dern may be improved into the ancient Greek.

You ask me in your letter, what ameliorations I think necessary in our
federal constitution. It is now too late to answer the question, and it
would always have been presumption in me to have done it. Your own
ideas, and those of the great characters who were to be concerned with
you in these discussions, will give the law, as they ought to do, to us
all. My own general idea was, that the States should severally preserve
their sovereignty in whatever concerns themselves alone, and that
whatever may concern another State, or any foreign nation, should be
made a part of the federal sovereignty; that the exercise of the
federal sovereignty should be divided among three several bodies,
legislative, executive, and judiciary, as the State sovereignties are;
and that some peaceable means should be contrived, for the federal head
to force compliance on the part of the States. I have reflected on your
idea of wooden, or ivory diagrams, for the geometrical demonstrations.
I should think wood as good as ivory; and that in this case, it might
add to the improvement of the young gentlemen, that they should make
the figures themselves. Being furnished by a workman with a piece of
veneer, no other tool than a penknife and a wooden rule, would be
necessary. Perhaps pasteboards, or common cards, might be still more
convenient. The difficulty is, how to reconcile figures which must have
a very sensible breadth to our ideas of a mathematical line, which, as
it has neither breadth nor thickness, will revolt more at these than at
simple lines drawn on paper or slate. If, after reflecting on this
proposition, you would prefer having them made here, lay your commands
on me, and they shall be executed.

I return you a thousand thanks for your goodness to my nephew. After my
debt to you for whatever I am myself, it is increasing it too much to
interest yourself for his future fortune. But I know, that to you, a
consciousness of doing good is a luxury ineffable. You have enjoyed it
already, beyond all human measure, and that you may long live to enjoy
it, and to bless your country and friends, is the sincere prayer of him
who is, with every possible sentiment of esteem and respect, dear Sir,
your most obedient, and most humble servant.

TO MR. DAVID RITTENHOUSE.

PARIS, September 18, 1787.

DEAR SIR,--I am now to acknowledge the receipt of your favors of April
the 14th, and June the 26th