, as also of the second volume of the
transactions you were so kind as to send me. It would have been a
grateful present indeed, could you have accompanied them with a copy of
your observations on our western country. Besides the interest I feel
in that country in common with others, I have a particular one, as
having ventured so many crudities on that subject. A copy of these,
with some late corrections, I have put into a box of books sent to Mr.
Madison, and another for Mr. Hopkinson. I hope he will forward them to
you from New York. I have also put into the same box for you a
dissertation, by De la Sauvagere, on the spontaneous growth of shells.
When I was at Tours this summer, I inquired into the character of De la
Sauvagere, from a gentleman who had known him well. He told me he was a
person of talents, but of a heated imagination; however, that he might
be depended on for any facts advanced on his own knowledge. This
gentleman added, that he had seen such proofs of this growth of shells
in many parts of the country round Tours, as to convince him of the
truth of the fact; and that he has never seen any person, even the most
incredulous, quit those Falunieres but under the same conviction. After
all, I cannot say I give faith to it. It is so unlike the processes of
nature, to produce the same effect in two different ways, that I can
only bring myself to agree it is not impossible. I have added for you
the Connoissance des Temps for '88 and '89, and a copy of Fourcroi's
Chemistry, which is the best and most complete publication in that
line, which we have had for some time past. I shall be happy to receive
an account of your improvement in timepieces, as well as the third
volume of the transactions, when published. There are abundance of good
things in the second volume. But I must say there are several which
have not merit enough to be placed in such company. I think we should
be a little rigid in our admission of papers. It is the peculiar
privilege derived from our not being obliged to publish a volume in any
fixed period of time. A person here pretends to have discovered the
method of rendering sea-water potable, and has some respectable
certificates of its success. He has contrived a varnish, also, for
lining biscuit barrels, which preserves the biscuit good, and keeps it
free from insects. He asks money for his secrets, so we are not to know
them soon.

The affairs of Holland had got so far entangled as to lea