Excerpt from English Culture in Virginia: A Study of the Gilmer Letters and an Account of the English Professors Obtained by Jefferson for the University of Virginia This new and independent study has been mainly developed from the correspondence of Francis Walker Gilmer. Who Mr. Gilmer was and what he did - things worth knowing but known to very few - will appear fully hereafter, for even the author of a study may occasionally borrow a device from the novelist and keep his readers in suspense; but it will be necessary to explain at the outset how the aforesaid correspondence came into my hands. The facts of the case are briefly these. Dr. Adams was informed by a gentlemen whom he had consulted about the work previously mentioned, that a Volume of letters relating to the early history of the University of Virginia was in the hands of John Gilmer, Esquire, of Chatham, Virginia. A letter to that gentleman brought a courteous reply and the desired volume. Being much pressed by his professional and other duties, Dr. Adams handed me this voluminous correspondence with the re quest that I would examine it and express an Opinion as to its value with regard to that period of the University's history on which he was specially engaged. I did examine it with great care, and found that, although it did not bear directly on the field of investigation Dr. Adams had chosen, it neverthelessopened up a new field of hardly inferior interest. Upon this report Dr. Adams and Mr. Gilmer were kind enough to intrust the letters to me that I might complete a study, the outlines of which were already developing themselves in my own mind. In a letter to my mother I alluded to the fact that this task had been confided to me. She at 'once wrote me that she was certain another volume Of a Similar character was in existence, and that She would endeavor to obtain it for me. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.