1Benjamin Waterhouse to John Adams, 13 December 1780 (Adams Papers)
It so happened that I could not see the persons of whom I wished to enquire concerning the Schools, mode of education &c. untill yesterday, otherwise I should have written before.—The Gentlemen from whom I have my information have each of them a young person under their care about the age of your eldest, and are well acquainted with every thing appertaining to education in this City, from...
2To Benjamin Franklin from Benjamin Waterhouse, 16 December 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society The enclosed letters I brought with me from London—several circumstances concurred to detain me in England longer than I wished or expected, or there would not have been so long a space between the date of these letters and their delivery— Dr. Fothergill would have written to you long before, but deferred it, for obvious reasons, untill some safe...
3Benjamin Waterhouse to John Adams, 21 December 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have the satisfaction of informing you that Mr. Thaxter and your Sons are now settled in their lodgings in the same house with me. I could wish the rooms were better as well as larger, but they think the y answer very well, and seem well pleased with their situation. Tomorrow we are to converse with the teacher of Latin and Greek, and to make our terms &c. with him, this person teaches the...
4Benjamin Waterhouse to John Adams, 26 December 1780 (Adams Papers)
I was glad to find by your letter of the 23d. inst. that what we have hitherto done meets with your approbation, and it is with no small satisfaction that I see all three of my countrymen pleased and contented with their situation. In regard to Mr Charles’s attending the lectures there is no rule or custom that forbids him. As there are none so young who attend the public-lectures, we only...
5To Benjamin Franklin from Benjamin Waterhouse, 10 January 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I wrote to you a few weeks since enclosing a couple of letters from Dr. Fothergill, but little did I then think I should so soon write to you concerning his death—that good man died the 26th. of last month— By what I have often heard him say I Judged there was a no small friendship subsisting between you, and that therefore some account of his disease &...
6Benjamin Waterhouse to John Adams, 21 May 1781 (Adams Papers)
Almost every body here is preparing for the fair which opens next Thursday, and as this is Leyden- ’Lection I was saying to my companion that it was a pity Master Charles was not here that he might see that a Dutchman can be merry when he is resolved upon it. And John seems to wish it so much, that I thought I would write to you and if you had no objection we should have the little Gentlemans...
7Benjamin Waterhouse to John Adams, 30 September 1781 (Adams Papers)
I imagine You heard by the last Post of our being at this Place, and the reasons of our coming here. It is a great disappointment to Us all; yet the danger of our proceeding in the Condition We were in and the hopes of getting out soon, ought to make Us content. You already know I believe that there has been a very unfortunate difference between two of the Passengers and our Commodore, which...
8Benjamin Waterhouse to Abigail Adams, 10 September 1782 (Adams Papers)
When I was at Braintree I mentioned to you that I was pretty certain I had a letter from Mr. Adams to you, among my papers which I left behind at N. York and that when my trunk arrived I would carefully examine it and send it to you. I have done so, but without success. I therefore conclude if there was one, the Goths have taken it. We hear there is a Vessel arrived at Boston from Amsterdam;...
9Benjamin Waterhouse to Abigail Adams, 7 January 1783 (Adams Papers)
For above a fortnight past I have been meditating a visit to Braintree but some unlucky occurrence or other turned up and disappointed me, and now I am certain I shall not be able within a fortnight, owing to some matters in agitation which will not be finished before that time, and are of such a nature that made me wish to see you at this time more particularly. I must explain myself by...
10Benjamin Waterhouse to Abigail Adams, 22 January 1783 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday I received your very obliging Letter and return you many thanks for your willingness to serve my interest. Some of my friends seemed to wish as I did to have some testimony of how I stood in Mr. Adams’ opinion through you. I prefered it to giving them such letters of his as I had in my hands. However your answer not arriving in time I gave President Willard four letters of Mr....
11To George Washington from Benjamin Waterhouse, 28 August 1790 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Benjamin Waterhouse, 28 Aug. 1790. In a letter of 19 Nov. 1790 to Waterhouse , GW mentioned “your letter of the 28th of August.”
12To John Adams from Benjamin Waterhouse, 15 August 1799 (Adams Papers)
In consequence of some conversation the other day at Quincy respecting Dr Priestley, I here send you the paper of to-day which contains what was intended as a vindication of Dr. Priestley from the aspersions of Willm: Cobbett.—Untill last Tuesday, I did believe that Dr. P. had excited the venom of the Porcupine more from his being a distinguished Dissenter from the church to which Corbbett is...
13To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Waterhouse, 1 December 1800 (Jefferson Papers)
Having long regarded Mr. Jefferson as one of our most distinguished patriots & philosophers, I conceived that a work which had for it’s end the good of the community, would not be unexceptable to him.—Under that impression I have here sent him “ A prospect of Exterminating the small-pox ,” and am with the utmost consideration and respect his very humble servt. RC ( DLC ); at foot of text:...
