4to. 2 parts in 1, 17 and 11 leaves.
Jefferson’s copy was sent to him by the author.
On February 24, 1803, Jefferson wrote from Washington to
M. de Cepede at Paris: “
I have just recieved from m(
~
r)
Paine the copy of your Discours d’ouverture de l’an IX. which you were so good as to send me. a rapid view of parts of it
only assures me of the pleasure I shall recieve from a deliberate perusal of the whole the first moment I have to spare. I
was struck with the prophetic spirit of the passage pa. 10. 11. ‘bientot de courageux voyageurs visiteront les sources du
Missisipi et du Missouri, que l’oeil d’un European n’a pas encore entrevues’ &c. it happens that we are now actually sending
off a small party to explore the Missouri to it’s source . . . it is not improbable that this voyage of discovery will procure
us further information of the Mammoth, & of the Megatherium also, mentioned by you page 6. for you have possibly seen in our
Philosophical transactions, that, before we had seen the account of that animal by m
(
~
r)
Cuvier, we had found here some remains of an enormous animal incognitum, whom, from the disproportionate length of his claw,
we had denominated Megalonyx, and which is probably the same animal . . .
"
returning to the principal object of my letter, I thank you for the friendly communication of your discourse, & for the occasion
it has given me of turning for a moment from the barren field of politics to the rich map of nature . . .
”
Other works by Lacépède appear in this catalogue.
[1044]
ii.
Guide to the Philadelphia Museum.
8vo. This was probably sent to Jefferson by Charles Willson Peale, the founder of the Museum and a friend of Jefferson.
[1045]
iii. PEALE,
Rembrandt.
Account of the Skeleton of the Mammoth, a non-descript carnivorous Animal of immense size, found in America. By Rembrandt Peale, the Proprietor.
London:
E. Lawrence,
1802.
QE882 .U7 P2
First Edition. 8vo. 23 leaves.
Sabin 59422.
Agassiz IV, 87, no. 1.
Meisel III, 363.
[1046]
PEALE,
Rembrandt.
An Historical Disquisition on the Mammoth, or, Great American Incognitum . . . whose Fossil Remains have been found in North
America . . . By Rembrandt Peale.
London: Printed for
E. Lawrence by
C. Mercier,
1803.
QE882 .U7 P3
8vo. 51 leaves, plate.
Sabin 59425.
Agassiz IV, 87, no. 1.
Meisel III, 364.
The second tract is a revised edition of the first. They contain an account of the skeleton of the mammoth which was found
near New York in 1801, and which Rembrandt Peale was exhibiting in London.
Both pamphlets were sent to Jefferson by Charles Willson Peale, the author’s father, who first mentioned them to Jefferson
in a letter written from Museum on December 12, 1802: “. . . I have not yet heard the success of my sons since they have opened their Exhibition--Rembrandt writes me that he is
publishing a Pamphlet in which he describes the essential differences between the Mammoth & Elephant. if successful in this,
then another Edition with several hansome plates.”
On January 10, 1803, he again wrote: “. . . Enclosed I send you Rembrandt’s Pamphlet, the next edition probably will have plates.”
Jefferson replied from Washington on January 23:
