1To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Vaughan, 26 March 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
I have the honor to send you by this conveyance three sorts of dry rice seed; 1. Padee Coccoo ballam; the finest sort; } 2. Padee Laye; the best for a crop; from Sumatra. 3. Padee Undallan; the ordinary sort Since writing you by the post in answer to your letter of the 11th. inst., I have received a letter from Mr. Anderson, superintendant of our botanical garden at St. Vincent, informing me,...
2To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Vaughan, 17 March 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
I am honored with your letter of the 11th. inst. and have in some degree anticipated the wish expressed in it. Sir Joseph Banks having consulted me respecting the degree in which seeds of the dry rice might be acceptable in our West India islands, in consequence of my representations in reply, favored me with three sorts of seed collected by Mr. Millar, son of the Mr. Millar who published the...
3From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Vaughan, 11 March 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
Knowing how ready you are to interest yourself in whatever may promote the happiness of mankind I take the liberty of addressing you on a subject very interesting to a part of the United states. You know that the several species of rice cultivated in Piedmont, Egypt and Carolina require to be laid under water during a certain season of the year, and therefore occasion pestilential fevers which...
4To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Vaughan, 11 December 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
Dr. Duncan of Edinburgh an old friend having informed me, that Professor Cleghorne of St. Andrews wishes earnestly for an opportunity of being known to you, and having reminded me at the same time that Pr. Cleghorne has rights of hospitality over me; I hope you will not think it too presuming in me to introduce this gentleman to you. The pain I feel in taking a liberty of this kind, is...
5To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Vaughan, 2 August 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
I have been honored with your letter of the 23rd. ulto. Mr. Rumsey has been informed of the result of the inquiries you have been pleased to make on his account, and will I presume, take the necessary measures speedily. By my advice, he has enlarged the description to attend one of his discoveries. I had no design that Col. Smith should settle for the magnet box; consequently did not mention...
6From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Vaughan, 23 July 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of April 5. 1788. covering that also of Jan. 26.–87 did not miscarry; but I have been prevented answering it by a long journey through Holland and Germany, and by a necessary attention to some pressing matters in the first moments after my return. In fact, I was occupied on the subject of Hygrometers and preparing to write to you, when I received your favor of the 11th. inst. This...
7To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Vaughan, 11 July 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
I request the favor of your attending to the interest of Mr. James Rumsey of Virginia, who wishes to obtain patents for a new boiler to the steam engine and for the application of steam to the purposes of navigation. These patents he wishes to be separate; and to have a caveat entered through your means, or such other steps taken, as shall prevent any person not duly authorized by him from...
8To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Vaughan, 6 June 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
I should be perfectly ashamed of the liberty I have lately taken in giving a letter of introduction to you, had you not in some small degree favored me with encouragement. I presume for a double reason to give a letter in favor of my friend Mr. Dugald Stewart, as I am well convinced you will have considerable satisfaction in his acquaintance. He is the son of the late Dr. Stewart of Edinburgh,...
9To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Vaughan, 28 April 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
Presuming upon your kindness on a former occasion, I beg leave to have the honor of introducing to your acquaintance Mr. Baillie, nephew of the late Dr. William Hunter and who at present participates in the possession of his valuable cabinet. I take this liberty at the desire of a friend whom I esteem without having the pleasure of knowing Dr. Baillie, though not without being assured from his...
10To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Vaughan, 5 April 1788 (Jefferson Papers)
I have the honor to inclose a letter written at the time of its date, but which I have since had transcribed on account of an alteration I have since made in my sentiments. The letter was delayed to allow me time to make experiments, which I have not been able to accomplish. I send the hygrometer I describe in it, somewhat doubtful however of its success. I have the pleasure to add another,...
11From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Vaughan, 2 July 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of Feb. 16. came to my hands in the moment I was setting out on a tour through the Southern parts of France and Northern of Italy, from which I am but just now returned. I avail myself of the earliest moment to acknolege it’s receipt and to thank you for the box of magnets which I find here. Tho I do not know certainly by or from whom they come, I presume they came by Colo. Smith...
