Transcription:
EDITORIAL-DEPARTMENT THE CENTURY-MAGAZINE UNION SQUARE NEW YORK R. W. GILDER, EDITOR. R. U. JOHNSON, ASSOCIATE EDITOR.
C. C. BUEL, ASSISTANT EDITOR. May 27th, 1896. Mrs. John Muir, Martinez, Cal. Dear Mrs. Muir: I have just received
your note of the firstof May. What a long time it has been coming I telegraphed you the other day that the Harvardmatter was
all right, as I am informed by Professor Sargent,and he urged me to make sure that Mr. Muir would come, ashis presence to
receive the degree is a condition of itsconferment. If it were necessary to urge, I should urge him to come by all means.
The honor of a degree from Harvard is no small one, and it will be of use to all good causes in which he is illegible will
be enlisted in California. As I understand, there is no speech-making at the time of conferring the honor. I believe that
there is alittle informal speaking at the alumni dinner afterward, but the speeches are always short and not much is expected.
Moreover, if anything were expected, who could speak more interestingly of Harvard men whom he had known than your good husband.
This is a very little matter and he must not