Thomas Jefferson Papers

To Thomas Jefferson from Jean Perreïn, 25 February 1805

From Jean Perreïn

Newyork Le 25 Fevrier 1805

Monsieur Le President

J’ai Oui dire que vous aimés Les Sciences et les arts, et que vous devés former un museum d’histoire naturelle. dans le cas ou vous desireriés faire Laquisition de quelques objets etrangers à votre paÿs, je puis vous ceder quelques doubles en oiseaux, insectes de la Cote d’afrique que je viens de recueillir moi meme. j’ai quelques oiseaux de Lisle gouadeloupe, et une Collection de la plus grande partie des oiseaux que L’on trouve à newyork ou aux environs; tous montés avec leurs yeux, Leurs noms specifiques d’aprés Linné, prets à figurer dans Le museum; il ne faut que les placer dans leurs claces. si vous n’avés personne pour préparer et monter Les animeaux en général, je vous, ofre mes Services pour ce qui Conserne les oiseaux, les quadrupeds, Les reptiles et les insectes. je Connois un peu Les differents sistêmes ou methodes de botanique, celui de Linné, Lamark, Lestiboudois. j’ai quelques plantes sechées et graines de la Cote d’afrique, peu de la gouadeloupe. Si vous avés quelque ami dans cette Ville, engagés Le de passer chés moi pour y voir les objets que je vous propose. si vous desirés quelque Chose de ma Collection, je vous prie de metre toute la Celerité possible à votre reponse, afin d’avoir Le tems de vous en faire L’envoi. ne trouvant point à moccuper dans ce paÿs faute de Connoitre la langue anglaise, je Suis decidé de partir pour France au mois d’avril prochain. j’ai eu la visite de mr. peal proprietaire du museum de philadelphie et lui meme pourra vous instruire mieux qu’un autre sur la maniere dont je travaille.

j’ai L’honneur d’etre avec un trés profond respect Monsieur Votre Trés humble Serviteur

Perreïn

mon adresse est Perreïn officier de Santé et naturaliste William Street No. 4 à Newyork.

Editors’ Translation

New York, 25 Feb. 1805

Mister President,

I have heard you value the arts and sciences and are creating a natural history museum. If you wish to acquire some objects that are foreign to your country, I can cede some duplicates of birds and insects that I have just collected from the African coast. I have some birds from the island of Guadeloupe and a collection of most of the birds that are found in and around New York. All are mounted with their eyes and precise names, based on Linnaeus, and are ready for a museum. They just need to be placed in their respective categories. If you do not have anyone to prepare and mount animals, I offer you my services for birds, quadrupeds, reptiles, and insects. I have some knowledge of the different systems and methods of botany, namely, those of Linnaeus, Lamarck, and Lestiboudois. I have some dried plants and seeds from the African coast and a few from Guadeloupe.

If you have a friend here, ask him to come to my house to see the objects I propose. If you wish something from my collection, please respond as quickly as possible so I may have time to prepare the mailing. Since I do not speak English, I have not found employment in this country and have decided to leave for France in April. Mr. Peale, owner of the Philadelphia museum, came to see me and can tell you, better than anyone, about my work.

With very deep respect, Sir, I have the honor of being your very humble servant.

Perreïn

My address is Perreïn, health officer and naturalist, 4 William Street, New York.

RC (ViW: Tucker-Coleman Collection); endorsed by TJ as received 4 Mch. and so recorded in SJL.

Jean Perreïn (ca. 1750-1805) was a French naturalist and member of the Society of Sciences and Belles Lettres of Bordeaux who traveled in northern Africa, the West Indies, and the United States. He donated several bird specimens to the National Museum of Natural History in Paris in 1803-1804. In the summer of 1804, Perreïn arrived in New York from Africa, where he had collected many birds, insects, and exotic plants. He invited Charles Willson Peale to see his collection in July and arranged an exchange of African birds for American ones. He died in New York a month after writing this letter to TJ (Justin J.F.J. Jansen, “The Bird Collection of the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Paris, France: The First Years [1793-1825],” Journal of the National Museum [Prague], Natural History Series, 184 [Nov. 2015], 88; Peale, Papers description begins Lillian B. Miller and others, eds., The Selected Papers of Charles Willson Peale and His Family, New Haven, 1983-2000, 5 vols. in 6 description ends , v. 2, pt. 1:242n, 244, 247-8n; v. 2, pt. 2:729, 731, 732, 737, 738, 744; New York Daily Advertiser, 1 Apr. 1805).

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