Having lately published a treatise on Sir Isaac Newton’s theory of the pulses of air, with an enquiry into several phenomena depending thereon, I have taken the liberty of directing my bookseller in London to forward a copy to you, which I hope you will do me the honour to accept.

In the midst of such weighty concerns as must now engage your attention, I cannot expect that you will find leizure to peruse it, which at a former period you might perhaps have amused yourself with: but I hope you will receive it, however inconsiderable in merit, as a mark of my highest esteem and veneration.

The lucky occasion which now presents itself to me of laying before you a scheme which has long been a favourite one with me, has prevailed over my regard to the strict rules of propriety, and urged me to consult you Sir, tho’ a stranger and uninterested. But I rest my apology on the ardor of my wishes, and the well-known benevolence of your character.

In the year 1773, when a graduate in the University of Dublin, I formed a design, with some other students, my co[n]temporaries, to pass over to America, and there found a college on such principles, as, we hoped, would do honour to ourselves, and service to the country. The motives that induced us to hope for success there need not be mentioned; here we had been promised assistance by many leading men. But the unhappy fire which had been kindled on the continent, encreasing daily more and more, at length attained so great a height, as entirely to consume our hopes. In the year 1775 I was elected a fellow of this University, in which I have continued resident ever since; my veneration for America not abated, but my hopes of ever settling there, I may say, totally relinquished. Again however these visions pass before my mind, and the suspicion that perhaps persons of my profession and mode of life may now be wanting on the continent, has impelled me to take the liberty of consulting you Sir, as a general friend to mankind, with what prospect of success I might now propose myself to you, as a person eager to engage in any scheme in which my experience coud be of service: or if the assistance of more were acquired, I may venture to say I coud prevail on several persons of excellent learning and the most approved morals to cooperate in any plan of this nature which you shoud approve; and if it were necessary to receive instructions from you in person, I shoud not hesitate to gratify myself with the honour of waiting on you wheresoever you shoud desire. But as I have now a family dependent on me, to which I am responsible for the prudence or imprudence of my conduct, I cannot, as I might in some measure formerly have done, adventure rashly and without knowing what are the probable uncertainties which shoud authorise my relinquishing my present certain possessions. My preferment as Fellow, and the emoluments of pupillage bring in to me a salary of about £600 per year: at a moderate calculation, considering my present rank, I amy expect a Senior-Fellowship in four or five years, the value of which is £700 per year. This I confess is a very considerable income, such indeed as in itself is more than adequate to my desires: but many circumstances concurr to render settling in America a more desireable object to me. The freedom of the constitution, the virtue of the people, the simplicity of their manners, the encouragement for evry virtuous exertion in evry department of life; all these contrasted with what prevails amongst us, I must say are sufficient to over ballance a considerable superiority in the mere pecuniary income.

But your time, Sir, is too precious to be wasted in deliberating on the interests of an unknown indi[vidual] I shall therefore no longer injure others by trespassing upon your time: but submitting all to your philanthropy and wisdom, wait with anxious expectation for your opinion on what shoud be my conduct on the present occasion with which I hope you will honour me, who am, Sir, with the truest esteem and respect your most obedient and most humble servant