157201Thomas Jefferson to Caspar Wistar, 17 August 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved your favor of June 29. by mr Correa , it’s bearer. I found him what you had described in every respect; certainly the greatest collection, and best digest of science in books, men, and things that I have ever met with; and with these the most amiable and engaging character. the only alloy to the pleasure of his society was the reflection that we were never more to enjoy it. it is a...
157202From Thomas Jefferson to Caspar Wistar, 27 March 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved last night your favor of the 22d. and believe it will be as well to send the books from Cepede by one of the vessels which habitually ply between Philadelphia & this place. Capt. Hand often brings things for me. I send you by post herewith an interesting volume of Faujas de St. Fond on the great fossil bones, which after reading may be returned either with La Cepede’s or otherwise...
157203Thomas Jefferson to Caspar Wistar, 29 May 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
On my return from a journey on the 22 d inst. I found here your letter of the 9 th and lost no time in communicating it’s object to the President . mr Matlack is among my oldest acquaintances, dating from the year of Independance when he was an assistant Secretary to the old Congress . I have ever since known him to be a steady republican and as correct in his morals as politics. I have...
157204From Thomas Jefferson to Caspar Wistar, 30 April 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
I have recieved from a scientific gentleman in Copenhagen a box containing 150. pieces of Roman coin in bronze of different sizes from the reign of Augustus to that of Theodosius, comprehending a space of 400. years. though addressed to me personally, I am sure I shall better fulfill the enlarged views of that gentleman by placing them where they may be of more extensive use. I ask permission...
157205From Thomas Jefferson to Caspar Wistar, 12 October 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
This will be handed you by my grandson Th Jefferson Randolph who goes on to Philadelphia to attend the lectures in Anatomy, Natural history & Surgery during this winter, and of Botany in the spring. those of Anatomy & Natural history, in the winter course, are to occupy his attention almost exclusively and he will attend the course of Surgery merely to get the outlines of the doctrines, and to...
157206From Thomas Jefferson to Caspar Wistar, 21 June 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I have a grandson, the son of mr Randolph, now about 15. years of age, in whose education I take a lively interest. his time has not hitherto been employed to the greatest advantage, a frequent change of tutors having prevented the steady pursuit of any one plan. whether he possesses that lively imagination, usually called genius, I have not had opportunities of knowing. but I think he has an...
157207From Thomas Jefferson to Caspar Wistar, 8 March 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote you on the 19th. Dec. my expectations of the arrival at this place of the big bones which General Clarke had dug from the lick & forwarded to me. they arrived last night, and now I must repeat my hope that you will think the object worthy of a visit to this place in order to select for the society whatever is unpossessed by them. it is only the duplicates of what they possess which I...
157208Thomas Jefferson to Caspar Wistar, 25 August 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
It seems an age since I have had particular occasion to recall myself to your memory; and to that circumstance must be ascribed my long silence; and not to any abatement of my great esteem for you. perhaps the desire to say so may have entered somewhat into the motives for giving you the trouble I am now about to propose. we are desirous of establishing in my neighborhood an academy, on a...
157209From Thomas Jefferson to Caspar Wistar, 15 October 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
I inclose you a letter from Doctr. Brown by which you will percieve that the bones which are the subject of it, are likely to go to some other destination. but I think you will also be sensible from the letter as well as from an extract of a newspaper inclosed, that it will be in the power of the society to have procured for a much less sum than these would have cost any particular bones which...
157210Thomas Jefferson to Caspar Wistar, 31 March 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
My grandson being on his return to attend the botanical lectures gives me a safe opportunity of forwarding a livraison of a botanical work of M. Tussac for the Philosophical society
157211From Thomas Jefferson to Caspar Wistar, 24 April 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
I sincerely regret the postponement of your departure till the 12th. of May. Congress will rise tomorrow, and I shall leave this on the 5th. of May. if you could have left Philadelphia on the 1st. I might have had the pleasure of being with you here 2. or 3. days. if this be impracticable, and your journey to Pittsburg should be such as to prevent your return before the 11th. of June (by which...
157212Thomas Jefferson to Caspar Wistar, 11 October 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
The inclosed letter is from mr W m A. Burwell , one of the members of Congress from our state . he lived with me at Washington as Secretary, perhaps at the time you paid us a visit there, or perhaps he may be known to you thro’ the medium of his speeches in Congress , where he distinguishes himself by his good sense, his devotion to his country united with the most conciliatory conduct towards...
157213From Thomas Jefferson to Caspar Wistar, 2 November 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
I am indebted to mr Kuhn, our Consul at Genoa, for M. de Moveau’s book on the disinfection of air, and for a set of his permanent and portable apparatus for disinfection. for this attention to what may be useful to his country, Mr. Kuhn deserves our high commendations. I do not know that I can more effectually answer his views than by depositing these things with the American Philosophical...
157214From Thomas Jefferson to Caspar Wistar, 25 November 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
In the course of the day on which you left us here in July last, a young medical gentleman called on me in the expectation of meeting you here & of being presented by you. he of course had to make himself known, and by papers which he produced I saw indeed that he occupied ground in the opinions of my medical friends in Philadelphia far above the common. his name I have forgotten, & have but...
157215From Thomas Jefferson to Caspar Wistar, 25 February 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I inclose you a letter from Dr. Goforth on the subject of the bones of the Mammoth. immediately on reciept of this, as I found it was in my power to accomplish the wishes of the society for the completion of this skeleton with more certainty than through the channel proposed in the letter, I set the thing into motion, so that it will be effected without any expence to the society, or other...
