I have just returned from a short tour which I made through Chatham after our visitation on the 13th instant. At which time I had the pleasure of seeing Dr McCorkle but could not get time enough to write a letter to you. This morning I heard from Mrs Hogan that your family was well except Heriot who is ill with the chin-cough. I would have been very happy in receiving a few lines by her. The number of students in the commencement of orders will amount to 54. Such numbers crowding in the trustees thought proper to make some further provision for their accommodation & instruction. They determined to proceed as soon as possible to the large building—120 feet long—56 broad, 3 stories high. They are to receive proposals at the next general assembly. But as such a workcould not be in any degree of readiness in less than two years—the building commissioners are ordered to build a two story wooden house with 6 large rooms and a school room, with a purpose to accommodate the younger boys & is to be termed the Grammar school. When this house becomes no more necessary for its present purposes it is intended to be converted into a dwelling house for some future professor who may have a family. In a rough statement of the funds by the trustees they amounted to $15,460—$10,000 of this they desire to lay out in purchasing stock 6 per cent, that interest may be a permanent provision for the University. You must be certain that with our present number, our hands must be very full of business. It is a most difficult thing to procure a deserving teacher. A Grammar master is now wanted to take charge of the house which is to be built directly. Mr Ker and I have liberty toprocure one at 130 Dol. per an. & board. Several have been proposed but none that could be altogether approved. With this day's post I dispatch a letter to a Mr Brown, an acquaintance of mine on James River. I have great hopes that he will accept of the offer & therefore we can do nothing until an answer arrives. We have at length determined to collect a Museum at this place, the trustees unanimously came into the idea, & have agreed to use all their influence individually to procure curiosities. A number of gentlemen on the seaboard have been engaged to procure marine productions. But it belongs to the back country gentlemen to favour us with many curiosities, with which this country, particularly the S. Western territory abounds. These scattered about in every bodies hands, soon become lost & are never of any general advantage, but when collected will become the source of amusement and instruction to thousands, & when a numberis collected due care will be taken to preserve them. As you have considerable genius in this way & at the same time a warm friend to this institution, I hope you will interest yourself and your acquaintances to collect something worth while and forward them to us. They should be accompanied with labels or letters, showing where they were sent from, and giving some philosophical account of them, I intend to take upon me to write to Cumberlandthis purpose. There are certain times of the year when many go from your neighbourhood. I will endeavor to have letters conveyed to my father before that time, but if I should not, and a favorable opportunity offers, you would do us a favor to write to Dr Donald and George McWhirter on this subject, & also mention to my father to write to some of his relations in the same place. It will be well to request the persons to whom you write that they send a letter informing me how far it will be in their power to assist us. Various petrifiedobjects, uncommon fruits, curious stones, bones of non-descript animals, specimens of Indian clothing and their arts and manufactures will all be very acceptable. The Oil which Uncle Nathaniel brought from Cumberland is well worth preserving, perhaps you could send it by some early chance attended with a description of the place where it is found. We have a blank-book into which we enter all curiosities with the Donor's name & the description attending it. Write to me by post. When will you visit us. Give my kindest respects to Aunt Sally —

The only curiosity yet received is an Ostrich egg from Judge Williams. Inform Col. Smith that Robert was very well about six days ago when he started to see Mark. I expect him back two days hence— Col. Smith would do something in collecting for the Museum.