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visit　Monticello　is　some　consolation；　and　he　can　assure　her　she　will

be　received　with　open　arms　and　hearts　by　the　whole　family。　he　prays

her　to　accept　the　homage　of　his　affectionate　attachment　and　respect。







　　　　　　　　THE　POTATO　AND　HARPER'S　FERRY




　　　　　　　　_To　Horatio　G。　Spafford_

　　　　　　　　_Monticello；　May　14；　1809_




　　　　　　　　SIR；　　I　have　duly　received　your　favor　of　April　3d；　with　the

copy　of　your　〃General　Geography；〃　for　which　I　pray　you　to　accept　my

thanks。　　My　occupations　here　have　not　permitted　me　to　read　it

through；　which　alone　could　justify　any　judgment　expressed　on　the

work。　　Indeed；　as　it　appears　to　be　an　abridgment　of　several　branches

of　science；　the　scale　of　abridgment　must　enter　into　that　judgment。

Different　readers　require　different　scales　according　to　the　time　they

can　spare；　and　their　views　in　reading；　and　no　doubt　that　the　view　of

the　sciences　which　you　have　brought　into　the　compass　of　a　12mo　volume

will　be　accommodated　to　the　time　and　object　of　many　who　may　wish　for

but　a　very　general　view　of　them




　　　　　　　　In　passing　my　eye　rapidly　over　parts　of　the　book；　I　was　struck

with　two　passages；　on　which　I　will　make　observations；　not　doubting

your　wish；　in　any　future　edition；　to　render　the　work　as　correct　as

you　can。　　In　page　186　you　say　the　potatoe　is　a　native　of　the　United

States。　　I　presume　you　speak　of　the　Irish　potatoe。　　I　have　inquired

much　into　the　question；　and　think　I　can　assure　you　that　plant　is　not

a　native　of　North　America。　　Zimmerman；　in　his　〃Geographical　Zoology；〃

says　it　is　a　native　of　Guiana；　and　Clavigero；　that　the　Mexicans　got

it　from　South　America；　_its　native　country。_　The　most　probable

account　I　have　been　able　to　collect　is；　that　a　vessel　of　Sir　Walter

Raleigh's；　returning　from　Guiana；　put　into　the　west　of　Ireland　in

distress；　having　on　board　some　potatoes　which　they　called

earth…apples。　　That　the　season　of　the　year；　and　circumstance　of　their

being　already　sprouted；　induced　them　to　give　them　all　out　there；　and

they　were　no　more　heard　or　thought　of；　till　they　had　been　spread

considerably　into　that　island；　whence　they　were　carried　over　into

England；　and　therefore　called　the　Irish　potatoe。　　From　England　they

came　to　the　United　States；　bringing　their　name　with　them。




　　　　　　　　The　other　passage　respects　the　description　of　the　passage　of

the　Potomac　through　the　Blue　Ridge；　in　the　Notes　on　Virginia。　　You

quote　from　Volney's　account　of　the　United　States　what　his　words　do

not　justify。　　His　words　are；　〃on　coming　from　Fredericktown；　one　does

not　see　the　rich　perspective　mentioned　in　the　Notes　of　Mr。　Jefferson。

On　observing　this　to　him　a　few　days　after；　he　informed　me　he　had　his

information　from　a　French　engineer　who；　during　the　war　of

Independence；　ascended　the　height　of　the　hills；　and　I　conceive　that

at　that　elevation　the　perspective　must　be　as　imposing　as　a　wild

country；　whose　horizon　has　no　obstacles；　may　present。〃　That　the　scene

described　in　the　〃Notes〃　is　not　visible　from　any　part　of　the　road

from　Fredericktown　to　Harper's　ferry　is　most　certain。　　That　road

passes　along　the　valley；　nor　can　it　be　seen　from　the　tavern　after

crossing　the　ferry；　and　we　may　fairly　infer　that　Mr。　Volney　did　not

ascend　the　height　back　of　the　tavern　from　which　alone　it　can　be　seen；

but　that　he　pursued　his　journey　from　the　tavern　along　the　high　road。

Yet　he　admits；　that　at　the　elevation　of　that　height　the　perspective

may　be　as　rich　as　a　wild　country　can　present。　　But　you　make　him

〃surprised　to　find；　_by　a　view　of　the　spot_；　that　the　description　was

_amazingly　exaggerated。_〃　But　it　is　evident　that　Mr。　　Volney　did　not

ascend　the　hill　to　_get　a　view　of　the　spot_；　and　that　he　supposed

that　that　height　may　present　as　imposing　a　view　as　such　a　country

admits。　　But　Mr。　Volney　was　mistaken　in　saying　I　told　him　I　had

received　the　description　from　a　French　engineer。　　By　an　error　of

memory　he　has　misapplied　to　this　scene　what　I　mentioned　to　him　as　to

the　Natural　Bridge。　　I　told　him　I　received　a　_drawing_　of　that　from　a

French　engineer　sent　there　by　the　Marquis　de　Chastellux；　and　who　has

published　that　drawing　in　his　travels。　　I　could　not　tell　him　I　had

the　description　of　the　passage　of　the　Potomac　from　a　French　engineer；

because　I　never　heard　any　Frenchman　say　a　word　about　it；　much　less

did　I　ever　receive　a　description　of　it　from　any　mortal　whatever。　　I

visited　the　place　myself　in　October　1783；　wrote　the　description　some

