1From Benjamin Franklin to Charles Willson Peale, 4 July 1771 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I received your obliging Letter of April 21 and it gave me great Pleasure to hear that you had met with such Encouragement at Philadelphia, and that you succeed so well in your Business in your native Country. If I were to advise you, it should be, by great Industry and Frugality to secure a Competency as early in Life as may be: For as your Profession...
2From 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...
3From 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...
4From Thomas Jefferson to Charles Willson Peale, 21 February 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
I have to thank you for a copy of your introductory lecture recieved some time since, & not before acknoleged for want of time. I have read it with great pleasure, and lament that while I have been so near to your valuable collection, occupations much less pleasing to me have always put it out of my power to avail myself of it. may I ask the favor of you to present my request to your son that...
5From Thomas Jefferson to Charles Willson Peale, 1 December 1825 (Jefferson Papers)
M r Heiskill delivered my Polygraph safe and in good condition, and when I consider how much time and labor it has saved me since his return I look back with regret to that which I have lost by the want of it a year or two. the gold pens write charmingly as free pens, and I use them for my common writing in preference to the quill. but when applied to the polygraph I find that they make the...
6From 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,...
7From 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,...
8From 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...
9From 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...
10From 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...