From George Washington to Fairlie Christie, 25 May 1795
To Fairlie Christie
Philadelphia, 25th May 1795
Sir,
With much sensibility I received your polite letter of the 25th of March from Kingston.
I thank you, Sir, for the plants which are mentioned in the list which accompanied it. Presuming they arrived at Norfolk with the letter, I have requested a Gentleman of my acquaintan⟨ce⟩ at that place, to forward them to my Garden1 at Mount Vernon on Potomack River, near Alexandria Virginia;2 and I feel myself particularly obliged by the offer to supply me with other plants from the Botanical gardens in Jamaica.
When my situation will allow me to pay more attention than I am ab⟨le⟩ to do at present, to cultivations of this kind which combine utility, ornament and amusement, I shall certainly avai⟨l⟩ myself of the liberty you have authorised me to take, in requesting a small supply of such exotics; as, with a little aid, may be reconciled to the climate of my garden.
In the meantime, I will cause enquiry to be made for the plants which are required for your garden at Liguanea; agreeably to the list of Mr Wiles.3 I am—Sir Your Obedt Hble Servt
Go: Washington
ALS (letterpress copy), NN: Washington Papers; LB, DLC:GW. The text in angle brackets is taken from the letter-book copy.
1. The letter-book copy has “Gardener.”
2. On 24 May, GW wrote to Thomas Newton, Jr., concerning the shipment of plants from Christie. GW could not remember the name of the vessel on which Christie sent them, “Having mislaid or destroyed the cover of” his letter. Parts of GW’s letter are illegible, but he specified “39 plants ⟨of⟩ different sorts, curious and valuable,” and asked that they be sent to Mount Vernon (ALS [letterpress copy], DLC:GW).
3. The list from James Wiles, the gardener in charge of the public nursery at Bath, Jamaica, is given at the end of the enclosure sent by Christie on 25 March.