Resurrecting the First American West

gratefully, and endeavour to tender you a suitable return by sending you some of my works, such as the flora of Louisiana & meantime I beg leave to hand you separate by [mail?] my printed circular.

You may write me here to let me know your intentions or in Lexington. You might send your plants to our mutual friend, Mr John D. Clifford, or Dr Brown, or any other friend of yours. If you could call there yourself, it might be very agreeable to both, you might them see the collections I have made in coming and in the W. States; I have discovered already several new genera and abt. new species of plants.

I do not know if you have paid any attention to [animals?] and fossils: if you have any notice on fishes, shells, fossils & they will be very acceptable. I have already described [around?] 30 species of shells of the Ohio, all new! and abt 20 species of fishes, mostly [such?].

I remain very sincerely & respectfully Your obedt Srv, Constantine Samuel Rafinesque of the R. [?] of Naples [Philad.?] Soc. of New York Lycineum of Nat. Hist. N.Y. [Acad?] of Nat [Sc.?] [Philadephia?]

Richmond 2nd July 1780

D^r Col.

I am bound to return you thanks on behalf of the Kentucky Inhabitants for your late attention shewn to their distresses. - The assembly will sit about 10 days longer I expect - The House were yesterday in Com^ee upon the Bill for recruiting 5000 regulars I expect will pass the whole House nearly as in Com^ee. The County to be laid off in 4 Divisions of 44 men making each division as equal in ability assigning a certain district for each division If the Bounty of 2 or 3000 will not raise the four men or 11th part of the Militia. The property of the District is to be charged I make good the Residue - The Finance [page damaged]s only been read the first time & altho' I am a friend to [damage]et I find it extreme ly exceptionable & doubt whether it [damage]ls - a False Alarm yesterday occasioned the House to [damage] absence to many of the Members for the Rem^r & I fear the [damage] will be thin

Gen^l Clinton with 4000 men arrived about 2 Weeks ago at N. York. Kniphausen had advanced before to Eliza^th Town Point and Gen^l Washington was at Springfield on his Flank I expect the the Enemy are thus industrious this spring to affect something of Moment before the arrival of the French Fleet & I much fear their vigour will exceed ours. As to Kentucky news - the Coun ty is divided into three- Bensons Creek & the Beach Knobs separate Jefferson the lower County from Lincoln the upper one both on the South side the River - Fayette is the name of that on the N^o Side Kentucky - Connolly's 1000 Acres of the Falls is given to Trustees for a Town Louisville - a Bill is running the Gauntlet for vesting the escheated lands in Trustees for a publick School But parsimony still holds a Seat among us & I fear a Majority will at last prevail against it -

Pray what news about the Tories? Acc^ts from your Quar ter alarm us much. You dont want precedent for the proper punishment if you succeed - I shall be about Richm^d till the Middle Aug^t I will be glad of a line or two. Comp^ts to your Lady I am D^r Col. Your mo. obed^t Hble Servant

Jn^o [Toddy's?]

John Brown Esq. a Delegate from Virginia at New York

Bill to Brown M. C 1787 offering for superintendent of South n Dept.

3 volume of this work has never been published in England, owing, probably, partly to the incorrectness of the translation of the first volume, and partly to the circumstance that the second volume of the original, did not appear until more than a year after the first. It has been also boldly asserted that Dr. Elliotson, the translator of Blumenbach, is the author of the English translation of Magendie. They know of no higher authority than Mr. Webster's, for asserting this. Even admitting it for a moment, as he has put his name to one work of this kind, we cannot imagine any other motive for his not having done the same to this, but his consciousness of its inferiority, and from his being ashamed of it. They, however, take this opportunity of informing the public, that they have a copy of said work, and that is is anonymous.

It is not the intention of the subscribers to reply to all the hints and innuendos thrown out in the handbill for the purpose of injuring the sale of their work, though this would be an easy task, if the limits of this communication would permit. There is one part, however, which they cannot pass over in silence; it is the assertion, that the English translation was the one first announced, and its superior claim to public patronage on this ground inferred. In reply, they would observe, that more than one half of the Ame- rican translation was completed, and a written request sent to the editor of the Medical Recorder, of which Mr. Webster is the publisher, to have it announced, before the intention of republishing the English translation was advertised. For certain reasons, however, the request was countermanded for that number, no suspicion being then entertained, that any one was disposed to interfere. But it seems, that Mr. Webster had his advertisement inserted in this very number of the Recorder, without informing the editor of it. The translator is in possession of a letter, since received from that gentleman, in which this fact is mentioned.

They will not stop now to inquire, how far it is becoming in a foreigner, enjoying the hospitality of our country, and living upon the Medical profession, to make every effort in his power to discourage and put down a laudable scientific enterprise. The question, however, is fairly before the profession, whether they will prefer an English work, the principal claim of which to public patronage consists, in its being republished in this country by an Englishman for the avowed purpose of prostrating an American publication, declared by persons eminently qualified to judge, to be vastly superior to it. This is the question at issue, and they wait wihout solicitude for the result.

E. J. Coale & Co.

Balt. Feb. 1822.

Baltimore March 5^th 1822

Dear Sir, By the above communication of Mr. Coale you will see that my translation of Magendie is published, and ^that though it it is but a fortnight old, an attempt has already been made to destroy ^it. All this arises from Webster's rage at my not continuing my connection with the Recorder. Since this was published his "Reply" has appeared, in which every thing contained in Coale's communication is directly or indirectly admit -ted. He does not pretend that the second volume has been translated in England, though he gave out four months since that he actually had a copy. Altho he has taken pains to advertise through the coun-try that D^r Elliotson is the author, and giving him a long list of titles which the Doctor never assumed, yet when pressed for his authority for so doing, he says it is derived from the letter of a gentleman, with -out a name, in N. York. Allow me at this time to return my thanks for your poite letter. Mr. Coale intends sending a few copies to Lexington by the first good opportunity. - But my particular object in writing you at this time, is to inform you that I am still going on with the sulfur fumigations, and to inform you of my intention of publishing a short account of the remedy in such a form as will be generally accessible to persons out of the profession. What with engagements writing Magendie [ac.?] and ill health have prevented my paying as much atten-

M^r S^t John de Crevecoeur Danville May 25 1789.

Monsieur et cher ami

Je n'ai point autre chose à vous apprendre pour le présent sinon qui je suis arrivé sans aucun accident en cette ville il y a cinq jours. Ce court tems ne m'a pas permis de prendre et de vous communiquer aucune information qui puisse vous être utile ou agréable. Je suis encore un étranger dans Kentucke, et ce ne sera qu'après quelques semaines de séjour ici que je pourrai être initié aux mystères de notre politique; alors je pourrai vous en entretenir. Jai dèja fait quelques perquisitions pour me procurer des details géogra= phiques de cette contréa; on m'en a promis qui, je crois, seront éxacts; je les [remenillerai?] pour vous. Je me suis rappellé que vous m'aviez fait quelques questions sur le compte de M^r B-n. Ne l'ayant point connu personnellement avant mon voyage de New york, je ne pus alors vous satisfaire. Depuis mon arrivée ici, je me suis attaché à découvrir quelle