English College
Private
I have hesitated about writing to you on the subject of your letter, and I fear I shall have to delay a short time, before I give you a definite answer.
1° Dr Dessein wishes me to name a Mr Pyke[1] as Gill’s successor in the College, which would exclude Mr Moore from the vacant place.[2] Now on this subject I wish to seep3Mgr Boone. For it seems to me right that our vacancies should be filled exclusively by English, if we have them, and that the Belgian subjects should not replace them, but be as supernumeraries (of whom I will have as many as I can get) I want both; all my places filled by English, and any extra Belgians besides. I think with Mgr Boone I can arrange this.
2 Now as to Mr Moore, your account of him, & Father Lockhart’s report of him are very highly in his favour.[3] But there is one difficulty. He belongs to Dr Roskell as ecclesiastical superior, & Dr Roskell took him in distress because I could not. It would be most ungracious for me to apply to take him from him, after this act of kindness. But moreover it would be contrary to my fixed principle of conduct in such matters. I have uniformly refused every application to come to my Diocese,[4] from persons bound to any other. If they get free themselves, without any misunderstanding or reluctance on either side, & they have good recommendations, I of course accept them. But I never undertake the task of negotiatingp4their excorporation. And there are circumstances at present, which would make it particularly unbecoming for me to do so. So excuse me, & let Mr Moore treat the matter with his bishop, without alluding to what I have written, & then apply to me. – I am glad to learn from Gill, that our students are more assiduous in attending your lectures. Wishing you all Paschal joys, I am