part14-第4章

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　　　　　　　　Molar　teeth　which　we　suppose　to　be　like　those　of　the　mammoth　or

elephant　of　Siberia。　　They　are　essentially　different　from　those　of

the　mammoth　or　elephant　of　this　country；　and　although　similar　in　some

respects　to　the　teeth　of　the　Asiatic　elephant；　they　agree　more

completely　with　the　description　of　the　teeth　found　in　Siberia　in　the

arrangement　and　size　of　the　transverse　lamina　of　enamel。　　This　idea；

however；　is　not　derived　from　actual　comparison　of　the　different　teeth

with　each　other；　for　we　have　no　specimens　of　Siberian　teeth　in　this

country；　but　from　inferences　deduced　from　the　various　accounts　and

drawings　of　these　teeth　to　be　found　in　books。　　A　few　of　these　teeth

have　been　found　in　several　places　where　the　bones　of　the　American

animal　have　existed。




　　　　　　　　An　Astragalus。




　　　　　　　　An　Oscalcis。




　　　　　　　　Os　naviculare。




　　　　　　　　In　the　large　box　in　which　the　preceding　bones　are；　is　a　small

one　containing　a　promiscuous　mass　of　small　bones；　chiefly　of　the

feet。




　　　　　　　　In　the　large　irregular…shaped　box；　a　tusk　of　large　size。　　The

spiral　twist　in　all　the　specimens　of　these　tusks　which　we　have　seen；

was　remarked　so　long　ago　as　the　time　of　Breyneus；　in　his　description

of　the　tusks　of　the　Siberian　mammoth　in　the　Philosophical

Transactions；　if　that　paper　is　rightly　recollected；　for　the　book　is

not　here　to　be　turned　to　at　present。　　Many　fragments　of　tusks　have

been　sent　from　the　Ohio；　generally　resembling　portions　of　such　tusks

as　are　brought　to　us　in　the　course　of　commerce。　　But　of　these　spiral

tusks；　in　a　tolerable　complete　state；　we　have　had　only　four。　　One　was

found　near　the　head　of　the　north　branch　of　the　Susquehanna。　　A　second

possessed　by　Mr。　Peale；　was　found　with　the　skeleton；　near　the　Hudson。

A　third　is　at　Monticello；　found　with　the　bones　of　this　collection　at

the　Big…bone　lick　of　Ohio；　and　the　fourth　isthat　now　sent　for　the

Institute；　found　at　the　same　place　and　larger　than　that　at

Monticello。




　　　　　　　　The　smallest　box　contains　the　horns　of　the　mountain　ram；　and

skin　of　the　fleecy　goat。







　　　　　　　　PLOUGHS




　　　　　　　　_To　Monsieur　Sylvestre_

　　　　　　　　_Washington；　July　15；　1808_




　　　　　　　　SIR；　　I　had　received　from　you　on　a　former　occasion　the　four

first　volumes　of　the　Memoirs　of　the　Agricultural　Society　of　the

Seine；　and　since　that；　your　letter　of　September　19th；　with　the　6th；

7th；　8ths；　and　9th　volumes；　being　for　the　years　1804　'5　'6；　with　some

separate　memoirs。　　These　I　have　read　with　great　avidity　and

satisfaction；　and　now　return　you　my　thanksfor　them。　　But　I　owe

particular　acknowledgments　for　the　valuable　present　of　the　Theatre　de

De　Serres；　which　I　consider　as　a　prodigy　for　the　age　in　which　it　was

composed；　and　shows　an　advancement　in　the　science　of　agriculture

which　I　had　never　suspected　to　have　belonged　to　that　time。　　Brought

down　to　the　present　day　by　the　very　valuable　notes　added；　it　is

really　such　a　treasure　of　agricultural　knowledge；　as　has　not　before

been　offered　to　the　world　in　a　single　work。




　　　　　　　　It　is　not　merely　for　myself；　but　for　my　country；　that　I　must　do

homage　to　the　philanthropy　of　the　Society；　which　has　dictated　their

destination　for　me　of　their　newly…improved　plough。　　I　shall　certainly

so　use　it　as　to　answer　their　liberal　views；　by　making　the

opportunities　of　profiting　by　it　as　general　as　possible。




　　　　　　　　I　have　just　received　information　that　a　plough　addressed　to　me

has　arrived　at　New　York；　_from　England_；　but　unaccompanied　by　any

letter　or　other　explanation。　　As　I　have　had　no　intimation　of　such　an

article　to　be　forwarded　to　me　from　that　country；　I　presume　it　is　the

one　sent　by　the　Society　of　the　Seine；　that　it　has　been　carried　into

England　under　their　orders　of　council；　and　permitted　to　come　on　from

thence。　　This　I　shall　know　within　a　short　time。　　I　shall　with　great

pleasure　attend　to　the　construction　and　transmission　to　the　Society

of　a　plough　with　my　mould　board。　　This　is　the　only　part　of　that

