31From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 23 January 1809 (Adams Papers)
What Signify Clamours against Commerce Property Kings Nobles Demagogues Democracy, the Clergy Religion? For to each and all of these has the Depravity of Man been imputed by some Philosophers. Rousseau says the first Man who fenced a Cabbage yard ought to have been put to death. Dr but Diderot says the first Man who Suggested the Idea of a god ought to have been treated as an Enemy of the...
32From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 23 May 1807 (Adams Papers)
I received at an Exhibition of Musick in our polite Village of Mount Woollaston, on thursday, your Letter relative to Mr Loude, and sent it immediately to Dr Tufts by his Lady, that the Young Gentlemans Friends might be informed of his Situation. I lament the untimely decline of a Youth, although I never Saw him, who has been represented to me, as one who injured his health by too intense an...
33From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 25 June 1807 (Adams Papers)
John Bunjan, if he had written my last Letter to you would have called it an history of Gods Judgments against Lyars and Libellers. Such indeed it seems to be. A great Number of others might have been added, and two or three at least ought to have been. Phillip Freneau is one of the Number: but I know not in what Light to consider him. A Libeller, he certainly was not only against me but...
34From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 27 September 1808 (Adams Papers)
That Rosicrusian Sylph, that Fairy Queen Mab, or that other familiar Spirit whatever it is, that inspires your nightly dreams, I would not exchange, if I had it, for the Dæmon of Socrates. You have more Wit and humour and Sense in your Sleep, than other People I was about to Say, than you have yourself when awake. I know not whether I have ever read two finer Allegories, than the two you have...
35From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 22 December 1806 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for yours of the twenty fifth of November. I was in hopes you would have explained to me the System of human Perfectibility which was is claimed as the Invention of Dr Priestley. The System of the French Œconomists I took some Pains, more than five and twenty years ago, to understand; but could not find one Gentleman among the Statesmen, Phylosophers and Men of Letters, who...
36From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 25 February 1808 (Adams Papers)
Your two last Letters have puzzled me. In one you tell me that your Citizens are clamorous against the Residence of Congress at Washington. Now Washington was the Father of the Columbian Territory, the City of Washington and the Residence of Congress in it: and Washington Jefferson and L’Enfant were the Triumvirate who planned the City the Capitol and the Prince’s Palace. In your last Feb. 18...
37From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 25 January 1806 (Adams Papers)
The new Edition of your medical Works, mentioned in your favour of the sixth of this month, have been committed to mr Shaw: my Nephew whom you know, and will be sent to me from Boston in due time. Many of those compositions I have read and shall read again with much pleasure, and shall make them as generally useful as I can among the Physicians in my Neighbourhood: but as I feel as few as I...
38From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 18 January 1808 (Adams Papers)
What a pitty it is; and indeed what a Shame it is, that We have not a Word in our language to express the idea of the French Word Naiveté ? There is not a figure of Rhetorick So impressive as this is ’tho it is no figure, but the most perfect simplicity. I know not whether it is possible to define it. Neat and plain, Seems to be flat and poor. Simple Nature, is not Satisfactory. Simplex...
39From Alexander Hamilton to Benjamin Rush, 29 March 1802 (Hamilton Papers)
I felt all the weight of the obligation which I owed to you and to your amiable family, for the tender concern they manifested in an event, beyond comparison, the most afflicting of my life. But I was obliged to wait for a moment of greater calm, to express my sense of the kindness. My loss is indeed great. The highest as well as the eldest hope of my family has been taken from me. You...
40From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Rush, 18 March 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved last night your friendly letter of the 12th. which shall be answered the first practicable moment. in the mean time I send you Latude which I happen to have here. affectionate salutations. RC (Swann Auction Catalogue, sale 2058, New York, 2005); address clipped: “Doctr. Benjamin [Rush]”; franked and postmarked.
41From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Rush, 13 October 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
This will be delivered you by my grandson Th Jefferson Randolph, who goes to Philadelphia to attend a course of lectures in Natural history Anatomy & Botany. he will also attend the lecturer in Surgery, but as an amateur, and with a view to the care of a family when he shall have one, in a country situation where we have no surgeons & want them every day. he may then recollect and apply what...
