1From Thomas Jefferson to Charles Willson Peale, 5 April 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
Your 8vo. Polygraph arrived at Washington just in time for me to bring it on here, where I have used it and still use it constantly. altho’ the machinery will require your rectification to make it quite a good one, yet it is sufficient to shew that the reduction of size is not only practicable, but useful in proportion to it’s reduction, for those who travel. I have therefore bestowed some...
2From Thomas Jefferson to Charles Willson Peale, 9 October 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
Capt Cormac’s departure is deferred, and Capt Elwood not yet arrived. of course I cannot yet announce to you the departure of any of the objects destined for you. by the former will go the Marmotte & a bag of skins: by the latter a large box of skins, skeletons & horns for you, a small box of minerals for the P. Society, a cage with a magpie & a box with the Polygraph. when I wrote you on the...
3From Thomas Jefferson to Charles Willson Peale, 1 March 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved last night your favor of the 26th. and thank you for the pen accompanying it, which seems to perform well. I had written to you on the 27th. Ult. on the subject of the Polygraph. the reduction of the size which you propose for a future trial would certainly be a great improvement; it’s present bulk being disagreeable. I observe too that after one has adjusted the pens by the gage,...
4From Thomas Jefferson to Charles Willson Peale, 9 June 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
The 8vo. Polygraph arrived in good condition, and gives me entire satisfaction. your son’s improvement of throwing the pen to the left gives me the command of the 4to. page, as you see by this letter written with the 8vo. machine; and when I have written down the page as far as it commands, by taking a reef in the top, that is, by giving the letter the first fold it is to have when folded up,...
5From Thomas Jefferson to Charles Willson Peale, 13 February 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
Nothing would be wanting to fill up the measure of dissatisfaction with my present situation, but to see my friends adopt a stile of formality & distance towards me. be assured that your communications are always welcome, & the more so when the most frank. I shall make a proper use of that in your letter recieved last night. I will thank you to procure for me a pair of the inkholders of ¾...
6From Thomas Jefferson to Charles Willson Peale, 15 September 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter containing the Spiral spring was recieved in due time. a mode of constructing your polygraph which might render it more portable occurred to me and as it took me less time to give verbal directions to my workmen for a model, than to make a drawing for you, I have had a model made which I send you by this post. it is of half size in all it’s dimensions, whence you will see that in...
7From Thomas Jefferson to Charles Willson Peale, 29 July 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
I have to acknolege the reciept of your favors of June 29. & July 25. to congratulate you on the prospect you have of obtaining a compleat skeleton of the great incognitum, and the world on there being a person at the critical moment of the discovery who has zeal enough to devote himself to the recovery of these great animal monuments. Mr. Smith the Secretary of the Navy will give orders...
8From Thomas Jefferson to Charles Willson Peale, 7 November 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson presents his friendly salutations to mr Peale and sends him a recruit for the fund of his grandson of fifty dollars in an order of the US. bank here on that at Philadelphia. he will take care to do the same monthly, and if at any time it shall be necessary to enlarge it, he will do it on the first intimation recieved from mr Peale. DLC : Papers of Thomas Jefferson.
9From Thomas Jefferson to Charles Willson Peale, 15 January 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
I take up my pen to inform you that the box with the vase & bridle bit arrived safely last night, & to save the trouble of the search you propose to make in your’s of the 10th. you therein say that ‘when my Polygraph is done you shall leave it to my choice to take either one or the other.’ this, my dear Sir, will be putting my delicacy to severe trial. I find the one I am now writing with, in...
10From Thomas Jefferson to Charles Willson Peale, 19 June 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
I am persuaded I shall be pleased with mr Hawkins’s portable Polygraph, because of it’s small size, & it’s simplification by omitting one of the horizontal parallelograms, the stays or suspenders, & probably the vertical parallelograms & gallows, for I see no use for the two last if the suspender be omitted. the pencases I shall be able to have arranged to my mind by an excellent workman here....
