“My Dear Sir,—The advice I thought it my duty to give you was undoubtedly dictated by political reasons, which, although they may not in European States interfere with projects purely scientific, such as that of your gallant enterprize, appear to be of a widely different kind in Marocco.
“I gave the advice after mature consideration, and with an ardent desire for the success of your undertaking, in which I take a peculiar interest.
“I told you, I believe—but if not, I may now assure you—that I should probably save myself considerable trouble by taking immediately the step you wish, notwithstanding my advice and the reasons for it which I laid open to you in unreserved confidence, which I considered due to you as the bearer of a letter from his Majesty in furtherance of your object. I felt also the full weight of the responsibility I took upon myself in proposing some delay previous to your setting out upon the journey, and I was well aware how much I should expose myself to the obloquy of society in general, and to the injurious criticism in particular of the literary world, of which, although I can hardly presume to consider myself a member, there is not an individual more zealous than I am, and ever have been, in the cause of geographical enquiry. I felt that it is impossible, and would remain for a long time impossible, to exculpate myself, by publishing reasons that I am not at liberty to divulge, and which cannot, without going into long and difficult details, be rendered intelligible, except to the very few intimately acquainted with all the circumstances of my official position, the relations of our government with that of Marocco, and the peculiar character of the latter.
“But since you tell me that you are still decided in your own views of the matter, not only after duly considering the advice I gave, and the conversation you had with his Excellency the Governor, but after what you heard from Mr. Judah Benoliel, the agent for the Sultán of Marocco; and as you give me the distinct assurance that you take all the responsibility of failure upon your own shoulders, I shall not lose a day in complying with your request for me to write to the Court of Marocco, for permission to present in person to the Sultán the royal letter, of which you are the bearer, when and where his Imperial Majesty shall think fit to appoint.
“I leave Gibraltar, if the wind is fair, the day after to-morrow, and would go sooner if I could; and before I have been twenty-four hours in Tangier, I hope to have a letter dispatched to the effect you suggest.
“I beg to repeat, my dear sir, that you will be a welcome guest in my house at any time; and whenever you do come, nothing shall be wanting on my part to promote your brave purpose, as far as my sense of what is politic may allow.
“I may get an answer within a fortnight from the date of my letter to the court; three weeks may, however, elapse before I receive a reply. On the very day it comes to hand I will, if you wish it, dispatch a boat express, in case there are no other means of communicating the answer, which will be sent to you in the original Arabic.
“With renewed assurances of my admiration for your enterprize, and of cordial wishes for its success,
“I remain, dear sir, your’s faithfully,
“E. D. Hay.”