Transcribe Ward, Henry A. Letter to Orton, James (1855-10-31)

You tell me that if I do not want you to visit Mr. Wadsworth to say so frankly. I thank you very much for the expression, Orton< but it was un? I am always ready as now to tell you my feelings upon this point. Any application which you would make to him yourself could not affect me in the least, on the principle that no increased expense of his is likely to affect me. I can however give you a key to your work which I will tell you how to use if you act yourself one which I wish to use if I act for you. Charlie is deeply engaged in a collection in Nat. Hist. chiefly in Mineralogy. Now if you proposed to his father to pay him the interest in of a given sum of money in specimens from your present cabinet (saying that you had heard through me that he had a collection) it might prove quite an inducement, and thus far I should be glad to have you do in order that you might come. I know another way which I am sure would succeed. viz. to receive from him $500. or $1000. for a series of years (with a mortgage of your or my cabinet) with the agreement that the sale interest for the sum should be your collections in Europe. This last however would seriously interfere with a plan which I have for sraying here myself (which I am also determined to do) ^in case^ after Charlie goes home before I am ready to, My main thought however, on all this how to get more money for you. Write me freely upon the subject. Believe with me that there is money to be had somewhere & resolve that you will have it. With the sole exception which I have mentioned, My only thought in relation to your approach to Mr. Wadsworth is to find that which promises the most success.