11From Thomas Jefferson to Charles Willson Peale, 20 June 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
I inclose you two essays of mr Burwell at my profile . I also inclose you the receipt of Capt Ellwood for your Polygraph . he sails this day. besides that the small round inkpot of 1¾ I. diam. or square one of 1½ I. and only 1. I. deep, necessary for perfecting your machine, you will find it necessary to throw away the common stopper which rises ½ I. above the top of the pot, and to substitute...
12From Thomas Jefferson to Charles Willson Peale, 24 August 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
It was the wish of mr Randolph & myself the last summer to send his son T. Jefferson Randolph to Philadelphia to attend lectures in those branches of science which cannot be so advantageously taught any where else in America: these are Natural history with the advantage of your Museum, Botany aided by mr Hamilton’s garden, and Anatomy with the benefit of actual dissections. we did not propose...
13From Thomas Jefferson to Charles Willson Peale, 4 December 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
I inclose a draught for 60. D. to meet the current expences of my grandson, including two or three little debts of 2. & 4. D. of mine which I write to him to pay. I make these remittances for him merely by guess, and ready to enlarge them the moment you inform me that they are deficient. My Polygraph has been packed some time, & waits to find some passenger in the stage who will attend to...
14From Thomas Jefferson to Charles Willson Peale, 23 January 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
I take the first moment in my power of replying to your favor of the 12th. for writing with our 4to. letter paper of 8.I. by 10 I. I should think a length of 18 I. & breadth of 11 I. the most perfect for the polygraph; all size beyond that occupying space on your table uselessly & consequently inconveniently. but I believe the Moors write on a small folio paper: at least all the letters I have...
15From Thomas Jefferson to Charles Willson Peale, 16 January 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved last night your favor of the 12th. instant. no person on earth can entertain a higher idea than I do of the value of your collection nor give you more credit for the unwearied perseverance & skill with which you have prosecuted it. and I very much wish it could be made public property. but as to the question whether I think that the US. would encourage or provide for the...
16From Thomas Jefferson to Charles Willson Peale, 22 November 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved your letter of July 2. in due time, & soon after that the apparatus for making the inkpots in mr Hawkins’s polygraph moveable, so as to render the dip easy. but in the mean time I had thought of a contrivance which I had executed at Monticello, and which a three months use has proved to be as perfect as it is simple. each inkpot is set in a square saucer of very thin brass, ¼ I....
17From Thomas Jefferson to Charles Willson Peale, 13 October 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
I have duly recieved your favor of the 8th. which excites a great curiosity in me to see mr Hawkins’s polygraph: and as you say you are sending one to the Secretary of state, which I know to be for his office, for it was on my recommendation, I will ask the favor of you to address it to me, that I may have an opportunity of seeing & trying it. it shall then be delivered to it’s address, and in...
18From Thomas Jefferson to Charles Willson Peale, 23 January 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
I thank you for mr Rembrandt Peale’s pamphlet on the Mammoth, and feeling a strong interest in his succesful exhibition of the Skeleton, shall be very happy to hear he has the great run of visitants which I expect he will have. I was struck with the notice in the papers of mr Hawkins’s physiognotrace, of the work of which you send me some specimens, which I percieve must have been taken from...
19From Thomas Jefferson to Charles Willson Peale, 28 November 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
Passing as I do the active hours of my life in my study, I have found it essential to bring all the implements I use there within the narrowest compas possible; & in no case to lose a single inch of space which can be made to hold any thing. hence every thing is placed within my reach without getting out of my chair. on this principle I approve of the two drawers to the Polygraph proposed in...
20From Thomas Jefferson to Charles Willson Peale, 21 October 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
The day before yesterday I sent to Alexandria 1. a large box containing skins, skeletons & horns 1. small box containing the Polygraph 1. do. with minerals for the Phil. society to be presented in capt Lewis’s name. a cage with a living magpie. These were delivered to Capt Elwood as you will see by the inclosed reciept & the freight paid. he promised he would sail yesterday & I hope you will...
