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At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Jefferson, Thomas (1743-1826) to Judge Peters re: thanks for Biddle's address on agriculture

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC06720 Author/Creator: Jefferson, Thomas (1743-1826) Place Written: Monticello Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 1822/02/20 Pagination: 1 p. 20.1 x 24.8 cm Order a Copy

A wonderful letter written in the third person, signed at the beginning and in initials at the end. "Mr. Biddle has justly noticed their mass of excellent sense and admirable practice disfigured by a fantastical mixture of superstition and empiricism, such as the ass's head in the middle of the garden, these poor ignorant pagans...."

Th: Jefferson returns his thanks to his friend judge Peters for Mr. Biddle's instructive and well written agricultural address. it came to hand exactly as he was amusing with reading the agriculture of the Greeks in their Geoponies [sic]. mr. Biddle has justly noticed their [illegible] of excellent sense and admiral practice, disfigured by a fantastical mixture of superstition and empiricism. such as recipe of the ass's head in the middle of the garden [illegible] these poor ignorant pagans seem not to have been aware that the privilege of producing ring-[illegible] cattle by [illegible] them striped sticks did not extend to them.
Th: J renews affectionately ancient collection with Judge Peters and assures him of his constant esteem & respect.

Monticello Feb. 20. 22

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826

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