In due course Miller sent to Jefferson a copy of the book, and on February 29, 1804, Jefferson wrote to him from Washington:
“
Th: Jefferson returns his thanks to the rev
d m
(
~
r)
Miller for the copy of his Retrospect of the 18
th. century which he has been so kind as to send him and shall with pleasure avail himself of his first leisure to read it .
. .
”
Several references to Jefferson occur in the book:
Volume I, in Chapter V, Geography, page 350:
. . . The geography of Virginia has been well illustrated by Mr. Jefferson . . .
Volume I, Chapter VI, Mathematics, page 366:
. . . A further improvement in the mode of employing this instrument as a standard of measure is, to make use of a pendulum
without a bob, or a uniform cylindrical rod, which, in a given latitude, at a certain height above the surface of the ocean,
and at a certain temperature, shall vibrate in a given time. The use of a pendulum of this kind, it is believed, was first
proposed by Mr. Jefferson, now President of the United States, in his report to Congress, on the subject of weights and measures,
while Secretary of State, soon after the establishment of the federal government. It is supposed that this last mentioned
standard is preferable both in simplicity and accuracy, to all others . . .
A Footnote reads:
Mr. Jefferson does not claim the merit of this invention; it was communicated to him by Mr. Robert Leslie, an ingenious watch-maker
of Philadelphia.
Volume II, Chapter XV, Modern Languages, page 120:
. . . Mr. Jefferson, the President of the United States, has also made much inquiry into the languages of the American Indians,
and devoted considerable attention to the collection of specimens . . .
Volume II, Chapter XXIII, page 259, in the account of the American Philosophical Society:
. . . Over this institution have successively presided, Benjamin Franklin, David Rittenhouse, and Thomas Jefferson . . .
For other works by Samuel Miller, 1769-1850, Presbyterian minister, see the Index. This work covers all branches of learning,
and contains accounts of a large number of the books and their authors contained in this Catalogue.
[4727]
20
Albers’ American annals in Physics, chemistry &c.
12
mo.
1803.
1815 Catalogue, page 161, no. 22, as above.
ALBERS,
Johann Abraham.
Americanische Annalen der Arzneykunde, Naturgeschichte, Chemie und Physik von Dr. I. A. Albers, korrespondentem mitgliede der K. K. Josephs-Akademie zu Wien, der Königlichen Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften zu Göttingen,
und der Sydenhamschen zu Halle. Drittes Heft.
Bremen:
1803. Bey
Carl Seyffert.
Sm. 8vo. Vol. III only, 60 leaves.
Surgeon General’s Library Catalogue I, 1, 232.
This volume not in Sabin, who has the second volume only 1802. (no. 656)
This volume is dedicated to Thomas Jefferson: Seiner Excellenz dem Herrn Thomas Jefferson, Prasidenten der vereinigten Staaten
von Amerika voll der tiefsten Hochachtung gewidmet von J. A. Albers, Dr.
Jefferson’s copy was sent to him by the author, who wrote from Bremen on November 16, 1803: “By this I have the Honour to send Your Excellency the third volume of my American Annals, and as a proof of my profound respect,
have taken the liberty of dedicating it to you. At same time allow me to assure you of the sincere esteem, which the German
Nation feels for the United States of America, and that the publication of my Annals, whose principal aim is the extension
of one part of their Literature, has been received here in the most flattering manner . . .”
This letter was received by Jefferson on July 19, 1804.
Johann Abraham Albers, 1772-1821, German doctor. This work, of which the first volume was printed in 1802, and the second in 1803, contains abstracts
of a number of writings by American scientists.
[4728]
