I beg you to be assured that my delay in complying with your request is in no degre[e] attributable to a wan[t] of respect for yourself o[r] indifference to the interests of the institution in behal[f] of which you have add[ed] me. Your letter was mislaid immediately aft[er] it was recd. & not recoverd until now. Having be[en] thus deprived of your address

            Please to accept of the accompanying <illegible>[. . .] your proposed <illegible>[. . .] & believe me to be