Letter 331 Euler to Razumovsky
Berlin, January 27/ February 7 1756
Synopsis: Euler suggests candidates for the chairs of Physics and Chemistry. Reports cards are out on Kotelnikov and Rumoffsky. Euler submits bills for reimbursement.
It is in attempting to present my very humble respects that I take the liberty to accompany the enjoined letter from the privy Counselor M. de Segner, which contains some very special thanks for Your Excellency who helped him gain membership as a foreign member of the Imperial Academy of Sciences. As it was based partly on my soliciting Your Excellency to extend this reward, I take refuge in the fact that he is an extremely knowledgeable scientist who is able to offer real service to the Academy. He has told be that he is working on some important material that he will take the liberty of presenting to the Academy. Since he is also a very worthy subject, might I also recommend that Your Excellency provide him a staff position when he is free on vacation, since the Academy will be able to extract more to its advantage from him that from many others who aspire to the same position.
Dr. Salchow who will fill the Chemistry position that Your excellency requested, will be leaving momentarily, and I am assured that the Imperial Academy will be as pleased with his merits as with his conduct.
Having been instructed by Your Excellency's orders, I hope that my proposal to Mr. Muller of Giesen for the Physics chair will be as successful.
The two students, Kotelnikoff and Rumoffsky that Your Excellency provided to me for my instruction are continuing to make excellent progress in mathematics and I hope that they will soon be able to be employed with such success that it will no longer be necessary to have foreigners in this science.
/21/ A little while ago, I took the liberty to present my needs to M. Teplov including the situation in respect to the book that was published here by order of the Academy, as well as some other expenses that I have provided to the Academy. He had advised me that he has provided an accounting of these expenses to Your Excellency, and the forthrightness of Your Excellency's dealings with me provides me with the greatest assurances that my requests will be most adequately examined.
I have the honor of being with a deep respect[...]
Translated from the French
by J.S.D.Glaus
