11To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Willson Peale, 30 August 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
Agreable to the request of Govr. Lewis I have prepared one of the heads of the American Argali (big horns) to be placed in your Hall at Monticello, it will be put on board the Schooner Jane Captn Jackson on tomorrow, And said to sail on tuesday next. It is packed in a Box directed to the care of Mr. George Jefferson at Richmond. The skin on said head cannot be eatten by Insects, & the Eyes are...
12To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Willson Peale, 15 June 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
My Sons here are very desireous of having the outline of your profile taken in the size which the argand Lamp will give on the wall, resting the head against a beer or other long Glass. It will only be the loss of one minute of time to sit, while Mr Burrill might trace the shadow with a Pencil, from which my Son Raphaelle can cut it out, and with his Physiognotrace produce numbers. The...
13To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Willson Peale, 15 June 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
The small Polygraph mentioned in my letter of the 13th. has now the Machinery to it and will write to the bottom with ease—but at the same time, that I put this machinery in the hands of the workman, my Cabenet Maker began one which I am certain is of a better size, yet it is my wish that you should make your choise which may be done by the time that the several boxes for paper, Pens, Wafers...
14To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Willson Peale, 29 January 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
The Bears I received today, in good health, and tomorrow we shall give them a more spacious Cage. Finding they have a division between them in their present Cage, leads to a suspition that they do not harmonize together, which I should hope is not the case, therefore on changing their habitation, I shall take the precaution of Chaining them untill we can know their dispositions. If they can be...
15To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Willson Peale, 3 November 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
Yesterday I received the Articles by Captn. Elwood, the Polygraph has the Pivot piece, connecting the horizontal parralells to the Pen-bar, broken, and the Pen-arm on the right wanted to be Screwed up—This is a part of the Polygraph which may render it very faulty; if too much play is allowed in the conic points of the Screws that connect the Pen-arm to the Pen-bar. It was well judged in Mr....
16To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Willson Peale, 10 June 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
The Bone from Mr Jno. Brown I have received to day, and great was my surprise to find it in form corrisponding to the ox, which the enclosed drawing will best explain. It is a proof that the Indian Tradition has a good foundation. It certainly must have been a Buffalo of vast size , for compairing this fragment with the same parts of a common Ox and its size may pretty nearly be computed to be...
17To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Willson Peale, 28 October 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
A Gentleman from Virginia lately viewing the Skeleton of the mammoth, told me that 9 miles from the sweet Springs in Green bryer County, a few months past, was found in a Salt petre cave some large Bones, which they supposed, from the hole in one of Vertebræ’s, measuring 9 Inches in circumference, was of a larger species of the Mammoth than my Skeleton, and that a bone of one of the claws...
18To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Willson Peale, 26 February 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
Such Instruments as we are daily in the habit of using should be made as perfect as possible, or as human invention can make them, not only the facility of use but also their durebility must constitute a great part of their value in the economy of time, (so precious to a thinking man) that a moderate expence of first cost, will weigh light in comparison with the estimate of a constant saving....
19Diagram: Skull of an Ox, 18 July 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
View of the back part of the Scull of the common Ox. MS ( DLC : TJ Papers, 124:21492); in Peale’s hand, with a line and notation indicating “passage to the Brain.”
20Enclosure II, Diagram: Back of Bison Skull, 10 June 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
View of the Back part that Joins the neck From A to B 2 feet 5 Inches. Circumference at C 21 Inches. { The Hollow part above F I believe is part of the Cavity to receive the muscles that lift the under Jaw. at G is the inner surface corrisponding, measurement across 9 Inches. That part which should join the hind part comprising the Ear is defficient. ditto at D 17 Inches— E hole for the spinal...