I thank you for the pamphlets (Letters) you were so kind as to
send me. You will know what I thought of them by my having before
sent a dozen sets to Virginia, to distribute among my friends; yet
I thank you not the less for these, which I value the more as they
came from yourself.
The papers of Political Arithmetic, both in yours and Mr. Cooper's
pamphlets, are the most precious gifts that can be made to us; for
we are running navigation-mad, and commerce-mad, and Navy-mad,
which is worst of all. How desirable it is that you should pursue
that subject for us. From the porcupines of our country you will
receive no thanks, but the great mass of our nation will edify,
and thank you.
How deeply have I been chagrined and mortified at the persecutions
which fanaticism and monarchy have excited against you, even here!
At first, I believed it was merely a continuance of the English
persecution; but I observe that, on the demise of Porcupine, and
the division of his inheritance between Fenno and Brown, the
latter (though succeeding only to the Federal portion of
Porcupinism, not the Anglican, which is Fenno's part) serves up
for the palate of his sect dishes of abuse against you as
high-seasoned as Porcupine's were. You have sinned against Church
and King, and therefore can never be forgiven. How sincerely I
have regretted that your friend, before he fixed a choice of
position, did not visit the valleys on each side of the blue range
in Virginia, as Mr. Madison and myself so much wished. You would
have found there equal soil, the finest climate, and the most
healthy air on the earth, the homage of universal reverence and
love, and the power of the country spread over you as a shield;
but, since you would not make it your Country by adoption, you
must now do it by your good offices.
Mr. Livingston, the Chancellor of New York, so approved the "Letters"
that he got a new edition of them printed at Albany.
The following letter to this same gentleman, although upon another
subject than the "Letters" is not devoid of interest. It has come into
the writer's hands through the kind offices of Dr. Thomas L. Montgomery,
State Librarian of Pennsylvania:
Sir,
I think myself much honoured by your letter, and should have
thought myself singularly happy if my situation had been near to
such a person as you. Persons engaged in scientific pursuits are
few in this country. Indeed, they are not very numerous anywhere.
In other respects I think myself very happy where I am.
I have never given much attention to machines of any kind, and
therefore cannot pretend to decide concerning your proposal for
the improvement of the fire engine. It appears to me to deserve
attention. But I do not for want of a drawing see in what manner
the steam is to be let into the cylinder, or discharged from it.
There would be, I fear, an objection to it from the force
necessary to raise the column of mercury, and from the evaporation
of the mercury in the requisite heat. I have found that it loses
weight in 70° Fahrenheit. If the mercury was pure, I should not
apprehend much from the calcination of it, though, as I have
observed, the agitation of it in water, converts a part of it into
a black powder, which I propose to examine farther.
If travelling was attended with no fewer inconveniences here than
it is in England, I should certainly wait upon you and some other
friends at New York. But this, and my age, render it impossible,
and it would be unreasonable to expect many visitors in this _back
woods_.
I shall be very happy to be favoured with your correspondence, and
am,
Sir,
Yours sincerely,