John Leslie (1766-1832), Professor of Mathematics at Edinburgh, Scotland, to Thomas Mann Randolph

Containers:

Box Box 1

Scope and content:

[advises further practical study in England, mentioning the mines of Derbyshire, the canals & works of the Duke of Bridgewater, the pottery methods of Mr. Wedgwood, the libraries at the University of Oxford, and the natural history specimens and antiquities in the museums of London, and suggests some books to read (1788 May 12); anxiously inquires if he has heard anything from Thomas Jefferson on the subject of his own possible immigration to America to continue as Randolph's teacher (1788 Jun 22); informs Randolph of his terms for employment in Virginia (1788 Aug 2); refers to his stay in Virginia in 1789, his happiness at the news of Randolph's marriage, his connection to the Wedgwood family, his paper Observations on Electrical Theories, encouragement to complete the natural history of Virginia which his father-in-law had sketched (1792 Sep 27), all these letters are bound together; regrets at leaving the Randolph family, request for seeds to be sent to him in Scotland, and his impressions of Philadelphia (1789 Jun 16); his stay at Etruria, Staffordshire with the Wedgwoods and the marriage of Randolph (1790 Jul 23); and his letter of introduction for John Wilson, mentioning the conflict between Great Britain and the United States (1807 Aug 28)]

Physical description:

7 ALS

Access and use