The Bei^iini/no-s of Anin'ican Science. 433 



was an admirer and intimate friend of Franklin, and it was in his home 

 at Pass}', we are told, that he conceived the idea of his most famous 

 book, Les Ruines.' 



Among the traditions of Fauquier County, Virginia, is one which is of 

 interest to naturalists, since it relates to an incident showing the interest 

 of our first President in science: 



About the year 1796 [runs the story], at the close of a long summer's day, a 

 stranger entered the village of Warrenton. He was alone and on foot, and hifs 

 appearance was anything 1)ut ijrepossessing. His garments, coarse and dust covered, 

 indicated an individual in the humble walks. From a cane across his shoulders 

 was suspended a handkerchief containing his clothing. Stopping in front of Tur- 

 ner's tavern, he took from his hat a paper and handed it to a gentleman standing 

 on the steps; it read as follows: 



The celebrated historian and naturalist 



Volney needs no recommendation from 



G. Washington. 



In 1 80 1 Jefferson began his eight years of Presidency. Since he was 

 the only man of science who has ever occupied the Chief Magistracy, he 

 has a right to a high place in the esteem of such a society as ours, and I 

 only regret that, having spoken of him at length a year ago, I can not 

 now discuss his scientific career in all its aspects. 



I then spoke of the credit which was due to him for beginning so early 

 as 1780 to agitate the idea of a Government exploring expedition to the 

 Pacific, which culminated in the sending out by Congress of the expedi- 

 tion of Lewis and Clarke, in 1803. Captain Lewis [b. 1774, d. 1809], 

 the leader of this expedition, was a young Virginian, the neighbor and 

 for some years the private secretary of President Jefferson. He set out 

 in the summer of 1803, accompanied b}^ his associate. Captain Clarke, 

 and twenty-eight men. They entered the Missouri May 14, 1804, before 

 the middle of the following July had reached the great falls, and by Octo- 

 ber were upon the western slope, where, embarking in canoes upon the 

 Kouskousk}'-, a branch of the Columbia, they descended to its mouth, 

 where they arrived on the 15th of November, 1805. The following 

 spring they retraced their course, arriving in St. Loitis in September.^ 

 The results of the expedition were first made known in Jefferson's mes- 

 sage to Congress read February 19, 1806. 



Doctor Asa Gray, in a recent letter, says: 



I have reason to think that Michaux suggested to Jefferson the expedition which 

 the latter was active in sending over to the Pacific. I wonder if he put off Michaux 

 for the sake of having it in American hands ? 3 



'John Bigelow, Franklin's Home and Host in France. The Century Magazine, 

 May, 1888, p. 743. 



= See a complete bibliography of the various reports of this expedition, by Elliott 

 Coues, in the Bulletin of the United States Geological Survey. 



3 See American Journal of Science, XLH, 1842, p. 5. 

 NAT MU.S 97, PT 2 28 



