My right hand presents its
devoirs to you, and sees with great indignation the left supplanting it
in a correspondence so much valued. You will know the first moment it
can resume its rights. The first exercise of them shall be addressed to
you, as you had the first essay of its rival. It will yet, however, be
many a day. Present my esteem to Mr. Cosway, and believe me to be yours
very affectionately,
Th: Jefferson.
LETTER XXX.--M. LE ROY DE L'ACADEMIE DES SCIENCES, November 13, 1786
M. LE ROY DE L'ACADEMIE DES SCIENCES.
Paris, November 13, 1786.
Sir,
I received the honor of yours of September the 18th, a day or two after
the accident of a dislocated wrist had disabled me from writing. I have
waited thus long in constant hope of recovering its use. But finding
that this hope walks before me like my shadow, I can no longer oppose
the desire and duty of answering your polite and learned letter. I
therefore employ my left hand in the office of scribe, which it performs
indeed slowly, awkwardly, and badly.
The information given by me to the Marquis de Chastellux, and alluded to
in his book and in your letter, was, that the sea breezes which prevail
in the lower parts of Virginia, during the summer months, and in the
warm parts of-the day, had made a sensible progress into the interior
country: that formerly, within the memory of persons living, they
extended but little above Williamsburg; that afterwards they became
sensible as high as Richmond; and that, at present, they penetrate
sometimes as far as the first mountains, which are above an hundred
miles further from the sea coast, than Williamsburg is.
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