time　after；　and　printed　the　work　in　Paris　in　1784…5。　　I　wrote　the

description　from　my　own　view　of　the　spot；　stated　no　fact　but　what　I

saw；　and　can　now　affirm　that　no　fact　is　exaggerated。　　It　is　true　that

the　same　scene　may　excite　very　different　sensations　in　different

spectators；　according　to　their　different　sensibilities。　　The

sensations　of　some　may　be　much　stronger　than　those　of　others。　　And

with　respect　to　the　Natural　Bridge；　it　was　not　a　description；　but　a

drawing　only；　which　I　received　from　the　French　engineer。　　The

description　was　written　before　I　ever　saw　him。　　It　is　not　from　any

merit　which　I　suppose　in　either　of　these　descriptions；　that　I　have

gone　into　these　observations；　but　to　correct　the　imputation　of　having

given　to　the　world　as　my　own；　ideas；　and　false　ones　too；　which　I　had

received　from　another。　　Nor　do　I　mention　the　subject　to　you　with　a

desire　that　it　should　be　any　otherwise　noticed　before　the　public　than

by　a　more　correct　statement　in　any　future　edition　of　your　work。




　　　　　　　　You　mention　having　enclosed　to　me　some　printed　letters

announcing　a　design　in　which　you　ask　my　aid。　　But　no　such　letters

came　to　me。　　Any　facts　which　I　possess；　and　which　may　be　useful　to

your　views；　shall　be　freely　communicated；　and　I　shall　be　happy　to　see

you　at　Monticello；　should　you　come　this　way　as　you　propose。　　You　will

find　me　engaged　entirely　in　rural　occupations；　looking　into　the　field

of　science　but　occasionally　and　at　vacant　moments。




　　　　　　　　I　sowed　some　of　the　Benni　seed　the　last　year；　and　distributed

some　among　my　neighbors；　but　the　whole　was　killed　by　the　September

frost。　　I　got　a　little　again　the　last　winter；　but　it　was　sowed　before

I　received　your　letter。　　Colonel　Fen　of　New　York　receives　quantities

of　it　from　Georgia；　from　whom　you　may　probably　get　some　through　the

Mayor　of　New　York。　　But　I　little　expect　it　can　succeed　with　you。　　It

is　about　as　hardy　as　the　cotton　plant；　from　which　you　may　judge　of

the　probability　of　raising　it　at　Hudson。




　　　　　　　　I　salute　you　with　great　respect。







　　　　　　　　CIRCULATING　LIBRARIES




　　　　　　　　_To　John　Wyche_

　　　　　　　　_Monticello；　May　19；　1809_




　　　　　　　　SIR；　　Your　favor　of　March　19th　came　to　hand　but　a　few　days

ago；　and　informs　me　of　the　establishment　of　the　Westward　Mill　Library

Society；　of　its　general　views　and　progress。　　I　always　hear　with

pleasure　of　institutions　for　the　promotion　of　knowledge　among　my

countrymen。　　The　people　of　every　country　are　the　only　safe　guardians

of　their　own　rights；　and　are　the　only　instruments　which　can　be　used

for　their　destruction。　　And　certainly　they　would　never　consent　to　be

so　used　were　they　not　deceived。　　To　avoid　this；　they　should　be

instructed　to　a　certain　degree。　　I　have　often　thought　that　nothing

would　do　more　extensive　good　at　small　expense　than　the　establishment

of　a　small　circulating　library　in　every　county；　to　consist　of　a　few

well…chosen　books；　to　be　lent　to　the　people　of　the　county；　under　such

regulations　as　would　secure　their　safe　return　in　due　time。　　These

should　be　such　as　would　give　them　a　general　view　of　other　history；

and　particular　view　of　that　of　their　own　country；　a　tolerable

knowledge　of　Geography；　the　elements　of　Natural　Philosophy；　of

Agriculture　and　Mechanics。　　Should　your　example　lead　to　this；　it　will

do　great　good。　　Having　had　more　favorable　opportunities　than　fall　to

every　man's　lot　of　becoming　acquainted　with　the　best　books　on　such

subjects　as　might　be　selected；　I　do　not　know　that　I　can　be　otherwise

useful　to　your　society　than　by　offering　them　any　information

respecting　these　which　they　might　wish。　　My　services　in　this　way　are

freely　at　their　command；　and　I　beg　leave　to　tender　to　yourself　my

salutations　and　assurances　of　respect。







　　　　　　　　〃THE　SPIRIT　OF　MANUFACTURE〃




　　　　　　　　_To　P。　S。　Dupont　de　Nemours_

　　　　　　　　_Monticello；　June　28；　1809_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　The　interruption　of　our　commerce　with　England；

produced　by　our　embargo　and　non…intercourse　law；　and　the　general

indignation　excited　by　her　barefaced　attempts　to　make　us　accessories

and　tributaries　to　her　usurpations　on　the　high　seas；　have　generated

in　this　country　an　universal　spirit　for　manufacturing　for　ourselves；

and　of　reducing　to　a　minimum　the　number　of　articles　for　which　we　are

dependent　on　her。　　The　advantages；　too；　of　lessening　the　occasions　of

risking　our　peace　on　the　ocean；　and　of　planting　the　consumer　in　our

own　soil　by　the　side　of　the　grower　of　produce；　are　so　palpable；　that

no　temporary　susp