thegenerousallianceshehasenteredintowithus。Tho’muchofmytimeisemployedinthecouncilsofAmericaIhaveyetalittleleisuretoindulgemyfondnessforphilosophicalstudies。Icouldwishtocorrespondwithyouonsubjectsofthatkind。Itmightnotbeunacceptabletoyoutobeinformedforinstanceofthetruepowerofourclimateasdiscoverablefromthethermometer，fromtheforce&
directionofthewinds，thequantityofrain，theplantswhichgrowwithoutshelterinwinter&c。Ontheotherhandweshouldbemuchpleasedwithcontemporaryobservationsonthesameparticularsinyourcountry，whichwillgiveusacomparativeviewofthetwoclimates。Farenheit’sthermometeristheonlyoneinusewithus，I
makemydailyobservationsasearlyaspossibleinthemorning&
againabout4o’clockintheafternoon，thesegenerallyshowingthemaximaofcold&heatinthecourseof24hours。IwishIcouldgratifyyourBotanicaltaste；butIamacquaintedwithnothingmorethanthefirstprinciplesofthatscience；yetmyself&myfriendsmayfurnishyouwithanyBotanicalsubjectswhichthiscountryaffords，andarenottobehadwithyou；andIshalltakepleasureinprocuringthemwhenpointedoutbyyou。Thegreatestdifficultywillbethemeansofconveyanceduringthecontinuanceofthewar。
IfthereisagratificationwhichIenvyanypeopleinthisworld，itistoyourcountryitsmusic。Thisisthefavoritepassionofmysoul，&fortunehascastmylotinacountrywhereitisinastateofdeplorablebarbarism。Fromthelineoflifeinwhichweconjectureyoutobe，Ihaveforsometimelostthehopeofseeingyouhere。Shouldtheeventproveso，Ishallaskyourassistanceinprocuringasubstitute，whomaybeaproficientinsinging，&ontheHarpsichord。Ishouldbecontentedtoreceivesuchanonetwoorthreeyearshence，whenitishopedhemaycomemoresafelyandfindhereagreaterplentyofthoseusefulthingswhichcommercealonecanfurnish。TheboundsofanAmericanfortunewillnotadmittheindulgenceofadomesticbandofmusicians，yetIhavethoughtthatapassionformusicmightbereconciledwiththateconomywhichweareobligedtoobserve。IretainforinstanceamongmydomesticservantsagardenerOrtolans，aweaverTessitoredilinoelin，acabinetmakerStipeltaioandastonecutterScalpellinolaboranteinpianotowhichIwouldaddavigneron。InacountrywherelikeyoursmusiciscultivatedandpractisedbyeveryclassofmenI