141Charles Willson Peale to Thomas Jefferson, 28 February 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
In several visits I made to Philad a after receiving your statement concerning young M c elhany, my inquiries about him was fruitless, at last I meet with him at a Watch -makers who had promised me notice when he should be found in the City. M r M c elhany seemed much confused when he spoke to me, on my asking him why he did not call on you before he left Charlotteville —he told me that he...
142Charles Willson Peale to Thomas Jefferson, 20 May 1817 (Jefferson Papers)
Although very unwilling to give you the least trouble in the epistolary line, yet I feel a desire to communicate what I consider a cricis of my labours on the Museum —beleiving that you esteem it a work of importance to the enlightning of the Public mind. Envy of some men and self-interest in others have made them active, to get the Museum remooved from the State-House , and the City being...
143Charles Willson Peale to Thomas Jefferson, 15 January 1818 (Jefferson Papers)
there is very little probability that I can give you any information on what may be termed improvements made in Europe , your acquaintance with learned men in every quarter of the World, and your exalted knowledge of Science and arts in every department, and with all your fondness for the promotion of all useful discoveries that promise any benefit to mankind, I believe never escape your...
144Charles Willson Peale to Thomas Jefferson, 2 March 1818 (Jefferson Papers)
I sensibly feel for your privations and sufferings, and hope and beg that my corrispondance may not add to affections, therefore let me intreat you, not to write to me, unless you think I can render you some service, in which case, I wish to receive your commands, and assure you that any thing in my power to perform will be executed with pleasure. It might not be necessary to write this, since...
145Charles Willson Peale to Thomas Jefferson, 25 November 1818 (Jefferson Papers)
Some time past I meet with a gentleman in the Museum who informed me of your extreme indisposition, and from his account of your complaints, I dispaired of ever writing to you another letter, while painting the Presidents Portrait I received the pleasing intelligence of your restored health. Your emminant Labours for the good of mankind will endear your memory to future ages. I will give a...
146Charles Willson Peale to Thomas Jefferson, 1 January 1819 (Jefferson Papers)
soon after my arrival here I wrote to inform you of my object in visiting this place, with the hope that my scribling might not be a burden on your precious moments, and as I had said that I would give you some account of my Portraits, Since I begin to think I shall paint only one or two more at the present time, I will enumerate them. Viz t The President , M r Calhoun , M r Adams , M r Crawford ,
147Charles Willson Peale to Thomas Jefferson, 21 August 1819 (Jefferson Papers)
on the receipt of your letter I hastened to the City to seek the Inkstand you wanted, I believe no nearer to your direction could be had in the City , than I have sent, I put two of them in one package and delivered it at the Post office, directed to you at Montecella . That most likly to answer, probably may be sunk deeper by cutting out some of the wood beneath, and a little grinding down of...
148Charles Willson Peale to Thomas Jefferson, 10 April 1820 (Jefferson Papers)
I have been Dear Sir long oppressed under duty, respect and friendship, in having omited to write to you about the Plow which you so obligingly sent me. The principle on which the form is given is undoubtably excellent, as the action is by strait lines, yet without a proper length is given to the mould board, all its advantages are lost. I made repeated tryals of this Plow by an expert...
149Charles Willson Peale to Thomas Jefferson, 3 July 1820 (Jefferson Papers)
In the hope, my dear Sir, of giving you some little amusement on what I concieve an interresting subject, which my Son Rembrandt has very nea r ly completed for the Public Eye, Therefore I have made a Sketch of his Picture , enclosed, and trouble you once more with my address and a description of “ Peale ’s great Moral Picture of the Court of Death . ”
150Charles Willson Peale to Thomas Jefferson, 4 January 1821 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours of 28 th Ul t received, yesterday, and coming home last night, I thought of my small Polygraph, which was made for a traveling conveniency, I find are exactly what you want, therefore it gives me pleasure to send them. I have long thought on the means to preserve health, and have made many experiments to assertain what would be the best food, as well as drink—and as I enjoy perfect...
151To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Willson Peale, 29 October 1822 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 22 d instant I received yesterday, and devolving in my mind what I could best do to serve you , determined to take the springs from my traveling Poligraph, made of Brass wire, which perhaps are better than those made of Silver, unless the silver should have considerable of Alloy, and the wire drawn very hard. I believe I have some of the Wire left of which your springs are...
152To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Willson Peale, 8 February 1823 (Jefferson Papers)
Herewith I send your silver springs for your Pollygraph according to my promise in my last letter, I do not know whether they are of the proper length, but I know your talents to render them what they ought to be. By the public papers I find the accident you meet with in a fall, I hope by this time that a cure is made of your arm. and, I have read with pleasure your letter to M r Adams in...
153To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Willson Peale, 25 January 1824 (Jefferson Papers)
Although it is a long time since I have wrote, yet be assured that I very often think on the favors you have confered on me at various periods, and could I have been so fortunate as to think I could add a moment of pleas ure to you. I should have embraced the occasion, But absorbed in the various labours of the Museum, the attentions of duty to a large family, that look to me for aid on every...
154To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Willson Peale, 2 July 1824 (Jefferson Papers)
It was my intention to have paid you a visit when I left Philad a I had proposed to myself to commence this journey in the first of May as the better season, but my youngest son Titian was so much indisposed that he could not attend to the business of the Museum, and another call for his improvement now obliges me to return to Philadelphia. A gentleman from England by the name of Cha s...
155To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Willson Peale, 10 September 1825 (Jefferson Papers)
It has for some time past that I have promised myself the pleasure of paying you a Visit, yet the situation of my family and the interests of the Museum has not allowed me that indulgence. My Son Titian has not only great skill in preserving all kinds of Animals, but also he has acquired an abundance of knowledge in Natural history, I mean of animated nature. And my Son Franklin is possessed...
156To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Willson Peale, 30 September 1825 (Jefferson Papers)
When I received your Polygraph, I repaired the springs, then made an essay to write with it, found it stiff—but on putting oil to all the joints, it preformed much better. so that my conclusion was that you neglected to give it oil occasionally. My next opperation was to take the parralells apart in order to examine all the joints—and it does not appear to have worn the pin-holes, indeed I...
157To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Willson Peale, 9 December 1825 (Jefferson Papers)
I have made all the haste I could to get your pens for your Polygraph, for I well know the uses of that machine, as it has long been my practice to keep copies of letters, because I have desired to leave to my family as full a knowledge of my transactions as possible, consistent with my other labours—but that you may know why I have been more solicitous on this score, know that after the death...
158To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Willson Peale, 1 February 1826 (Jefferson Papers)
Finding that the gallows would not shut down on the Ink holders I therefore cut some of it away, and a jointed piece which I suppose you had made to rest the pens on, was liable to fall and cause a derangement of machinery, to prevent such an accident I have put a piece of spring to keep it up untill wanted—a very little work put the parralels in order, and the supporting springs shortened, or...