Transcribe Hornaday, W. T. Letter to Ward, Henry A. (1883-02-13)

Society of American Taxidermists, FOR THE ADVANCEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE ART Office of the Executive Committee, U. S. Museum. Washington, D. C., ^New York^ Feb 13th 188 3 My dear Professor:

                             At last out of the "hurly-burly" I

find time for a little quiet chat with you. I feel quite done up with doing nine days business in three. & it will rest me to write you a line, Yes, the S. A. T. is at last able to sing "How firm a foundation etc," and we can face the future without a doubt or dread. All thanks to Mr Carnegie who so generously cast the die for us. I immediately can saw Dr Holden and Prof Bickmore and we had a pow- wow. As soon as the latter learned that Studer is nor to have anything more to do with us, he came around handsomely, and took ho;d of our enterprize with earnest interest. He fully approved my suggestion of writing Mr Colgate to add a little to our fund, & gave me a good letter to him. He is also going to work in earnest to secure for Critchley & Webster the loan of specimens from the Museum, and I have his assurance that to a reasonable extent it shall be done if he can bring it about. Dr Holder is going to arrange for the opening ceremony - an address by somebody. I tried hard to persuade him to deliver the address and he said "My God. I only wish I could!" He has no confidence in himself, says he suffers from stage fright , etc. But I shall