14To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Waterhouse, 8 June 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
There may possibly seem a want of due consideration in sending this letter, and what accompanies it, to draw the attention of the President of the United States from the important concerns of our nation to a subject more nearly allied to medicine, than to the affairs of state. On this account, I should have hesitated still longer, were I not constantly receiving letters from unknown persons,...
15To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Waterhouse, 24 July 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
The thread enclosed in this Quill was imbued in the vaccine virus on Thursday Evening the 23d of July. At the same time the needle was infected in the same fluid and it is highly probable will communicate the disease if it be thrust under the scarf skin, and drawn slowly & gradually through it. RC ( DLC ); addressed: “The President of the United States Washington”; franked; postmarked Boston;...
16To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Waterhouse, 1 August 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
Vaccine matter on the tooth-pick taken July 31.st. in the evening. The thread taken at the same time.—The two plates of glass, which he have covered with lead is just come to hand from Dr. Jenner being taken May 19th. in London. Two other plates containing some of the virus taken at the same time has been proved to be perfectly active. It adheres to the glass like gum. water, warm steam, or a...
17To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Waterhouse, 28 August 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
I have this moment taken your letter of the 14th. inst. from the Post-office, and have step’d into the first house to write a line, and pray you to excuse me untill I return home before I can answer it properly. I congratulate you, Sir, in having produced the true disease, of which I have little or indeed no doubt . I hope Dr. Wardlow will inoculate from the part affected as soon as he finds a...
18To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Waterhouse, 2 September 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
I know not if I acknowledged the receipt of your letter of the 8th. ulto. in the hasty scrawl I lately wrote from Boston. That of the 14th. gave me pleasure inexpressible, as it informed me that you had succeeded in planting the benign remedy against the small pox in the vast region of Virginia. I have written to Dr. Wardlaw on the important subject of preserving the active fluid-virus for...
19To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Waterhouse, 4 September 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
Since closing the letter I had the honor of writing to you yesterday , yours of the 21st. ult. came to hand. I think it quite unnecessary to send you any more matter, being thoroughly convinced that you have planted the genuine disease in your family. I cannot, however, too emphatically recommend to all concerned in this new inoculation to keep up a succession of cases , from which matter may...
20To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Waterhouse, 1 October 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
Yesterday I was honored with your letter of Sepr. 17th. from Monticello informing me that the Vaccine inoculation was effectually planted at Washington, as well as at and near your own residence, and that you had sent the matter to several parts of the State of Virginia. I rejoice, beyond what a person less zealous than myself can realize at this intelligence, being convinced that the matter...
21To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Waterhouse, 16 November 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
The vaccine matter , which you were so good as to transmit to me 4 or 5 weeks ago, on quills & on thread, has been tried. I communicated the genuine disease with some from one of the tooth-picks, but am not absolutely certain that it ever took from the thread. This induces me to make an observation that may be useful to your inoculators. I was, at first sight, suspicious of the goodness of the...
22To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Waterhouse, 11 January 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
The enclosed letter came to my hands two days ago. I return it from an apprehension that it is a mistake. I conjecture that Aikens publication, as also some pieces from the news paper, were sent to some person to whom you wished to communicate information respecting the vaccine inoculation, and that by mistake you directed this letter to me, as no such articles came with it. It gives me...
23To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Waterhouse, 29 January 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter of the 14th. inst, enclosing one of the 25th. ulto. came duly to hand. I was struck with the expediency of establishing a popular criterion as to the precise time of taking the matter, and I entirely coincide with you in opinion that it should be fixed on Eight times twenty four hours , this being the result of my own observation during the last season. I know that it differs...
24To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Waterhouse, 1 March 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
I here transmit for your acceptance, a copy of my Treatise on the Kine Pock, which, though dated Novr. 1802 is just out of the press. The first part contains the history of the progress of this new inoculation in America; The second contains the theory of morbid poisons, together with practical rules & observations.— Being aware that this first narrative would probably be referred to, in time...
25To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Waterhouse, 20 February 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
From an opinion that President Jefferson does not feel indifferent to whatever concerns the welfare of any of the citizens in any of the States, Dr Waterhouse here sends for his acceptance a copy of a Lecture just printed, on the subject of the health of our literary youth; containing cautions respecting the use of Tobacco, & Ardent & vinous spirits; and hopes that the principles & design of...
26To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Waterhouse, 7 April 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
Ever since I received your short but Ciceronean Epistle, it has seldom been long out of my mind. It made an impression I cannot get rid of; and therefore, in the true spirit of that religious sect among whom I was educated, I cannot hold my peace. It may be deemed impertinent, but you must excuse the impulse. On this head I say, as did the celebrated Edmund Burke to my kinsman Dr. Fothergill...
