1From Thomas Jefferson to Francis Hopkinson, 13 January 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote you the 11th. of November. Since that I have received no proposition on the subject of the quill of the harpsichord. The artisans here will not readily beleive that any thing good can be invented but in London or Paris: and to shew them the invention would be to give it up. However I shall still endeavor to find some one who will do justice to it. War and peace hang in doubtful...
2From Thomas Jefferson to Francis Hopkinson, 3 May 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
Not being learned in the laws of Pennsylvania I am incertain what will be the event if a prosecution of Scandalum magnatum should be instituted against Claypole for publishing in his gazette of Apr. 27. as an act of Congress a paper which certainly was no act of theirs, and which contained a principle or two not quite within the level of their politics. I mean a pretended act for dividing the...
3From Thomas Jefferson to Francis Hopkinson, with Enclosure, 1 August 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
A journey into the Southern parts of France and Northern of Italy must apologize to you for the length of time elapsed since my last, and for the delay of acknowleging the receipt of your favors of Nov. 8. and Dec. 9. 1786. and Apr. 14. 1787. Your two phials of essence de Lorient arrived during that interval and got separated from the letters which accompanied them, so that I could not be sure...
4From Thomas Jefferson to Francis Hopkinson, 9 May 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
The only letter of yours the receipt whereof I have not yet acknoleged is the 31st. of Dec. Mine are of Sep. 25. Jan. 3. and Jan. 27 [i.e., 26]. With that of Jan. 27. I had sent the crayons &c. formerly desired. With the present I will send 2. doz. camelshair pencils, and a doz. black lead pencils which are desired in yours of Dec. 31. I at the same time sent the 14th. 15th. and 16th....
5From Thomas Jefferson to Francis Hopkinson, 25 September 1785 (Jefferson Papers)
My last to you was of the 6th. of July. Since that I have received yours of July 23. I do not altogether despair of making something of your method of quilling, tho’ as yet the prospect is not favourable. I applaud much your perseverance in improving this instrument and benefiting mankind almost in spite of their teeth. I mentioned to Piccini the improvement with which I am entrusted. He plays...
6From Thomas Jefferson to Francis Hopkinson, 14 August 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favours of Mar. 8. 28. and May 1. have come to hand since the date of my last which was of May 9. That of Mar. 8. begins with these words. ‘I cannot at present lay my hands upon your last but recollect it was of an old date.’This seems to imply a charge of my being behind-hand in the epistolary account. Turning to my epistolary ledger I find our account since my arrival in Europe to stand...
7[From Thomas Jefferson to Francis Hopkinson, 23 December 1783] (Jefferson Papers)
[ Annapolis, 23 Dec. 1783 . Entry in SJL reads: “F. Hopkinson—letter to Bremner—clavichord—spinette—Buffon’s theory—Rittenh’s orrery for k. of Fr.” Not found, but see Hopkinson to Bremner, 28 Nov. 1783. The reference to Rittenhouse’s orrery pertains to a suggestion made by TJ the preceding January at a meeting of the American Philosophical Society. On 3 Jan. 1783 TJ attended his first meeting...
8From Thomas Jefferson to Francis Hopkinson, 6 July 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
A printer here has begun to print the most remarkeable of the English authors, as that can be done here much cheaper than in England or even Ireland. He supposes America could take off a considerable number of copies, and has therefore applied to me to find a sure correspondent for him. Being unacquainted with the printers of Philadelphia and the booksellers, yet satisfied that that would be...
9From Thomas Jefferson to Francis Hopkinson, 18 February 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favour should not have been so long unacknowledged but that I have been in a state of health which permitted me neither to read, write or think. I take advantage now of a small remission in a fever to write you a line of thanks by Monsr. Marbois. You write in a gout (I beleive it was) and I answer in a fever. In truth amidst this eternal surfeit of politics wherein one subject succeeds...
10From George Washington to Francis Hopkinson, 13 March 1789 (Washington Papers)
Your good humour of the 3rd, which made me laugh heartily, has fairly driven me out of the field, not, indeed, into the Potowmac, but into a resolution not to strain my wits in making one word of reply, except in sober earnest. This preliminary being settled—I will tell you all I have to say, in three words: though one might perhaps suffice, for you know they say “a word to the wise is...