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and　more　its　peculiar　character。　　Facts　appear　to　have　established

that　it　is　originated　here　by　a　local　atmosphere；　which　is　never

generated　but　in　the　lower；　closer；　and　dirtier　parts　of　our　large

cities；　in　the　neighborhood　of　the　water；　and　that；　to　catch　the

disease；　you　must　enter　the　local　atmosphere。　　Persons　having　taken

the　disease　in　the　infected　quarter；　and　going　into　the　country；　are

nursed　and　buried　by　their　friends；　without　an　example　of

communicating　it。　　A　vessel　going　from　the　infected　quarter；　and

carrying　its　atmosphere　in　its　hold　into　another　State；　has　given　the

disease　to　every　person　who　there　entered　her。　　These　have　died　in

the　arms　of　their　families　without　a　single　communication　of　the

disease。　　It　is　certainly；　therefore；　an　epidemic；　not　a　contagious

disease；　and　calls　on　the　chemists　for　some　mode　of　purifying　the

vessel　by　a　decomposition　of　its　atmosphere；　if　ventilation　be　found

insufficient。　　In　the　long　scale　of　bilious　fevers；　graduated　by　many

shades；　this　is　probably　the　last　and　most　mortal　term。　　It　seizes

the　native　of　the　place　equally　with　strangers。　　It　has　not　been　long

known　in　any　part　of　the　United　States。　　The　shade　next　above　it；

called　the　stranger's　fever；　has　been　coeval　with　the　settlement　of

the　larger　cities　in　the　southern　parts；　to　wit；　Norfolk；　Charleston；

New　Orleans。　　Strangers　going　to　these　places　in　the　months　of　July；

August　or　September；　find　this　fever　as　mortal　as　the　genuine　yellow

fever。　　But　it　rarely　attacks　those　who　have　resided　in　them　some

time。　　Since　we　have　known　that　kind　of　yellow　fever　which　is　no

respecter　of　persons；　its　name　has　been　extended　to　the　stranger's

fever；　and　every　species　of　bilious　fever　which　produces　a　black

vomit；　that　is　to　say；　a　discharge　of　very　dark　bile。　　Hence　we　hear

of　yellow　fever　on　the　Alleganey　mountains；　in　Kentucky；　&c。　　This　is

a　matter　of　definition　only：　but　it　leads　into　error　those　who　do　not

know　how　loosely　and　how　interestedly　some　physicians　think　and

speak。　　So　far　as　we　have　yet　seen；　I　think　we　are　correct　insaying；

that　the　yellow　fever　which　seizes　on　all　indiscriminately；　is　an

ultimate　degree　of　bilious　fever　never　known　in　the　United　States

till　lately；　nor　farther　south；　as　yet；　than　Alexandria；　and　that

what　they　have　recently　called　the　yellow　fever　in　New　Orleans；

Charleston　and　Norfolk；　is　what　has　always　been　known　in　those　places

as　confined　chiefly　to　strangers；　and　nearly　as　mortal　_to　them_；　as

the　other　is　to　_all_　its　subjects。　　But　both　grades　are　local：　the

stranger's　fever　less　so；　as　it　sometimes　extends　a　little　into　the

neighborhood；　but　the　yellow　fever　rigorously　so；　confined　within

narrow　and　well　defined　limits；　and　not　communicable　out　of　those

limits。　　Such　a　constitution　of　atmosphere　being　requisite　to

originate　this　disease　as　is　generated　only　in　low；　close；　and

ill…cleansed　parts　of　a　town；　I　have　supposed　it　practicable　to

prevent　its　generation　by　building　our　cities　on　a　more　open　plan。

Take；　for　instance；　the　chequer　board　for　a　plan。　　Let　the　black

squares　only　be　building　squares；　and　the　white　ones　be　left　open；　in

turf　and　trees。　　Every　square　of　houses　will　be　surrounded　by　four

open　squares；　and　every　house　will　front　an　open　square。　　The

atmosphere　of　such　a　town　would　be　like　that　of　the　country；

insusceptible　of　the　miasmata　which　produce　yellow　fever。　　I　have

accordingly　proposed　that　the　enlargements　of　the　city　of　New

Orleans；　which　must　immediately　take　place；　shall　be　on　this　plan。

But　it　is　only　in　case　of　enlargements　to　be　made；　or　of　cities　to　be

built；　that　this　means　of　prevention　can　be　employed。




　　　　　　　　The　_genus　irritabile　vatum_　could　not　let　the　author　of　the

Ruins　publish　a　new　work；　without　seeking　in　it　the　means　of

discrediting　that　puzzling　composition。　　Some　one　of　those　holy

calumniators　has　selected　from　your　new　work　every　scrap　of　a

sentence；　which；　detached　from　its　context；　could　displease　an

American　reader。　　A　cento　has　been　made　of　these；　which　has　run

through　a　particular　description　of　newspapers；　and　excited　a

disapprobation　even　in　friendly　minds；　which　nothing　but　the　reading

of　the　book　will　cure。　　But　time　and　truth　will　at　length　correct

error。




　　　　　　　　Our　countrymen　are　so　much　occupied　in　the　busy　scenes　of　life；

that　they　have　little　time　to　write　or　invent。　　A　good　invention

here；　therefore；　is　such　a　rarity　as　it　is　lawful　to　offer　to　the

acceptance　of　a　friend。　　A　Mr。　Hawkins　of　Frankford；　near

Philadelphia；　has　invented　a　machine　which　he　calls　a　polygraph；　and

which　carries　two；　three；　or　four　pens。　　That　of　two　pens；　with　which

I　am　now　writing；　is　best；　and　is　so　perfect　that　I　have　laid　aside

the　copying…press；　for　a　twelve　month　past；　and　write　always　with　the

polygraph。　　I　have　directed　one　to　be　made；　of　which　I　ask　your

acceptance。　　By　what　conveyance　I　shall　send　it　while　Havre　is

blockaded；　I　do　not　yet　know。　　I　think　you　will　be　pleased　with　it；

and　will　use　it　habitually　as　I　do；　because　it　requires　only　that

degree　of　mechanical　attention　which　I　know　you　to　possess。　　I　am

glad　to　hear　that　M。　Cabanis　is　engaged　in　writing　on　the　reformation

of　medicine。　　It　needs　the　hand　of　a　reformer；　and　cannot　be　in

better　hands　than　his。　　Will　you　permit　my　rekspects　to　him　and　the

Abbe　de　la　Roche　to　find　a　place　here。




　　　　　　　　A　word　now　on　our　political　state。　　The　two　parties　which

prevailed　with　so　much　violence　when　you　were　here；　are　almost　wholly

melted　into　one。　　At　the　late　Presidential　election　I　have　received

one　hundred　and　sixty…two　votes　against　fourteen　only。　　Connecticut

is　still　federal　by　a　small　majority；　and　Delaware　on　a　poise；　as　she

has　been　since　1775；　and　will　be　till　Anglomany　with　her　yields　to

Americanism。　　Connecticut　will　be　with　us　in　a　short　time。　　Though

the　people　in　mass　have　joined　us；　their　leaders　had　committed

themselves　too　far　to　retract。　　Pride　keeps　them　hostile；　they　brood

over　their　angry　passions；　and　give　them　vent　in　the　newspapers　which

they　maintain。　　They　still　make　as　much　noise　as　if　they　were　the

whole　nation。　　Unfortunately；　these　being　the　mercantile　papers；

published　chiefly　in　the　sea　ports；　are　the　only　ones　which　find

their　way　to　Europe；　and　make　very　false　impressions　there。　　I　am

happy　to　hear　that　the　late　derangement　of　your　health　is　going

off；and　that　you　are　re…established。　　I　sincerely　pray　for　the

continuance　of　that　blessing；　and　with　my　affectionate　salutations；

tender　you　assurances　of　great　respect　and　attachment。




　　　　　　　　P。　S。　The　sheets　which　you　receive　are　those　of　the　copying　pen

of　the　polygraph；　not　of　the　one　with　which　I　have　written。







　　　　　　　　NEWS　OF　CAPTAIN　LEWIS




　　　　　　　　_To　C。　F。　de　C。　Volney_

　　　　　　　　_Washington；　Feb。　11；　1806_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　Since　mine　of　Feb。　18　of　the　last　year；　I　have

received　yours　of　July　2。　　I　have　been　constantly　looking　out　for　an

opportunity　of　sending　your　Polygraph；　but　the　blockade　of　Havre　has

cut　off　that　resource；　and　I　have　feared　to　send　it　to　a　port　from

which　there　would　be　only　land　carriage。　　A　safe　conveyance　now

offering　to　Nantes；　&　under　the　particular　care　of　Mr。　Skipwith；　who

is　returning　to　France；　he　will　take　care　of　it　from　Nantes　by　land

if　an　easy　carriage　is　found；　or　if　not；　then　by　the　canal　of　Briare。

Another　year's　constant　use　of　a　similar　one　attaches　me　more　and

more　to　it　as　a　most　valuable　convenience。　　I　send　you　also　a

pamphlet　published　here　against　the　English　doctrine　which　denies　to

neutrals　a　trade　in　war　not　open　to　them　in　peace　in　which　you　will

find　it　pulverized　by　a　logic　not　to　be　controverted。




　　　　　　　　Our　last　news　of　Captn　Lewis　was　that　he　had　reached　the　upper

part　of　the　Missouri；　&　had　taken　horses　to　cross　the　Highlands　to

the　Columbia　river。　　He　passed　the　last　winter　among　the　Manians　1610

miles　above　the　mouth　of　the　river。　　So　far　he　had　delineated　it　with

as　great　accuracy　as　will　probably　be　ever　applied　to　it；　as　his

courses　&　distances　by　mensuration　were　corrected　by　almost　daily

observations　of　latitude　and　longitude。　　With　his　map　he　sent　us

specimens　or　information　of　the　following　animals　not　before　known　to

the　northern　continent　of　America。　　1。　The　horns　of　what　is　perhaps　a

species　of　Ovis　Ammon。　　2。　A　new　variety　of　the　deer　having　a　black

tail。　　3。　An　antelope。　　4。　The　badger；　not　before　known　out　of

Europe。　　5。　A　new　species　of　marmotte。　　6。　A　white　weasel。　　7。　The

magpie。　　8。　The　Prairie　hen；　said　to　resemble　the　Guinea　hen

（peintade）。　　9。　A　prickly　lizard。　　To　these　are　added　a　considerable

collection　of　minerals；　not　yet　analyzed。　　He　wintered　in　Lat。　47

degrees　20'　and　found　the　maximum　of　cold　43　degrees　below　the　zero

of　Fahrenheit。　　We　expect　he　has　reached　the　Pacific；　and　is　now

wintering　on　the　head　of　the　Missouri；　and　will　be　here　next　autumn。

Having　been　disa