“ for moving them & the Swell will be perfectly simple & unembarrassing to the Tuner, the Lid of the Case will be of solid Mahogany; but the sides cannot, if the wood is beautiful: as the knots & irregularities in the grain, by expanding & contracting different ways, will prevent the Instrum ^t from ever remaining long in tune; but Kirkman will answer for securing the sides from all effects of weather & climate, by making them of well-seasoned Oak, & veneering them with thick, fine, long Mahogany, in one Pannel. By this means he has sent Harp ^ds. to every part of the Globe where the English have any commerce, & never has heard of the woodwork giving way. The Front will be solid, & of the most beautiful wood in his possession. The Instrument will be ready to deliver in ab ^t. 6 weeks; & the price, without Walker’s machine, and exclusive of packing-case & Leather-cover, will be 66 Guineas. The cover & packing-case will amount to ab ^t. 2 G ^s. & ½. A Disk to shut up in the Harp ^d. will not be charged separately, but be reckoned a part of the Instrum ^t.

"With respect to Walker’s Celestine stop, I find that Kirkman is a great enemy to it. He says that the Resin used on the silk thread that produces the tone, not only clogs the wheels & occasions it to be frequently out of order; but, in a short time, adheres to much to the strings as to destroy the tone of the instrument. This may be partly true, & partly rival prejudice. I am not sufficiently acquainted with this stop to determine these points; but I will talk with Walker on the subject, & try to discover whether he admits the difficulties, or can explain them off; & whether he has found out any such method of giving motion to his Bow-string as those suggested by M ^r. Jefferson.

" Ma Lettre tire en longeur; but being unfortunately out of the reach of a conversation with your very intelligent correspondent, viva voce, I was ambitious to let him know that I entered heartily into the business in question, & to give him all the information in my power on each particular article of his commission.”

On July 10, Jefferson wrote directly to Burney, and mentioned having read the books described above: “ I took the liberty, through m( ^~ r) Paradise, of asking your advice in the purchase of a harpsichord. he has transmitted me a letter you were pleased to write him on that subject. the readiness with which you have been so good as to act in this matter excites my warmest gratitude, & I beg you to accept of my thanks for it. the objection made by Kirkman to the resin of Walker’s bowstring has some weight. but I think by wiping the strings from time to time with a spunge moistened in water or in some other fluid which will dissolve the resin without attacking the metal of the string, the evil may be relieved. it would remain to use Walker’s stop sparingly: but in the movements to which it is adapted I think it’s effect too great not to overweigh every objection. that it should be worked however either by a weight or a spring is very desireable, as one constant motion of the foot on a treadle diverts the attention & dissipates the delirium both of the player & hearer. whenever either yourself of m ( ^~ r) Paradise [ sic -- Ed. ] will be so good as to notify me that the instrument is ready, with information of the cost of that, it’s appendages, packages & delivery at the water side, I will send by return of the post, a banker’s bill for the money with directions to whom to deliver it. are organs better made here or in London? I find that tho’ it is admitted the London workmen make the best harpsichords & piano-fortes, it is said the best organs are made here. I omitted in London to visit the shop of any organ-maker, but you are so much the better judge, that your decision would be more satisfactory. indeed if it would not be to great a liberty I would ask the favor of your description of a proper organ for a chamber 24 feet square & 18. feet high, with the name of the best workman in that way in London. I feel all the impropriety of the freedom I am taking, & I throw myself on your goodness to pardon it. the reading your account of the state of music in Europe had prepared me to expect a great deal of pleasure from your acquaintance; and the few moments I was so happy as to pass with you were a proof that my expectations would have been fully gratified, had not the shortness of time which obliged me to hurry from object to object, deprived me of opportunities of cultivating your acquaintance. I must be contented therefore with offering you my hommage ”