21From Thomas Jefferson to Charles Willson Peale, 9 April 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
My letter of the 5th. had been written but not sent off when I recieved yours of Mar. 30. with the new penbar. this finds me so near my departure for Washington that all is now hurry. I have not time therefore to change the penbars for trying the Diagonal writing; & I should not be without fear of deranging the machine, & losing the use of it while I yet stay & while I have much to write. I...
22From Thomas Jefferson to Charles Willson Peale, 12 July 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
The Polygraphs for mr Volney, Commodore Preble and the President’s Secretary have been all recieved in good order and are found good. the portable one for myself is also recieved, and is approved in every respect except perhaps in one part, on which I have not had trial enough to decide. it seems to copy the first 4. or 5. lines of the page with defects of nearly half the lines: sometimes...
23From Thomas Jefferson to Charles Willson Peale, 6 October 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of Sep. 23. was recieved on my arrival here, and I have no doubt that between yourself and mr Hawkins the Polygraph will be rendered perfect. for the one I have at Monticello you were so kind as to send me a pair of brass pen-cases with the screw top and for recieving the small bit of a quill pen, which I found so much better suited to my handwriting and so easily susceptible of...
24From Thomas Jefferson to Charles Willson Peale, 28 December 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours of the 23d. is recieved. it was never till this day that I have been able to know of any person going to Philadelphia in the stage, so as to put the Polygraph under their care. Capt Jones of Philadelphia was so kind as to take charge of it. he left this this morning in the mail stage, & consequently the Polygraph will have arrived there one day before you recieve this. in the same box...
25From Thomas Jefferson to Charles Willson Peale, 23 April 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
Your Polygraph gave me so much satisfaction that I thought it worth while to bestow some time in contriving one entirely suited to my own convenience: it was therefore the subject of my meditations on the road, and on my arrival here I made the drawings which I now send you. I have adopted your idea of having it in the form of a desk to sit on one’s writing table, & not that of a box to shut...
26From Thomas Jefferson to Charles Willson Peale, 29 March 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 12th. is duly recieved, and I have no doubt the idea you suggest is perfectly sound that the glasses of spectacles should perfectly accord with one another. the surfaces of every lens for a spectacle should be a portion of that of a sphere, and not only should the two convexities correspond in position, but also with the lines of vision from the two eyes. my improvements in...
27From Thomas Jefferson to Charles Willson Peale, 15 November 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 12th. is recieved. the circumstance which has guided us in fixing on the subjects of study for my grandson has been the exclusive possession of Philadelphia of your Museum, the Anatomical dissections & mr Hamilton’s garden. add the Surgical operations at the hospital. I thought these would fill up his whole time; but as it is thought they will leave him time to attend the...
28From Thomas Jefferson to Charles Willson Peale, 17 November 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved last night your favor of the 14th. I continue extremely satisfied with the facility of writing with the new Polygraph. mr. Hawkins’s box may be considerably improved in it’s form. instead of having it in the form Fig. 1. the upper lid should on the hinge side be bevilled off at a.b. thro’ it’s whole length (from West to East.) then when you wish to use it, not for copying, but as a...
29From Thomas Jefferson to Charles Willson Peale, 24 September 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I am to return you a thousand & a thousand thanks for your letter of Aug. 30. & particularly your kind offer to recieve my grandson into your family. I consider him as thereby placed in the best school of morality & good habits which could have been found for him, & secured against the only fears we entertained for him in your city. on the subject of his habits & dispositions they are exactly...
30From Thomas Jefferson to Charles Willson Peale, 1 January 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved your letter of Nov. 28. and the apparatus for carrying mr Hawkins’s pen-case. but I have tried an expedient which I think is better. that is to make the moveable pen case longer, that it may recieve a longer knib & have more spring. they hold the knib as firmly as possible, & they unite the advantages of your adjusting screw, & the being left in the ink holder while the polygraph is...