157216From Thomas Jefferson to Caspar Wistar, 26 March 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
The inclosed letter from Colo. Tatham and the fac simile it covers, being intended for the A. Philosophical society, I take the liberty of communicating them through you, and tender you my friendly salutations & assurances of great esteem & respect. PPAmP .
157217From Thomas Jefferson to Caspar Wistar, 16 December 1800 (Jefferson Papers)
I have written you a letter of this date to be laid before the society. this is for yourself only. I have proposed so many members at different times that I am afraid to add to the number. yet Dunbar ought to be associated to us. I inclose you a letter with some communications of his to a mr Smith of London, which he sent to me open for perusal, desiring me when read to forward them as...
157218From Thomas Jefferson to Caspar Wistar, 20 March 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
Yours of the 12th. is recieved. Congress I think will rise in about three weeks, say about the 11th. of April and I shall leave this 5. or 6 days after on a visit of some length to Monticello. this illy accords with your journey to the Westward in May. but can you not separate your excursion to this place from the Western journey? between Philadelphia & this place is but two days, & the roads...
157219From Thomas Jefferson to Caspar Wistar, 8 December 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson presents his salutations to Dr. Wistar; & incloses him mr Stuart’s letter which gives the only information he possesses respecting the squirrel’s head. Capt. Lewis’s rout will probably, as soon as he arrives here be engraved. a copy shall be sent to the society, as also of Lt. Pike’s survey of the Misipi. & Freeman’s of the Red river. DLC : Papers of Thomas Jefferson.
157220Thomas Jefferson to Caspar Wistar, 19 September 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
The inclosed letter from mr Brackenridge on the subject of the mounds & remains of fortifications in the Western country, came to me without any indication whether meant, or not, for communication to the Philosophical society . considering it’s subject and the information it contains as meriting the attention of the society, I take the liberty of requesting your communication of it to them;...
157221From Thomas Jefferson to Caspar Wistar, 31 March 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
By the preceding post you will have recieved some Observations transmitted [here] by Mr. Legaux, [& also] two precious volumes of Comparative anatomy presented to the Society by mr Cuvier , the author. I now inclose you a letter from Chancellor Livingston on the subject of the large [bones] lately found [in New York] with a drawing, & also a paper enclosed me in a former [private] letter, but...
157222From Thomas Jefferson to Caspar Wistar, 9 July 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
I have written this day to Doctr. Brown and to mr John Brown to take measures for ascertaining where the bones which are the subject of your letter now are, whether there be among them any bones of the Megalonyx or of the head of the Mammoth, to sound the owner as to price, & to communicate to us the result. it would have been desirable for me to have been able to state to Dr. Brown the...
157223From Thomas Jefferson to Caspar Wistar, 31 July 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
ThJefferson presents his friendly salutations to Doctr. Wistar, and according to the desire of M. Dupont de Nemours incloses for the Philosophical society a work of his. DLC : Papers of Thomas Jefferson.
157224Thomas Jefferson to Caspar Wistar, 23 November 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
I am glad of opportunities of recalling myself to your recollection altho’ it should even be when I am to give you some trouble. mr Francis Gilmer a young neighbor of mine; is about to visit Philadelphia , & wishes the honor of being presented to you. altho his being with mr Correa would be a passport for him to every friend of science, I should not fulfil my duties to his deceased father, my...
157225From Thomas Jefferson to Caspar Wistar, 19 December 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I have never heard to what family you ascribed the Wild sheep, or fleecy goat, as Govr. Lewis called it, or the Poko-tragos, if it’s name must be Greek. he gave me a skin; but I know he carried a more perfect one, with the horns on, to mr Peale, & if I recollect well those horns, they, with the fleece, would induce one to suspect it to be the Lama, or at least a Lamae affinis. I will thank you...
157226From Thomas Jefferson to Caspar Wistar, 24 March 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
I inclose for communication to the Philosophical society a paper from mr Dunbar of Natchez, on the subject of the Missisipi river which will be found a valuable addition to what we have already recieved from him relative to the lower country on it’s banks. At the request of mr Lewis also of Campbell county Virginia, I inclose a paper which was accompanied by the specimens it refers to. tho’...
157227III. Secretary of State to Caspar Wistar, Jr., 20 March 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
I am thankful for the trouble which yourself and Doctr. Hutchinson have taken and are still willing to take on the subject of Mr. Isaacs’ discovery. However his method may turn out, this advantage will certainly result from it, that having drawn the public attention to the subject, it may be made the occasion of disseminating among the masters of vessels a knowlege of the fact that fresh water...
157228From Benjamin Franklin to Daniel Wister, 14 July 1773 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (letterbook draft): Library of Congress I received yours of April 30. Much Business has hitherto prevented my visiting your Creditors, with the Proposal you mention. But in a Week or two I expect a little Leisure, which I shall apply to that purpose. I wish it may prove successful, as I truly compassionate your Situation. I shall soon after let you know what may be expected from them. I...
157229From Benjamin Franklin to Witel & Fauche, 15 November 1784 (Franklin Papers)
LS , AL (draft), and incomplete press copy of LS : American Philosophical Society I have attentively considered your Project communicated to me in yours of the 24th. past, & of which you desire my Opinion. I have some Doubts whether you will find your Bookselling and Printing Business sufficiently profitable at first for the Support of three Families; because the French Language, in which I...
157230From Benjamin Franklin to William Withering, 1 March 1784 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Mr Vaughan communicated to me a very ingenious & judicious Letter (as it appear’d to me) written by you on the Subject of calculous Complaints & the Remedies that had been propos’d for them. You were so good as to say that if I would send you a state of my Case, you might perhaps be able to point out some Plan of Proceeding that would be serviceable. I...