy and Geology.["] The second of these sciences can
be taught only by means of specimens and for enabling the Professor to teach it
the
University has made
no purchases of minerals whatever. For the department
of Geology a purchase to the amount of fifteen dollars was made by
Dr
Caldwell
in
Switzerland. The business has been carried on by means of such
specimens as we have been able to pick up or purchase for ourselves.
If the
committee should not consider
themselves safe in making an appropriation for this object, I am so little
satisfied with our present means of instruction in this department, that, if
they will consent to devote the sum necessary for the purchase of
Dr
Griscon's
Cabinet or some
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other of equal
goodness to the supply of our wants in this particular I will most cheerfully
consent to have an amount equal to the
interest of
the sum so employed deducted from my own salary — so that no
alteration should be made in the amount of ways and means actually at their
disposal
I should consider myself as sufficiently repaid by the superior precision and
accuracy given to my own knowledge and the advantages afforded the students.
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232 Arch Street Philada
12 mo 19th 1835
Esteemed Friend
Having resided in this city during the last 6 weeks, there has been some
delay in the attention which I should otherwise have paid to the contents of
thy letter.
My Cabinet of Minerals has been estimated to be worth,
as minerals sell in this country, from 1500 to 1800$.
It contains many specimens of rare value, not merely from their rarity
& beauty but from their history. Many of them have the labels in the
autographs of
Phillips
,
Haüy,
Gay Lussac
&c.
The lowest price that I have yet offered the collection at is
$1500. There have been hitherto but few applications, &
rather than keep it long on hand, I am willing to reduce the price to
$1250. This is as low as I should be willing to go at present,
& compared with the cost of one of the early cabinets purchased by
Yale
College & one by the
College of Physicians & Surgeons
of
New York
it is very low indeed. Should it not sell at this price, I may make a
further reduction in the course of of the Spring, especially as I am a
considerable sufferer by the recent calamitous fire in
New York. I
should not be willing to break the collection unless there should eventually
be no other mode of disposing of it.
My residence will be in Philadelphia during the winter.
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It contains 3000 specimens of all the common and many of the rare species. A
large proportion has been obtained during 20 years from eminent
mineralogists of Europe and America and labeled by their own hands. It is sufficient both
for private use and for practical instruction in any institution
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