12From John Adams to Benjamin Vaughan, [ante 2 April 1787] (Adams Papers)
I am very much mortified to loose the Pleasure and Advantage of an Excursion to Windsor, to see M r Herschell in Such Company: but the State of my Family is such that I cannot justify leaving it.— M rs Smith is in Travel and the Anxiety occasioned by this Event has made M rs Adams so much worse, that I should be very bad Company at Windsor, and what is more decisive, it becomes my Duty to stay...
13To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Vaughan, [ca. 1 March 1787] (Jefferson Papers)
I take the liberty to introduce to your acquaintance, Mr. Garnett of Bristol, a gentleman who is particularly recommended to me by my particular connection Mr. Richard Bright of Bristol, as his friend and a person of very good character. His object with you, will be to make you acquainted with an invention of his (for which himself and the Revd. Mr. Milton have obtained a patent here) for...
14To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Vaughan, 16 February 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
I have been honored with your letter of the 29th: of Decr., though it arrived four weeks after its date. The very day after I received it, I began a long answer, which only waits for Messrs. Nairne & Blunt’s execution of what is mentioned in it, to be forwarded to you through Col. Smith; for it is too bulky for the post. I hope it will leave my hands tomorrow, and convince you of the anxiety I...
15To Thomas Jefferson from Benjamin Vaughan, with Enclosure, 26 January 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
I was honoured with your letter of the 29th. of December only last night, and take the first moment of answering it, presuming to offer a few remarks on the objects you have in view, by way of preface. It appears that many mistakes respecting the animal and vegetable productions of America have arisen from the precipitancy of European philosophers in deciding upon slight evidence; as well as...
16From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Vaughan, 29 December 1786 (Jefferson Papers)
When I had the honour of seeing you in London, you were so kind as to permit me to trouble you sometimes with my letters and particularly on the subject of Mathematical or philosophical instruments. Such a correspondence will be too agreeable to me, and at the same time too useful, not to avail myself of your permission. It has been an opinion pretty generally received among philosophers that...
17To John Adams from Benjamin Vaughan, 20 April 1786 (Adams Papers)
M r B Vaughan presents his respectful comp ts. to M r Adams, and having waited for the inclosed, wishes for the favor of an answer upon the subject of it. D r. Gray makes a private party for M r V:, and of course will be happy to see M rs & Miss Adams, with Col Jefferson & Col smith. M r V: is endeavoring to procure M r Bolton’s permission to see the immense machinery at Blackfriars Bridge
18To Benjamin Franklin from Benjamin Vaughan, 15 March 1785 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society In reply to your favor of the 5th: instt. I send you the Extract from the English translation of Kæmpfer’s history of Japan Vol. 2nd. Book 5. c. 6. p. 444–5, as follows. “The candles brought in at night, are hollow in the middle; the wick, which is of paper, being wound about a wooden stick, before the tallow is laid on. For this reason also the...
19From Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin Vaughan, 14 March 1785 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (draft), press copy of L , and transcript: Library of Congress Among the Pamphlets you lately sent me, was one intitled Thoughts on Executive Justice. In return for that I send you a French one on the same Subject, Observations concernant l’Execution de l’Article II de la Declaration sur le Vol. They are both address’d to the Judges, but written as you will see in a very different Spirit....
20From Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin Vaughan, 5 March 1785 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I received yesterday your kind Letter of the 23d past, with a Pacquet of Books and Pamphlets. I am much oblig’d by your friendly Attention in sending them. I have as yet only had time to run over the Thoughts on Executive Justice. They have given Rise to some Thoughts in my Mind on the same Subject, which perhaps I may communicate to you in my next. I am...
21To Benjamin Franklin from Benjamin Vaughan, 23 February 1785 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society It is long since I have heard from you. The present is the first opportunity I have had for writing to you by a private hand, & my ignorance of the party still prevents my being particular. You will receive herewith a parcel of books. I am sorry not to have another copy of the Cincinnati at hand, with one or two other pamphlets, but these shall come by...
22From George Washington to Benjamin Vaughan, 5 February 1785 (Washington Papers)
I pray you to accept my acknowledgement of your polite letter of 31st of October; & thanks for the flattering expressions of it. These are also due in a very particular manner to Doctr Price, For the honorable mention he has made of the American General, in his excellent observations on the importance of the American revolution—“Addressed to the free and united States of America” which I have...
