From R. A. Job   23 December 1879

Sir,

I must apologise for thus troubling you, but the urgency & importance to me of the undermentioned subject must must be my excuse.

I am most anxious to find out from the highest living authorities & investigators of the delicate subject of consanguinity, what can be said for or against it (physiologically considered) & I shall esteem it a lasting favor if you would shortly & without much trouble to yourself let me have your valuable & authoritative views and conclusions on the subject or if you could put me in the way of getting any reliable information ab^t. it.

You will readily appreciate my reason for troubling you when I say that I am the son of cousins & wishful to marry a first cousin if I can get sufficient reliable evidence to show that such a course would not be unwise¹

Enclosing my address & thanking you in anticipation for anything you may favor me with, | believe me, Sir, | Your’s obed^ly., Rob^t. A. Job

I need hardly ask you to keep what I have written above in confidence.