Thomas Jefferson to Elkanah Watson, 16 May 1820
To Elkanah Watson
Monticello May 16. 20.
Th: Jefferson returns his thanks to mr Watson for the copy of the History of the Western canals which he has been so kind as to send him. the magnificent canal of New York certainly entitles those who have concieved, projected, or been otherwise instrumental in effecting it to more honorable mention in the pages of history, than the heroes of Bleinheim or Waterloo. his work furnishes also the most remarkable instance of the rapid advance of a country from a wilderness to cultivation & the Arts that even1 America itself can elsewhere produce.
PoC (DLC); on verso of reused address cover of Fernagus De Gelone to TJ, 22 Jan. 1820; dateline at foot of text; endorsed by TJ.
1. Preceding two words reworked from “than.”
Index Entries
- Blenheim, Battle of (1704) search
- books; on canals search
- canals; books on search
- canals; Erie search
- History of the Rise, Progress, and existing Condition of the Western Canals in the State of New-York (E. Watson) search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Books & Library; receives works search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Opinions on; Erie Canal search
- New York (state); and canals search
- Waterloo, Battle of (1815) search
- Watson, Elkanah; History of the Rise, Progress, and existing Condition of the Western Canals in the State of New-York search
- Watson, Elkanah; letters to search