MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY
AT HARVARD COLLEGE

CAMBRIDGE 88, MASSACHUSETTS

ee
Tue Agassiz Musreum’’

February 28, 1957

Dr. Joshua Lederberg
Department of Genetics
University of Wisconsin
Madison 6, Wisconsin

Dear Josh:

No doubt our offer, coming on top of the others you have, does not make
it easier for you to make a decision. I wished we could have made our plans known

to you earlier, but in fairness to you we had to solve the undergraduate teaching
problem first.

A few comments of mine may give you some welcome additional background.
When I came here, after 23 years in New York, I frankly had misgivings about the
wisdom of my move. Let me tell you that I made no mistake! I am much happier here
than in New York; I find the atmosphere friendly (even to someone with my back-
ground); I enjoy the contact with outstanding scholars in all fields, and I find
the place scientifically stimulating. You realize, of course, that the existence
(in the same area) of Harvard Med. School, Mass. Gen. Hospital, M.I.T., and various
branches of the Harvard Biology Department provide an almost endless opportunity
for scientific stimulation. And don't forget that you have a lot of friends and
admirers here, like myself, Thimann, Paul Doty, Jim Watson, Paul Levine, George
Wald, and others. It is not like coming to a strange place. Your coming here

would give genetics and microbiology a tremerdous boost, and I am sure you would
not regret it,

In sum, I hope you give our proposition very serious consideration.

Sincerely yours,

Erat MK ora