1From George Washington to Nicolas Pike, 20 June 1786 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 25th of March did not come to hand till lately or it should have had an earlier acknowledgement. It gives me the highest satisfaction to find the Arts and Sciences making a progress in any Country; but when I see them advancing in the rising States of America I feel a peculiar pleasure: and in my opinion, every effort of Genius, and all attempts towards improving useful...