42From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Rush, 4 October 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
No one would more willingly than myself pay the just tribute due to the services of Capt Barry , by writing a letter of condolance to his widow as you suggest. but when one undertakes to administer justice it must be with an even hand, & by rule, what is done for one, must be done for every one in equal degree. to what a train of attentions would this draw a President? how difficult would it...
43From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Rush, 23 April 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
Your friendly letter of Mar. 12. was recieved in due time and with a due sense of it’s value. I shall with confidence avail myself of it’s general prescription, and of the special should the state of my health alter for the worse. at present it wears a promising aspect. At length I send you a letter, long due, and even now but a sketch of what I wished to make it. but your candour will find my...
44From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Rush, 24 March 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
I have to acknolege the reciept of your friendly favor of the 12th and the pleasing sensations produced in my mind by it’s affectionate contents. I am made very happy by learning that the sentiments expressed in my inaugural address give general satisfaction, and hold out a ground on which our fellow citizens can once more unite. I am the more pleased, because these sentiments have been long &...
45From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Rush, 13 June 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
A considerable time before the reciept of your letter of Apr. 29. it was known here that mr Boudinot intended to retire from the Direction of the mint, & as was expected, immediately. it had therefore been made a question to the members of the administration who should be his successor. it was supposed that the duties of that office required the best mathematical talents which could be found,...
46From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Rush, 20 December 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
I have recieved your favor of Nov. 27. with your introductory lectures which I have read with the pleasure & edification I do every thing from you. I am happy to see that vaccination is introduced & likely to be kept up in Philadelphia. but I shall not think it exhibits all it’s utility until experience shall have hit upon some mark or rule by which the popular eye may distinguish genuine from...
47From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Rush, 28 February 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
I wish to mention to you in confidence that I have obtained authority from Congress to undertake the long desired object of exploring the Missouri & whatever river, heading with that, leads into the Western ocean. about 10. chosen woodsmen headed by Capt. Lewis my secretary, will set out on it immediately & probably accomplish it in two seasons. Capt. Lewis is brave, prudent, habituated to the...
48From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Rush, 21 April 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
In some of the delightful conversations with you, in the evenings of 1798. 99. which served as an Anodyne to the afflictions of the crisis through which our country was then labouring, the Christian religion was sometimes our topic: and I then promised you that, one day or other, I would give you my views of it. they are the result of a life of enquiry & reflection, and very different from...
49From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Rush, 3 January 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
Dr. Waterhouse has been appointed to the Marine hospital of Boston as you wished. it was a just tho small return for his merit in introducing the Vaccination earlier than we should have had it. his appointment makes some noise, there & here being unacceptable to some: but I believe that schismatic divisions in the medical fraternity are at the bottom of it. my usage is to make the best...
50From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Rush, 8 August 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
Your favor of the 1st. inst. came to hand last night. the embarrasment of answering propositions for office negatively, and the inconveniencies which have sometimes arisen from answering affirmatively, even when the affirmative is intended, has led to the general rule of leaving the answer to be read in the act of appointment or non-appointment whenever either is manifested. I depart from the...
51From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Rush, 24 June 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
I am thankful to you for your attentions to Capt Lewis while at Philadelphia and the useful counsels he recieved from you. he will set out in about 4. or 5. days, and expects to leave Kaskaskias about the 1st. of September. he will have two travelling months which will probably carry him 7. or 800. miles up the river for his winter quarters, from whence he will communicate to us, in the course...
52From James Madison to Benjamin Rush, 28 June 1801 (Madison Papers)
I have received your favor of the 23d. instant, inclosing one of the 15th. from Mr. Webster. The subject of Quarantine laws in Europe which oppress our commerce, had been brought to the attention of the Executive by suggestions from a Consul in Lisbon; and some arrangements have been under consideration for diminishing if not removing the evil. The interesting remarks in your letters, will...
53From James Madison to Benjamin Rush, 23 December 1801 (Madison Papers)
Letter not found. 23 December 1801, Washington. Offered for sale in Parke-Bernet Catalogue No. 484, “The Alexander Biddle Papers” (1943), pt. 2, item 200, which notes that the one-page letter “regards Dr. Rush’s son Richard who desired to visit Europe in the capacity of a private secretary to one of the American Ministers. Informs him that he will place the matter before the President.”