801From Thomas Jefferson to Ellen Wayles Randolph Coolidge, 10 July 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
To answer the question in your letter of the 4th. I must observe that neither the number of the fine arts, nor the particular arts entitled to that appellation have been fixed by general consent. many reckon but five Painting, sculpture, architecture, music & poetry. to these some have added Oratory, including, within that, Rhetoric which is the art of style & composition. others again, add...
802From Thomas Jefferson to Ellen Wayles Randolph Coolidge, 23 February 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
I am several letters in your debt, but I am in hopes that age and occupation will privilege me against your counting letter for letter rigorously with me. the loss of your geraniums shall be replaced. I have this day planted a sprig in a small & very portable pot of earth. you give a bad account of the patriotism of the ladies of Williamsburg who are not disposed to submit to the small...
803From Thomas Jefferson to Ellen Wayles Randolph Coolidge, 12 January 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
I send you some poetry, but am not sure whether I may not have sent you the same pieces before. my letters to your Mama will have informed you of my having been indisposed with a swelled face. it rose, suppurated, and has left me with a hard swelling still on the jawbone, which however I am in hopes will go down. it still confines me to the house for fear cold should affect it. otherwise I am...
804From Thomas Jefferson to Ellen Wayles Randolph Coolidge, 21 May 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
Miss Eleanor W. Randolph to Th: Jefferson D. 1805. May 21. To a letter which ought to be written once in every 3. weeks, while I am here, to wit from Jan. 1. 1805. to this day, 15. weeks 5. Cr. Feb. 23. By one single letter of this day’s date 1 Balance due from E. W. Randolph to Th:J. Letters 4 5 So stands the account for this year, my dear Ellen, between you and me. unless...
805From Thomas Jefferson to Ellen Wayles Randolph Coolidge, 8 February 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I believe it is true that you have written me 2. letters to my one to you. whether this proceeds from your having more industry or less to do than myself I will not say. one thing however I will say that I most sincerely wish to be with you all, and settle the point vivâ voce (if you do not understand these two Latin words, you must lay Jefferson’s Latin under contribution that you may know...
806From Thomas Jefferson to Ellen Wayles Randolph Coolidge, 20 February 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
My last letter to you stated the plants which had been sent, & I was in hopes, after you had been enabled to distinguish them, you would have informed me of their respective conditions. but no post has arrived for this week from Milton & consequently no letter from you. in about three weeks I hope to be with you, and then we shall properly be devoted to the garden. what has become of mrs...
807From Thomas Jefferson to Ellen Wayles Randolph Coolidge, 3 May 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
As you insist I shall write you one more letter before my departure this is to inform you that altho’ I have not entirely abandoned the hope of setting out on the 5th. yet I think it more probable I shall be detained to the 6th. so that if I do not catch you in bed on Sunday, expect it on Monday. Your’s affectionately MHi : Coolidge Collection.
808From Thomas Jefferson to Ellen Wayles Randolph Coolidge, 30 November 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
I have recieved two letters from you since I left Monticello. by Davy I sent you a pair of Bantam fowls; quite young: so that I am in hopes you will now be enabled to raise some. I propose on their subject a question of natural history for your enquiry: that is whether this is the Gallina Adrianica, or Adria, the Adriatick cock of Aristotle? for this you must examine Buffon &c. mr Burwell...
809From Thomas Jefferson to Ellen Wayles Randolph Coolidge, 29 March 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved yesterday yours of the 25th. and have also to acknolege that of the 18th. you ask whether the pen which is not to wear out is made of glass? No.—guess again. I am glad to hear you expect a family of Bantams. take good care of them. is it not best to put the hen into a tobacco stick coop, in & round which the chickens will always stay. the properest way to make an et-caetera is thus...
810From Thomas Jefferson to Ellen Wayles Randolph Coolidge, 29 June 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I believe I have recieved no letter from you since I came from Monticello, but perhaps there is one on the road for me. hope is so much pleasanter than despair, that I always prefer looking into futurity through her glass. I send you some poetical gleanings. our newspapers have been rather barren in that ware for some time past. whether the muses have been taking a nap, or our news writers...
811From Thomas Jefferson to Ellen Wayles Randolph Coolidge, 28 June 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved your letter (without date) with great pleasure, for it always gives me pleasure to hear from Edgehill. in return for your news from thence, I have none to give you from this place which would interest you, except that mrs Harrison Smith is well, dined with me the other day, & desired me to present her love in the first letter to you. she is now in the country at a neat little box...
812From Thomas Jefferson to Ellen Wayles Randolph Coolidge, 15 November 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved yesterday yours of the 11th. & rejoice to hear that all are well with you. I inclose a letter from Dr. Wistar the perusal of which will be agreeable to your Papa & Mama as it respects Jefferson; & to your Papa what relates to the Mammoth, return it to me. I am glad to hear that the sweet scented grass got safe, altho’ the pot did not. the sooner you put it into a larger box the...
813From Thomas Jefferson to Ellen Wayles Randolph Coolidge, 8 December 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I owe you a letter, and very fortunately have one to inclose from an acquaintance which you must consider as a paiment in full of my debt. for having nothing to write about I should otherwise have been puzzled to make paiment, had it not been for this god-send. I could tell you we are all well. but that is a thing of course. I could tell you it is now very cold, but the air of the morning has...
814From Thomas Jefferson to Ellen Wayles Randolph Coolidge, 20 December 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved yesterday yours of the 15th. and I shall take care to have your book bound. the letter to Jefferson went on direct. I have not heard from him for some time, but Doctr. Rush in a letter just recieved says ‘your grandson has not called upon me as often as I expected, but I hear with great pleasure that he is absorbed & delighted with his Anatomical & other studies.’ I have been...
