part15-第6章

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triumphant；　and　they　will　undoubtedly　be　so　in　all。　　What　kind　of

government　will　they　establish？　　How　much　liberty　can　they　bear

without　intoxication？　　Are　their　chiefs　sufficiently　enlightened　to

form　a　well…guarded　government；　and　their　people　to　watch　their

chiefs？　　Have　they　mind　enough　to　place　their　domesticated　Indians　on

a　footing　with　the　whites？　　All　these　questions　you　can　answer　better

than　any　other。　　I　imagine　they　will　copy　our　outlines　of

confederation　and　elective　government；　abolish　distinction　of　ranks；

bow　the　neck　to　their　priests；　and　persevere　in　intolerantism。　　Their

greatest　difficulty　will　be　in　the　construction　of　their　executive。

I　suspect　that；　regardless　of　the　experiment　of　France；　and　of　that

of　the　United　States　in　1784；　they　will　begin　with　a　directory；　and

when　the　unavoidable　schisms　in　that　kind　of　executive　shall　drive

them　to　something　else；　their　great　question　will　come　on　whether　to

substitute　an　executive　elective　for　years；　for　life；　or　an

hereditary　one。　　But　unless　instruction　can　be　spread　among　them　more

rapidly　than　experience　promises；　despotism　may　come　upon　them　before

they　are　qualified　to　save　the　ground　they　will　have　gained。　　Could

Napoleon　obtain；　at　the　close　of　the　present　war；　the　independence　of

all　the　West　India　islands；　and　their　establishment　in　a　separate

confederacy；　our　quarter　of　the　globe　would　exhibit　an　enrapturing

prospect　into　futurity。　　You　will　live　to　see　much　of　this。　　I　shall

follow；　however；　cheerfully　my　fellow　laborers；　contented　with　having

borne　a　part　in　beginning　this　beatific　reformation。




　　　　　　　　I　fear；　from　some　expressions　in　your　letter；　that　your

personal　interests　have　not　been　duly　protected；　while　you　were

devoting　your　time；　talents　and　labor　for　the　information　of　mankind。

I　should　sincerely　regret　it　for　the　honor　of　the　governing　powers；

as　well　as　from　affectionate　attachment　to　yourself　and　the　sincerest

wishes　for　your　felicity；　fortunes　and　fame。




　　　　　　　　In　sending　you　a　copy　of　my　Notes　on　Virginia；　I　do　but　obey

the　desire　you　have　expressed。　　They　must　appear　chetif　enough　to　the

author　of　the　great　work　on　South　America。　　But　from　the　widow　her

mite　was　welcome；　and　you　will　add　to　this　indulgence　the　acceptance

of　my　sincere　assurances　of　constant　friendship　and　respect。







　　　　　　　　〃A　YOUNG　GARDENER〃




　　　　　　　　_To　Charles　Willson　Peale_

　　　　　　　　_Poplar　Forest；　August　20；　1811_




　　　　　　　　It　is　long；　my　dear　Sir；　since　we　have　exchanged　a　letter。　　Our

former　correspondence　had　always　some　little　matter　of　business

interspersed；　but　this　being　at　an　end；　I　shall　still　be　anxious　to

hear　from　you　sometimes；　and　to　know　that　you　are　well　and　happy。　　I

know　indeed　that　your　system　is　that　of　contentment　under　any

situation。　　I　have　heard　that　you　have　retired　from　the　city　to　a

farm；　and　that　you　give　your　whole　time　to　that。　　Does　not　the　museum

suffer？　　And　is　the　farm　as　interesting？　　Here；　as　you　know；　we　are

all　farmers；　but　not　in　a　pleasing　style。　　We　have　so　little　labor　in

proportion　to　our　land　that；　although　perhaps　we　make　more　profit

from　the　same　labor；　we　cannot　give　to　our　grounds　that　style　of

beauty　which　satisfies　the　eye　of　the　amateur。　　Our　rotations　are

corn；　wheat；　and　clover；　or　corn；　wheat；　clover　and　clover；　or　wheat；

corn；　wheat；　clover　and　clover；　preceding　the　clover　by　a　plastering。

But　some；　instead　of　clover　substitute　mere　rest；　and　all　are

slovenly　enough。　　We　are　adding　the　care　of　Merino　sheep。　　I　have

often　thought　that　if　heaven　had　given　me　choice　of　my　position　and

calling；　it　should　have　been　on　a　rich　spot　of　earth；　well　watered；

and　near　a　good　market　for　the　productions　of　the　garden。　　No

occupation　is　so　delightful　to　me　as　the　culture　of　the　earth；　and　no

culture　comparable　to　that　of　the　garden。　　Such　a　variety　of

subjects；　some　one　always　coming　to　perfection；　the　failure　of　one

