[William Walrond Jackson, Rector of Exeter College, Oxford.] Autograph Letter Signed [to Professor George Frederick Armstrong], explaining the reasons for declining his application for a 'Professorial Fellowship' at Exeter College.

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Armstrong (who is not named, although the item is from his papers) has responded to an advertisement placed by the college regarding a fellowship, and in reply Jackson explains that while he feels that it would 'be deemed a great advantage for the College if we were able to place on the Governing Body so distinguished a Professor as yourself', the college has 'always unfortunately felt precluded by the smallness of our means from thus adding to our numbers, although we have by the Statutes the power of doing so', and it would not be possible 'to exercise the power in the present case'. 'The College meeting which determined to fill up a Fellowship decided that it should not avail itself of the Clause empowering our body to elect a Professor, but that the election should be held under the clause (which is quite distinct) empowering them to elect on the understanding to peform literary or scientific work'. Rev. George Armstrong is not named as the recipient, but the item is from his papers. He ends by apologising that the 'advertisement was not so worded as to make the nature of the qualification quite clear, and to shew that it was not a Professorial Fellowship'. He clarifies the matter further in an eight-line postscript.