[Letter 1831 Spring or Summer to Sarah Austin]

    How I wish I were by 
your side, and could speak 
to you instead of writing. You 
may lay down your anxiety, 
my dear Mütterlein, I hope
never to resume it.
    In the first place, the 
shutting up the University 
for a year is a cock-and-bull 
story. Romilly tells me that 
it was talked of by one or 
two of the members of the council among 
themselves, but never was 
proposed to the Council, & R. 
is firmly persuaded it never 
will be proposed, & would have no 
chance of being carried.
    Romilly is in better spirits 
about the University than 
he has long been－he says 
that he and my father & Mr 
Wm Tooke met together yesterday
& looked over papers &c &c 
to see what could be done 
to reduce the expense, & 
the result was such as to 
convince Romilly that by 
the end of next year the 
receipts will exceed the 
disbursements.      
    So much for the Uni‐
versity. Then Romilly tells 
me that it is now certain 
or nearly certain that a 
Professorship of Jurisprudence 
will be endowed by subscription 
for three years. I do not 
know whether I ought to 
have told you this as long 
as there could be ever the slightest 
doubt: but I do not 
think there can be the 
slightest, from the manner 
in which he spoke of it, and 
besides I could not help 
telling you. However let 
us keep our joy to ourselves 
for the present. I never could 
bring myself to believe that 
we should lose you; and 
now I am sure we shall not.
    Now you must write 
me a joyful note to make 
amends for your sorrowful one.
             Ihre Söhnchen   J.S.M.