27To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Waterhouse, 16 November 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
When the marine-hospital was about to be established in my neighbourhood in the year 1803, I wrote to the President of the United States and solicited his consideration of my appointment to it, which I said, I should be glad of, provided the President did not see other plans & fitter persons for that place. Dr Charles Jarvase who was an older man & a better physician was appointed to it: night...
28To John Adams from Benjamin Waterhouse, 8 December 1807 (Adams Papers)
Your letter of the 28th. instant has just come to hand, and I have stepped into the house of a friend to answer acknowledge it. I cannot sufficiently thank you & the worthy Mitchill for your friendly attention to my wishes. I called to day, for the first time, at the Custom-house, and there learnt that General Lincoln, as superintendent of the Marine-Hospital, had requested Dr Eustis to take...
29To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Waterhouse, 12 December 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
The Collector has just notified me, that the President of the United States had been pleased to appoint me Physician to the Marine hospital at Charlestown; for which I return you my most cordial thanks. Until yesterday I thought, that the appointment included the Navy-yard; as I knew that Dr Jarvis did the duties of both. As they are contiguous , I thought they formed one medical department;...
30To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Waterhouse, 21 May 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
I should hardly have been persuaded to write to the President on the subject of my professional rivals, were I not fully assured that they are again at work in order to discredit my appointment to the marine hospital; and I know of no way so effectually to counteract them as by stating a few facts to you,—By an anonymous letter, and by some other modes of imperfect information, I am made...
31To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Waterhouse, 24 October 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
About a year ago, I recieved a long and interesting letter from Dr de Carro of Vienna, on subjects connected with the great interests of humanity. This physician, who is by birth a Swiss, first sent the cowpox-matter from Vienna to Bagdad; and thus laid the foundation of the Oriental vaccination, which has spread far and wide through Asia. Besides his zeal in vaccination, Dr. de Carro has...
32Benjamin Waterhouse to Thomas Jefferson, 21 June 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
I ought perhaps to apologize for breaking in upon the tranquility of your retirement with this Letter—I have tried to avoid it, but find that I cannot, because it relates to a Stab at my Character, which, from the poison of the Weapon, would, without some Exertion on my part, have left behind it an “ immedicabile vulnus .”— Among several charges transmitted to me by the Secretary of the...
33To John Adams from Benjamin Waterhouse, 12 March 1811 (Adams Papers)
I here send for your Perusal The Preface to the Botanist. The Publisher has printed off a few Copies dozen by Way of Sample of type, and to give Some general Idea of the Work, as well as a Short History of its origin. I thought there might be another Service in it, viz, if any thing appeared to egotistical, or too assuming in it, my Friends would probably give me the hint. I mean it as an...
34To John Adams from Benjamin Waterhouse, 8 July 1811 (Adams Papers)
I recvd. your letter of the 5th, with pleasure & read it with satisfaction, as I always do, because I understand your politics, and because I see in them one uniform & everlasting principle that does not bend to the fashions & caprices of the day—Foolish people have cried out—“Mr Adams has changed his politics; he is no longer a federalist, but is changed to a republican.” I have as constantly...
35Benjamin Waterhouse to Thomas Jefferson, 17 February 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
I take this opportunity, by my friend M r Gerry of sending a small volume for your acceptance No part of Natural history was ever taught, in this quarter of the Union untill I commenced the subject, about 25 years ago. It being a new study, I was obliged to give it a popular form. The Essex Junto had got such an entire possesion of our University , & had made it a fort, or strong hold, whence...
36Benjamin Waterhouse to Thomas Jefferson, 26 March 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter of the 9 th ins t opened to my mind such a train of interesting ideas, that I could not resist writing you this, & enclosing you one of our Boston newspapers, containing a peice under the signature of an “ Independent Whig .” It will tend to confirm your opinion of our pretended fautores of science. More than a dozen numbers have preceeded this, some of them calculated to expose...
37To James Madison from Benjamin Waterhouse, 29 April 1813 (Madison Papers)
I have taken the liberty of transmitting to you the narrative accompanying this, in hopes that you may find fifteen minutes leisure for its perusal. It is the only step I could take in lieu of a journey to Washington. To what I have said there, I will only add here, that when I began to reform that very disorderly Marine-hospital, I was embarrassed at the very threshhold, for want of rules &...
38To James Madison from Benjamin Waterhouse, 1 May 1813 (Madison Papers)
By the advice of some of my most revered friends, coinciding with my own inclination, I am induced to petition the President of the United-States for the place of Treasurer of the Mint, made vacant by the death of Dr. Benjamin Rush. The attention which I have paid to Mineralogy, and to the Docimastic Art, may be considered as a desirable qualification for such an office; and the wish which I...
