Friday 7th. Dies F.F.F. At the Musm. & Mr P. there a short time.
He gave me an addition.l reference to the Digby MSS. at
the Bodln. liby. We finished the collation of MS. Coke. ####
Just after Mr P. left me, a messenger came to say I was wanted
by Mr Baber in his private room. I went down stairs, & found
Mr B. and Mr Petrie in conference. Mr B. then said, that he had
an offer ### to make ^to me which might prove of the greatest advantage,
##### provided it did not interfere with any arrangements
I had made with Mr P. Mr P. immediately declared he had
all along said, he would wish to see me in a higher #####position.
& however sorry he sh.d be to lose ###,my services, yet he would be happy to
leave me in Mr Baber‘s hands, &c. He then went away, &
Mr B. #### explained to me what he #####,proposed, viz. that I sh.d
undertake the Classification & Cataloguing ^of the Historical
## departmt of the printed books, in the mode he ##^would hereafter describe
to me, — at a salary of 300£ per Annm. For 5^five days in the
week, at six hours per diem,- & if I chose to work extra
hours, or on the additional day, to receive so much more
in proportion. Mr B. represented the advantage I should
derive from thus being incorporated into the Musm. & the certainty
of my succeed.g to the first ^official vacancy that sh.d occur. This
was all delightful to me,- & the only obstacle #to my at
once acceptg ##,his proposal was my engagement with Dr. Macbride
&
the keeping my terms. I represented to Mr Baber precisely
how I was situated, & he said he thought it### could
be arranged ## in such a manner, that ######I should be able to
keep my terms, & still be employed at the musm. This
might be managed by keepiing the terms, not altogether,
but two in a twelvemonth. This I joyfully acceded to,
& Mr Baber is to propose### ##this arrangement tomorrow to a Committee
of Trustees,- & to nominate me to for the #####Employment in question. I shall
be able to proceed to Oxford, as I ^had intended, & keep
two terms ######, before they want me.- When
I come up to town in Whitsun week to see Mr Coke.
I am to wait on Mr Baber, & hear how it is all
decided. I remained above an hour with him,####.
& he pointed out to me the mode in which I am
to proceed ^in the proposed Class Catalogue, &c. This has made me quite happy,
as it enables me to place one foot within the sanctum,
^of the Museum, & the other must follow before long. Dear M! is
it not on thy account I am so happy?
At 6 oC. I dressed myself & went to the Maxwells.
There was nobody there but Mr & Miss Bouverie,
but Dr. & Mrs. Young came in the Ev’g. They were very
civil, & as there was ^no body ^present to shew ^off any airs to, very
agreeable. I forgot to mention I received letters from
Mr Whyte & Mr Valpy. The former merely desires me
to finish for him what he wishes, & to analyse one of
the Comedies ##################################in MS. Cott. Titus A. XX. (either Babio or Geta).
^and to copy the Expansio Rosarum Vergilii #########from the variar MS.
##### (which I have ^to day done.). Mr. Valpy sent me the
account of Suetonius, as follows:–
The work amounts to 111 ½ sheets, which, at 25£ Pr.
Vol. of 42 sheets, makes ————- 66.£7.4
From this to be deducted the Corrections
which amount to _______________________ 21.5.0!
Remg. £ 45.2.4
For which sum a Check is to be at my service, whenever I please.
This is better than nothing,- altho’ not so much as I am intitled
to for my extra trouble.– Returned home at ½ past ten,
and packed up all my boxes, &c. ###My books I sent on to Oxford
this morng., so that they may arrive as soon as myself.
I carried also the ^Holkham Catalogue, with a letter to Mr Roscoe,
to his Son‘s House no. 11. Featherstone Build’gs, accord~g.
to his request.
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