23From John Jay to Benjamin Vaughan, 30 November 1784 (Jay Papers)
A sufficient N o . of members to form a Congress not having arrived at Trenton, I passed on to this place ten Days ago to visit my old Friends. I found your Family well and am happy in this opportunity of cultivating their acquaintance. They seem not yet to have concluded on entirely on the Place of their Residence, and therefore I have ob there is still Room for me to hope it may be not be...
24To Benjamin Franklin from Benjamin Vaughan, 21 November 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I will not affront your grandson by supposing that I can inform you of any thing passing here at this moment more perfectly & fully than he himself can explain it to you. The same thing has been true during his whole stay here. I may say indeed of himself, what he will not be forward to tell you; that he has been relished & respected here; and has always...
25To George Washington from Benjamin Vaughan, 31 October 1784 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Benjamin Vaughan, 31 Oct. 1784. On 5 Feb. 1785 GW wrote to Vaughan : “I pray you to accept my acknowledgement of your polite letter of 31st of October.”
26From Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin Vaughan, 7 September 1784 (Franklin Papers)
Transcript: Library of Congress This will be delivered to you by Count Mirabeau Son of the Marquis of that Name; Author of LAmi des Hommes. This Gentleman is esteemed here, and I recommend him to your Civilities and Counsels, particularly with respect to the Printing of a Piece he has written on the subject of hereditary Nobility, on occasion of the Order of Cincinnati lately attempted to be...
27From John Jay to Benjamin Vaughan, 2 September 1784 (Jay Papers)
The far greater part of our ^ my ^ Time since our ^ my ^ arrival has been passed in the Country so that several Vessels have lately gone to Europe without Letters from us ^ me ^ to our Friends there. During my Absence your Family passed thro here on their way to Albany—they carried ^
28From Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin Vaughan, July 26[–c. 15 August 1784] (Franklin Papers)
LS , copy, and transcript: Library of Congress I have received several Letters from you lately, dated June 16th. June 30, & July 13. I thank you for the Information respecting the Proceedings of your West India Merchants, or rather Planters: The Restraints whatever they may be upon our Commerce with your Islands, will prejudice their Inhabitants, I apprehend, more than us. It is wonderful how...
29To John Jay from Benjamin Vaughan, 5 August 1784 (Jay Papers)
I wrote you lately to inform you that a roof-covering of pure tin would be equally expensive with copper. I added, that it was customary in some places, to cover with [ black ?] tin plates supported on iron plates within, & ^ to ^ lay a coat of paint or pitch over the whole.— But I have since seen some cast-iron covering, described in the book inclosed. I understand that this ^ last ^ practice...
30From Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin Vaughan, 29 April 1784 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from William Temple Franklin, ed., Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin … (3 vols., 4to, London, 1817–18), III , 466. I received your kind letters of the 16th and 20th instant. I thank you for your philosophical news. We have none here. I see your philosophers are in the way of finding out at last what fire is. I have long been of opinion that it exists every where...
31From Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin Vaughan, 17 April 1784 (Franklin Papers)
Transcript: American Philosophical Society Since I wrote to you respecting Dr. Withering, I have received a very satisfactory Letter from him. So this Affair need not give you father [farther] Trouble.— I am sorry to hear you are hurt by a Fall from your Horse. I hope the Effects will not be lasting; and that by this time you are recover’d. It will give me great Pleasure to hear that our...
32To John Jay from Benjamin Vaughan, 3 November 1783 (Jay Papers)
I shall not sett off till tomorrow afternoon, by which time you may be better. If I should hear nothing farther from you, I shall without fail deliver your message at Bowood Park, which is near Calne in Wiltshire, on one of the two roads to Bath. I shall certainly, if living & well, be back before Tuesday, to get you & M r Bingham, & M r Adams & Son, into the House of Lords on the 11 th : inst...
33From Benjamin Franklin to Benjamin Vaughan, 8 October 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Mrs. Frances V. Finletter, Philadelphia (1956) I cannot let this Opportunity of Mr. Jay’s going to London, pass without Dropping a Line to you, to say that I am tolerably well and love you as much as ever; and that I wish to hear from you oftner, tho’ I am so bad a Correspondent as not to deserve it. I find I have, left, four of my Vols. on Electricity, and none of your Collection. If Mr...