815From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 9 April 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of Mar. 21. was recieved here on the 4th. inst. the warrant to your son as midshipman had been suspended for enquiry on a suggestion of too great a propensity in him to drink. no information has been recieved, but your’s is sufficient. it is sufficient that you are apprised of it, and state the nature of the case yourself. his warrant was therefore signed two days ago, and has been,...
816From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 9 July 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of June 23. is recieved. I had not before learned that a life of Dr. Priestly had been published or I should certainly have procured it; for no man living had a more affectionate respect for him. In religion, in politics, in physics no man has rendered more service. I had always expected that when the republicans should have put down all things under their feet, they would...
817From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 1 September 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 9th. is recieved & with it the copy of Dr. Priestley’s Memoirs, for which I return you many thanks. I shall read them with great pleasure, as I revered the character of no man living more than his. with another part of your letter I am sensibly affected. I have not here my correspondence with Govr. Mc.Kean to turn to, but I have no reason to doubt that the particular letter...
818From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 17 April 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 2d. inst. is just now recieved. your former one had also come duly to hand, and was properly disposed of to produce it’s effect at it’s just season. it was not therefore from inattention that I had not acknoleged it, but from the absolute impossibility of doing this in the immense number of those I daily recieve. it reduces me to the painful necessity of leaving those who are...
819From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 18 February 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson thanks Judge Cooper for the paper he has been so kind as to communicate to him. he has read it with pleasure, but not with conviction. he is the last of all men however who would consider an honest difference of opinion as ground for any other difference. he has had too much experience of the uncertainty of human reason to be otherwise affected by it’s various aspects than by...
820From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 24 February 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
I have duly recieved your favors of the 6th. and 16th. and learnt the death of Dr. Priestly with all that regret which the termination of so good and so useful a life necessarily inspires. all late accounts of him had given me apprehensions for him. not indeed that the continuance of life could be important to him, but as every year added to it was usefully employed for the general good of...
821From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 29 November 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of Oct. 25. was recieved in due time, and I thank you for the long extract you took the trouble of making from mr Stone’s letter. certainly the information it communicates as to Alexander kindles a great deal of interest in his existence, and strong spasms of the heart in his favor. tho his means of doing good are great, yet the materials on which he is to work are refractory....
822From Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper, 27 October 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
When I recieved your letter of the 16th. I thought I had not a copy of my Report on Measures, weights & coins, except one bound up in a volume with other reports. but on carefully searching a bundle of duplicates, I found the one I now inclose you, being the only detached one I possess. it is defective in one article. the report was composed under a severe attack of periodical head ach which...
823From Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Coppinger, 23 October 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
The invention mentioned in your letter of the 17th. inst is certainly of great importance to society. by turning to the act of Congress of Feb. 21. 1793 . c. 11. you will have all the information it is in the power of any person to give you. the patent fees can be inclosed to the Treasurer, and the other papers to the Secretary of State, and the business be effectually done without your being...
824From Thomas Jefferson to Cornplanter and Others, 11 February 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
I have recieved your letter of January 18. and observe the dissatisfaction you express at the sale of lands made by your nation to the state of New York. it was the act of your nation , which the United States would not pretend to controul: they had no interest in it; yet they sent a commissioner to watch over your interests and to see that you understood the transaction, & gave free consent...
825From Thomas Jefferson to Madame de Corny, 2 March 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
It is long, my very dear friend, since I have heard from you, but longer since I have written to you. the constant pressure of matters, which would not admit of delay, has, during my continuance in office, suspended almost entirely all my private correspondence. I am obliged to ask from the candor of my friends their attention to the imperiousness of the circumstances under which I have been...
826From Thomas Jefferson to Madame de Corny, 23 April 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved, my good friend, your letter of May 19. on the 3d. of September. such are the delays to which correspondences across the ocean are subjected. it is true as you say, that I had not written to you for some years; but equally true, my friend, that I had not recieved a letter from you within that time. the reason I presume was the same with both. such was the state of your revolutionary...
827From Thomas Jefferson to Madame de Corny, 1 November 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
Your two favors, my dear friend, of Feb. 15. & June 15. have been duly recieved. the latter was forwarded to me by mr Ledet, who remained himself in London, & whom I should have recieved with great pleasure on your recommendation, had he come here. I learn with joy from yourself that you have good hopes of improvement in your health. my prayers for it are sincere, as the recollections of your...
828From Thomas Jefferson to Madame de Corny, 31 January 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
So good an opportunity, my dear friend, offers of getting a letter safely to you by Colo. Monroe, that I cannot let it pass by, altho’ I have nothing new to entertain you with: for it is not new to you for me to repeat assurances of my sincere and constant friendship. I often look back with regret on the days I passed so happily with my friends in Paris, and with none more than yourself. your...
829From Thomas Jefferson to Maria Cosway, 31 January 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
I have to acknolege the reciept of your favor of July 20. 1801. from London, and of Feb. 25. 1802. from Paris. that I am so late in answering them arises from my incessant occupations which deprive me of the happiness of satisfying the affections of my heart by expressions of them on paper to my friends: to none would they be more warmly expressed, my esteemed friend, than to yourself, with...
830From Thomas Jefferson to Couch, 26 September 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
My brother who lives in your neighborhood was to send some grass seeds to your house to be forwarded for me to Lynchburg by your boats. I have also ordered 3. dozen chairs to be sent for me from Richmond to Lynchburg, where they will be recieved by the house of Wm. Brown and noted to Burgess Griffin my overseer at Poplar forest. I take the liberty of writing to you directly, not only to...