thing　repaired　by　the　success　of　another；　and　instead　of　one　harvest

a　continued　one　through　the　year。　　Under　a　total　want　of　demand

except　for　our　family　table；　I　am　still　devoted　to　the　garden。　　But

though　an　old　man；　I　am　but　a　young　gardener。




　　　　　　　　Your　application　to　whatever　you　are　engaged　in　I　know　to　be

incessant。　　But　Sundays　and　rainy　days　are　always　days　of　writing　for

the　farmer。　　Think　of　me　sometimes　when　you　have　your　pen　in　hand；

and　give　me　information　of　your　health　and　occupations；　and　be　always

assured　of　my　great　esteem　and　respect。







　　　　　　　　REPRISE：　WEIGHTS；　MEASURES；　AND　COINS




　　　　　　　　_To　Dr。　Robert　Patterson_

　　　　　　　　_Monticello；　November　10；　1811_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　Your　favor　of　September　23d　came　to　hand　in　due

time；　and　I　thank　you　for　the　nautical　almanac　it　covered　for　the

year　1813。　　I　learn　with　pleasure　that　the　Philosophical　Society　has

concluded　to　take　into　consideration　the　subject　of　a　fixed　standard

of　measures；　weights　and　coins；　and　you　ask　my　ideas　on　it；　insulated

as　my　situation　is；　I　am　sure　I　can　offer　nothing　but　what　will　occur

to　the　committee　engaged　on　it；　with　the　advantage　on　their　part　of

correction　by　an　interchange　of　sentiments　and　observations　among

themselves。　　I　will；　however；　hazard　some　general　ideas　because　you

desire　it；　and　if　a　single　one　be　useful；　the　labor　will　not　be　lost。




　　　　　　　　The　subject　to　be　referred　to　as　a　standard；　whether　it　be

matter　or　motion；　should　be　fixed　by　nature；　invariable　and

accessible　to　all　nations；　independently　of　others；　and　with　a

convenience　not　disproportioned　to　its　utility。　　What　subject　in

nature　fulfils　best　these　conditions？　　What　system　shall　we　propose

on　this；　embracing　measures；　weights　and　coins？　and　in　what　form

shall　we　present　it　to　the　world？　　These　are　the　questions　before　the

committee。




　　　　　　　　Some　other　subjects　have；　at　different　times；　been　proposed　as

standards；　but　two　only　have　divided　the　opinions　of　men：　first；　a

direct　admeasurement　of　a　line　on　the　earth's　surface；　or　second；　a

measure　derived　from　its　motion　on　its　axis。　　To　measure　directly

such　a　portion　of　the　earth　as　would　furnish　an　element　of　measure；

which　might　be　found　again　with　certainty　in　all　future　times；　would

be　too　far　beyond　the　competence　of　our　means　to　be　taken　into

consideration。　　I　am　free；　at　the　same　time；　to　say　that　if　these

were　within　our　power　in　the　most　ample　degree；　this　element　would

not　meet　my　preference。　　The　admeasurement　would　of　course　be　of　a

portion　of　some　great　circle　of　the　earth。　　If　of　the　equator；　the

countries　over　which　that　passes；　their　character　and　remoteness；

render　the　undertaking　arduous；　and　we　may　say　impracticable　for　most

nations。　　If　of　some　meridian；　the　varying　measures　of　its　degrees

from　the　equator　to　the　pole；　require　a　mean　to　be　sought；　of　which

some　aliquot　part　may　furnish　what　is　desired。　　For　this　purpose　the

45th　degree　has　been　recurred　to；　and　such　a　length　of　line　on　both

sides　of　it　terminating　at　each　end　in　the　ocean；　as　may　furnish　a

satisfactory　law　for　a　deduction　of　the　unmeasured　part　of　the

quadrant。　　The　portion　resorted　to　by　the　French　philosophers；　（and

there　is　no　other　on　the　globe　under　circumstances　equally

satisfactory；）　is　the　meridian　passing　through　their　country　and　a

portion　of　Spain；　from　Dunkirk　to　Barcelona。　　The　objections　to　such

an　admeasurement　as　an　element　of　measure；　are　the　labor；　the　time；

the　number　of　highly…qualified　agents；　and　the　great　expense

required。　　All　this；　too；　is　to　be　repeated　whenever　any　accident

shall　have　destroyed　the　standard　derived　from　it；　or　impaired　its

dimensions。　　This　portion　of　that　particular　meridian　is　accessible

of　right　to　no　one　nation　on　earth。　　France；　indeed；　availing　herself

of　a　moment　of　peculiar　relation　between　Spain　and　herself；　has

executed　such　an　admeasurement。　　But　how　would　it　be　at　this　moment；

as　to　either　France　or　Spain？　and　how　is　it　at　al