useful　instrument　to　which　I　have　paid　any　particular　attention。　　But

knowing　how　much　the　perfection　of　the　plough　must　depend；　1st；　on

the　line　of　traction；　2d；　on　the　direction　of　the　share；　3d；　on　the

angle　of　the　wing；　4th；　on　the　form　of　the　mould…board；　and　persuaded

that　I　shall　find　the　three　first　advantages　eminently　exemplified　in

that　which　the　Society　sends　me；　I　am　anxious　to　see　combined　with

these　a　mould…board　of　my　form；　in　the　hope　it　will　still　advance　the

perfection　of　that　machine。　　But　for　this　I　must　ask　time　till　I　am

relieved　from　the　cares　which　have　now　a　right　to　all　my　time；　that

is　to　say；　till　the　next　Spring。　　Then　giving；　in　the　leisure　of

retirement；　all　the　time　and　attention　this　construction　merits　and

requires；　I　will　certainly　render　to　the　Society　the　result　in　a

plough　of　the　best　form　I　shall　be　able　to　have　executed。　　In　the

meantime；　accept　for　them　and　yourself　the　assurances　of　my　high

respect　and　consideration。







　　　　　　　　EDUCATION　OF　A　GRANDSON




　　　　　　　　_To　Thomas　Jefferson　Randolph_

　　　　　　　　_Washington；　Nov。　24th；　1808_




　　　　　　　　MY　DEAR　JEFFERSON　　I　have　just　recieved　the　inclosed　letter

under　cover　from　Mr。　Bankhead　which　I　presume　is　from　Anne　and　will

inform　you　she　is　well。　　Mr。　Bankhead　has　consented　to　go　and　pursue

his　studies　at　Monticello；　and　live　with　us　till　his　pursuits　or

circumstances　may　require　a　separate　establishment。　　Your　situation；

thrown　at　such　a　distance　from　us　and　alone；　cannot　but　give　us　all；

great　anxieties　for　you。　　As　much　has　been　secured　for　you；　by　your

particular　position　and　the　acquaintance　to　which　you　have　been

recommended；　as　could　be　done　towards　shielding　you　from　the　dangers

which　surround　you。　　But　thrown　on　a　wide　world；　among　entire

strangers　without　a　friend　or　guardian　to　advise　so　young　too　and

with　so　little　experience　of　mankind；　your　dangers　are　great；　and

still　your　safety　must　rest　on　yourself。　　A　determination　never　to　do

what　is　wrong；　prudence；　and　good　humor；　will　go　far　towards　securing

to　you　the　estimation　of　the　world。　　When　I　recollect　that　at　14。

years　of　age；　the　whole　care　and　direction　of　my　self　was　thrown　on

my　self　entirely；　without　a　relation　or　friend　qualified　to　advise　or

guide　me；　and　recollect　the　various　sorts　of　bad　company　with　which　I

associated　from　time　to　time；　I　am　astonished　I　did　not　turn　off　with

some　of　them；　and　become　as　worthless　to　society　as　they　were。　　I　had

the　good　fortune　to　become　acquainted　very　early　with　some　characters

of　very　high　standing；　and　to　feel　the　incessant　wish　that　I　could

even　become　what　they　were。　　Under　temptations　and　difficulties；　I

could　ask　myself　what　would　Dr。　Small；　Mr。　Wythe；　Peyton　Randolph　do

in　this　situation？　　What　course　in　it　will　ensure　me　their

approbation？　　I　am　certain　that　this　mode　of　deciding　on　my　conduct

tended　more　to　it's　correctness　than　any　reasoning　powers　I

possessed。　　Knowing　the　even　and　dignified　line　they　pursued；　I　could

never　doubt　for　a　moment　which　of　two　courses　would　be　in　character

for　them。　　Whereas　seeking　the　same　object　through　a　process　of　moral

reasoning；　and　with　the　jaundiced　eye　of　youth；　I　should　often　have

erred。　　From　the　circumstances　of　my　position　I　was　often　thrown　into

the　society　of　horseracers；　cardplayers；　Foxhunters；　scientific　and

professional　men；　and　of　dignified　men；　and　many　a　time　have　I　asked

myself；　in　the　enthusiastic　moment　of　the　death　of　a　fox；　the　victory

of　a　favorite　horse；　the　issue　of　a　question　eloquently　argued　at　the

bar　or　in　the　great　Council　of　the　nation；　well；　which　of　these　kinds

of　reputation　should　I　prefer？　　That　of　a　horse　jockey？　　A　foxhunter？

An　Orator？　　Or　the　honest　advocate　of　my　country's　rights？　　Be

assured　my　dear　Jefferson；　that　these　little　returns　into　ourselves；

this　self…cathechising　habit；　is　not　trifling；　nor　useless；　but　leads

to　the　prudent　selection　and　steady　pursuits　of　what　is　right？