her, show the activity of social life which the
year also included; and, above all, his regular academic work was of
itself continuous and exhausting. In the schedule of university
lectures, announced in the college catalogue for 1841-2, one finds the
following entry: "On the _French, Spanish, Italian, and German languages
and literature_, by Professor Longfellow." In the list of officers there
appear only three instructors as doing the detailed work of instruction
under this professor, and the lecturing was done entirely by him,
occupying three hours a week, on the afternoons of Monday, Wednesday,
and Friday. He was designated in the catalogue as "Smith Professor of
the French and Spanish languages and literature and Professor of Belles
Lettres," whatever this last phrase may have been construed as
including. He had also the supervision of his subordinates, the
examination of written exercises, and the attendance upon faculty
meetings; and it certainly is no cause for wonder that the following
letters should have passed between him and the college authorities.

[1839].

GENTLEMEN,--I respectfully beg leave to call your attention once
more to the subject of my duties as Smith Professor in the
University. You will recollect that when I entered upon my labors in
the Department of Modern Languages, the special duties, which
devolved upon me as Head of that Department, and Professor of Belles
Lettres, were agreed upon by a Committee of the Corporation and
myself. Native teachers having always been employed to instruct in
the elements and pronunciation of the Modern Languages, the general
supervision of the Department, instruction in some of the higher
works of modern foreign literature, and certain courses of Lectures
were assigned to me. This arrangement, so far as I know, proved
satisfactory to all the parties concerned.

You will also recollect, that in the Summer of 1838, two gentlemen,
namely the French and the German Instructors, for reasons which it
is unnecessary to specify, resigned. Another German teacher was
immediately appointed; but as no suitable person occurred at the
moment to fill the place of French Instructor, the appointment of
one was postponed for a season, and I consented to take charge of
the Classes in that language. I would respectfully remind you of the