39Benjamin Waterhouse to Thomas Jefferson, 1 May 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
If you will excuse my breaking in again upon your philosophical retirement, I think I may venture to promise that it shall be the last time. I little thought, when I wrote to you last , that I should have so soon to lament the loss of my revered friend & brother D r Rush ! By his death I feel as if one strand of the thread of my life was cut. It is a heavy, very heavy stroke to his old friend...
40From Benjamin Waterhouse to Abigail Smith Adams, 31 May 1813 (Adams Papers)
It is with some degree of mortification that I have to inform you, that I have not been able to get that extract of a letter from your son inserted in the Patriot, without submitting it to certain curtailments, & alterations, to suit with the notions of the party; and without omitting entirely that last paragraph which speaks of the disasters of the French army.— I yesterday withdrew the...
41To James Madison from Benjamin Waterhouse, 18 March 1815 (Madison Papers)
Duty, and the consideration of a large family impel me to address the President of the United-States at this period of the reduction of the army. It is pretty well known that from the time of “ the affair of the Chesepeake frigate ,” that I, with my friend J. Q. Adams, (who was then on a visit in my family) abandoned the ranks of the Federalists; and have ever since steadily supported the...
42To John Adams from Benjamin Waterhouse, 2 June 1815 (Adams Papers)
I am desirous of knowing whether you ever received from me a parcel of selected News-papers, and pieces cut out of News-papers, by the sloop of war that brought out the Dutch Minister, commanded by Captn. Baker? I am curious to know, because there were efforts to prevent any but high federal papers being sent, by those Americans in Boston, through whose hands all letters & packets passed...
43Benjamin Waterhouse to Thomas Jefferson, 1 September 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
I cannot allow to pass this fair opportunity, by General & M rs Dearborn , without sending, you some memorial of my gratitude & respect— I have enclosed you two 4 th of July Orations; one delivered in the District of Maine , to a people ripe for a seperation; and the other at Lexington , by a son in law of the late Vice President . They will shew you the sentiments and doctrines that are now...
44Benjamin Waterhouse to Thomas Jefferson, 14 December 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
I received your letter of 13 th Oct r with pleasure, and read it with great satisfaction.— I here enclose a curious publication, printed first in Connecticut , & reprinted at Andover , 20 miles from this place, where is a new & well endowed theological college, being a splinter struck off from Cambridge , at the time when we elected an unitarian professor of divinity. Dwight of the...
45To John Adams from Benjamin Waterhouse, 2 February 1816 (Adams Papers)
I have received several Epistles in prose and verse, written to console me for my heavy loss, but nothing has equalled the three first lines of your last letter.— It is seldom that affliction comes singly & alone. Suppose I should tell you that my professional & political enemies have succeeded in obtaining a decree of banishment against me, and that I am ordered to take my departure tomorrow...
46To James Madison from Benjamin Waterhouse, 18 June 1816 (Madison Papers)
Finding that Mesrs Rowe & Hooper are about sending you a copy of “a Journal of a young man of Massachusetts ,” who was captured by the British, and confined during the war at Halifax, at Chatham, and at Dartmoor, I cannot refrain, because I think it is proper, from giving you more information relative to its publication, than what appears on the face of the book. This smart young man put his...
47Benjamin Waterhouse to Thomas Jefferson, 18 June 1816 (Jefferson Papers)
Finding that Mesrs. Rowe & Hooper are about sending you a copy of “ a Journal of a young man of Massachusetts ,” who was captured by the British, and confined during the war, at Halifax , at Chatham , and at Dartmoor , I cannot refrain, because I think it is proper, giving you more information relative to its publication than what appears on the face of the book— This smart young man put his...
48To John Adams from Benjamin Waterhouse, 13 December 1817 (Adams Papers)
I received your letter with pleasure, and read it with high satisfaction. You have paid the highest compliment on the President’s Message or rather, Elogium, that I have yet seen, or have ever heard of—Our proud federalists however are displeased & mortified that he did not tell the whole world, how grand, how rich, how powerful, how gifted & how virtuous they in Boston are above all other...
49To John Adams from Benjamin Waterhouse, 22 December 1817 (Adams Papers)
Accept my most cordial thanks for your truly friendly epistle. I loose not a moment in answering your interesting query. The Lady in question is, I conceive legally divorced. Her quondam husband is now in the jail of New York, for the third or fourth time; a mere vagabone. They were divorced in 1810, by the Supreme Court of Vermont. The Lady & her father, with the aid of Judge Dawes were...
50To John Adams from Benjamin Waterhouse, 29 December 1817 (Adams Papers)
Habituated as I have long been to consider your judgement as infallible, I have not found it exactly so on the subject of our two last letters. When I wrote to you on that subject of the heart, I had come to a fixed resolution of following the advice of my family & friends. I have penetrated their thoughts, & have discovered their opinion which taken collectively amounts to this— we censure...