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第15章

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respectful recollections; and of the gratification it will ever be to

us to hear of your health and welfare。







        A GIFT TO A GRANDDAUGHTER




        _Ellen Randolph Coolidge_

        _Monticello; Nov。 14; 1825_




        MY DEAR ELLEN  In my letter of Oct。 13。 to Mr。 Coolidge; I

gave an account of the riot we had at the University; and of it's

termination。  You will both of course be under anxiety till you know

how it has gone off?  With the best effects in the world。  Having let

it be understood; from the beginning; that we wished to trust very

much to the discretion of the Students themselves for their own

government。  With about four fifths of them; this did well; but there

were about 15。 or 20。 bad subjects who were disposed to try whether

our indulgence was without limit。  Hence the licentious transaction

of which I gave an account to Mr。 Coolidge。  But when the whole mass

saw the serious way in which that experiment was met; the Faculty of

Professors assembled; the Board of Visitors coming forward in support

of that authority; a grand jury taking up the subject; four of the

most guilty expelled; the rest reprimanded; severer laws enacted; and

a rigorous execution of them declared in future; it gave them a shock

and struck a terror; the most severe; as it was less expected。  It

determined the well disposed among them to frown upon every thing of

the kind hereafter; and the ill…disposed returned to order from fear

if not from better motives。  A perfect subordination has succeeded;

entire respect towards the Professors; and industry; order; and quiet

the most exemplary; has prevailed ever since。  Every one is sensible

of the strength which the institution has derived from what appeared

at first to threaten it's foundation。  We have no further fear of any

thing of the kind from the present set。  But as at the next term

their numbers will be more than doubled by the accession of an

additional band; as unbroken as these were; we mean to be prepared;

and to ask of the legislature a power to call in the civil authority

in the first instant of disorder; and to quell it on the spot by

imprisonment and the same legal coercions; provided against disorder

generally; committed by other citizens; from whom; at their age; they

have no right to distinction。




        We have heard of the loss of your baggage; with the vessel

carrying it; and sincerely condole with you on it。  It is not to be

estimated by it's pecuniary value; but by that it held in your

affections。  The documents of your childhood; your letters;

correspondencies; notes; books; &c。; &c。; all gone!  And your life

cut in two; as it were; and a new one to begin; without any records

of the former。  John Hemmings was the first who brought me the news。

He had caught it accidentally from those who first read the letter

from Col。 Peyton announcing it。  He was au desespoir!  That beautiful

writing desk he had taken so much pains to make for you!  Everything

else seemed as nothing in his eye; and that loss was everything。

Virgil could not have been more afflicted had his Aeneid fallen a

prey to the flames。  I asked him if he could not replace it by making

another?  No。  His eyesight had failed him too much; and his

recollection of it was too imperfect。  It has occurred to me however;

that I can replace it; not; indeed; to you; but to Mr。 Coolidge; by a

substitute; not claiming the same value from it's decorations; but

from the part it has _borne_ in our history and the events with which

it has been associated。  I recieved a letter from a friend in

Philadelphia lately; asking information of the house; and room of the

house there; in which the Declaration of Independence was written;

with a view to future celebrations of the 4th。 of July in it;

another; enquiring whether a paper given to the Philosophical society

there; as a rough draught of that Declaration was genuinely so?  A

society is formed there lately for an annual celebration of the

advent of Penn to that place。  It was held in his antient Mansion;

and the chair in which he actually sat when at his writing table was

presented by a lady owning it; and was occupied by the president of

the celebration。  Two other chairs were given them; made of the elm;

under the shade of which Penn had made his first treaty with the

Indians。  If then things acquire a superstitious value because of

their connection with particular persons; surely a connection with

the great Charter of our Independence may give a value to what has

been associated with that; and such was the idea of the enquirers

after the room in which it was written。  Now I happen still to

possess the writing…box on which it was written。  It was made from a

drawing of my own; by Ben。 Randall; a cabinet maker in whose house I

took my first lodgings on my arrival in Philadelphia in May 1776。

And I have used it ever since。  It claims no merit of particular

beauty。  It is plain; neat; convenient; and; taking no more room on

the writing table than a moderate 4to。 volume; it yet displays it

self sufficiently for any writing。  Mr。 Coolidge must do me the favor

of accepting this。  Its imaginary value will increase with the years;

and if he lives to my age; or another half century; he may see it

carried in the procession of our nation's birthday; as the relics of

teh saints are in those of the church。  I will send it thro' Colonel

Peyton; and hope with better fortune than that for which it is to be

a substitute。




        I remark what you say in your letter to your mother; relative

to Mr。 Willard and our University clock。  Judging from that that he

is the person whom Mr。 Coolidge would recommend; and having recieved

from Dr。 Waterhouse a very strong recommendation of him; you may

assure the old gentleman from me that he shall have the making of it。

We have lately made an important purchase of lands amounting to 7000。

D。 and the government is taking from us; under their old and new

Tariff; 2700。 D。 duty on the marble caps and bases of the portico of

our Rotunda; of 10 columns only。  These things try our funds for the

moment。  At the end of the year we shall see how we stand; and I

expect we may be able to give the final order for the clock by

February。




        I want to engage you; as my agent at Boston; for certain

articles not to be had here; and for such only。  But it will be on

the indispensable condition that you keep as rigorous an account of

Dollars and cents as old Yerragan our neighbor would do。  This alone

can induce friends to ask services freely; which would otherwise be

the asking of presents and amount to a prohibition。  We should be

very glad occasionally to get small supplies of the fine dumb codfish

to be had at Boston; and also of the tongues and sounds of the Cod。

This selection of the articles I trouble you for is not of such as

are better there than here; for on that ground we might ask for every

thing from thence; but such only as are not to be had here to all。

Perhaps I should trepass on Mr。 Coolidge for one other article。  We

pay here 2。 D。 a gallon for bad French brandy。  I think I have seen

in Degrand's Price current Marseilles brandy; from Dodge and Oxnard;

advertised good at 1。 Dollar; and another kind called Seignettes;

which I am told is good Cognac at 1。25。 D。  I will ask of you then a

supply of a kental of good dumb fish; and about 20 or 30 lbs。 of

tongues and sounds; and of Mr。 Collidge a 30 gallon cask of Dodge and

Oxnard's Marseilles brandy; if tolerable good at 1。 D。 or

thereabouts; but double cased to guard against spoliation。  Knowing

nothing of the prices of the fish; I will at a venture; desire Col。

Peyton to remit 60。 D。 to Mr。 Coolidge immediately; and any little

difference between this and actual cost either way; may stand over to

your next account。  We should be the better perhaps of your recipe

for dressing both articles。




        I promised Mr。 Tick

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