[Letter] Jan.12,1887,Smith College [to F.H. Giddings]

Jan. 12, 1887, Smith College.

Dear Mr. Giddings,
         I may venture,
to you personally, to show
Prof. Morse's letter, though
I do so with the comment
that his statements about
doing his college work ill
spring from a combination
of modesty and dyspepsia.
I tried hard to get him,
fearing he would say no,
but not supposing that
special reasons like those
given would be found to
exist. I certainly share his
hope that the dyspeptic
attack may pass away
as others have done. In
the present condition of
things he will, I know,
take very great care of
himself. As for his
work it was never
stronger than it has
been of late. I think
him the coming man
at the college. Please
return the letter, and
regard it as confidential
except as to the main
facts that Prof. Morse
is prevented, by the present condition of
his health, from attempting to do
what will take him from house over
night. I mailed the articles Saturday
P.M. registering them for security. As
a consequence they did not start till Monday
noon, and Tues. noon Prof. Munroe
Smith telegraphed for them. I ( ) New York
postmaster's weight for them now and suppose
they arrived yesterday P.M.

             Yours Very Truly,
                   J. B. Clark

P.S. On general principles I think
changes of officers good for a society; and
need not say that I should welcome any
good man to the honorable post of Pres't. of
our Association. Dr. Steele would be impressive.
Would not Mr. ( ) be good? I will so
far naive delicacy as to say that I have very
often thought that if Mr. Giddings would accept
the place that would be best of all. That is the
way it now appears to me. This outcome would
give me the largest personal pleasure.