31To Thomas Jefferson from Francis Hopkinson, 23 February 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
I have just now received your favour pr. Mr. Marbois, have not Time to answer in kind, am sorry for your Illness. If your Fever was of the infectious kind you have performed Quarantine. I hope to see you in the Spring. I should not have wrote in such a Hurry, but to inform you that our Philosl. Society is in a promising Way. The Case of Mr. Maddison was this—the Candidates for Election were...
32To Thomas Jefferson from Francis Hopkinson, 28 March 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
According to your Directions I sent the other Day a Package of News Papers to Mr. Jay to be forwarded to you. I wrote also by the same Conveyance. As I am frequently trying Projects of one kind or another, I sometimes blunder upon what I, for a while at least, suppose to be a Discovery. I wish to communicate to you one of these Projects. The manufacture of Perles fausses and patenotres is a...
33To Thomas Jefferson from Francis Hopkinson, 17 July 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
The last Letter I received from you is dated Augt. 1st. 1787 and my last to you April 6th. 1788. I have a pretty large Collection of News Papers for you, waiting a convenient opportunity. Mr. Tillier, who takes this, goes from hence to New York to embark for France. I could not ask him to take Charge of the Papers as they are too bulky: but I have made up a Package of Publications, which I...
34To Thomas Jefferson from Francis Hopkinson, 8 March 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
I can not at present lay my hands upon your last but recollect it was of an old Date. I daily expect the Pleasure of hearing from you in Return to several Letters I have written to you since the Fall. Your last directed me to forward the News Papers to Mr. Jay who is to send them to you in way of Merchandize to avoid the monstrous Expence of Postage. I presume you have written to him on the...
35To Thomas Jefferson from Francis Hopkinson, 14 April 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
The enclosed Phial contains some of my Essence L’Orient but very imperfectly prepared. I heard only this Morning that Mr. Paine would set off Tomorrow. I had to buy the Fish and prepare the Essence. It should be three or four Days in settling and the water then poured off but I have had only as many Hours for the Purpose, so that great allowances must be made. I have put some volat Spt. Sal...
36To Thomas Jefferson from Francis Hopkinson, 15 April 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Paine not setting off to Day, as I expected, gives me an Opportunity of sending another Phial of Essence L’Orient which has had the Advantage of standing all Night to depurate and is richer than that I gave Mr. Paine yesterday. Besides this, I put some Spirit of Wine in the Phial of yesterday, which I observe curdles and discolours the Essence. In this there is nothing but a little Volat....
37To Thomas Jefferson from Francis Hopkinson, 8 November 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
I do not know how long it is since I wrote to you, but am sure it is much longer since I heard from you. I am in daily expectations of a Letter in answer to some of mine. I send you another Packet of News Papers and enclose the Leg of a strange Bird which has nothing curious in it but a fine small toothed Comb annexed to one of its Toes, and three very beautiful Feathers (of which I send two)...
38To George Washington from Francis Hopkinson, 19 April 1785 (Washington Papers)
Encouraged by the friendly Notice with which you have upon every Occasion been pleased to honour me, I take the Liberty of recommending to your kind Attention my Friend Mr Pine, an Artist of acknowledged Eminence, & who has given the World many pleasing & forcible Specimens of Genius. Zeal for the American Cause has brought him over from England, to secure, whilst it is yet possible, faithful...
39To George Washington from Francis Hopkinson, 3 March 1789 (Washington Papers)
I could, if the Subject was worth so much Attention, justify my Musick against your Complaints —for I insist that it is as good melting Musick as could be expected at that severe Season of the Year, and would have found its way to you by water if you had but allowed a reasonable Time. A Lover who is all over Flames will require two & sometimes three years to melt the frozen heart of his...
40To George Washington from Francis Hopkinson, 1 December 1788 (Washington Papers)
There is all the Difference in the World between a Thing done, & a Thing to be done. A Thing to be done is exposed, like our new Constitution, to all Manner of Criticisms, Objections, Oppositions, Reasonings true & false, with Arguments & Apprehensions founded on future Consequences, possible and impossible. On the Contrary, a Thing done, unless it is a very bad thing indeed, is not only...
41Jefferson’s Advertisement of Hopkinson’s Invention, [ca. February? 1785] (Jefferson Papers)
An improvement in the manner of preparing musical instruments which are keyed and quilled. The present mode of quilling a harpsichord is subject to this great inconvenience that some of the quills will after a little use, crack and lose their elastic spring, whilst others retain their full vigour, thereby rendering the touch unequal and some tones full and loud whilst others are so faint and...