june 27, 1810 (wed.)

Even in retirement there's not enough time to follow every interest. Judge Thomas Cooper writes asking Mr. Jefferson to join him in the study of mineralogy, but fascinated as Mr. Jefferson is by natural philosophy, his time and energy right now are largely taken up with sheep and sheep dogs for the Merino project.

He forwards Judge Cooper's letter to James Cabell, writing that in his old age he is out of touch with the current state of the science, familiar with nothing past the time of Linnaeus. Tongue in cheek, he writes, "... [M]ihi Cui bono?" ("What good is it to me?") It's safe to joke around like this with a friend who knows he's not really that self-centered. Heaven help his image if some literal-minded historian in the future, who doesn't know him that well, misinterprets the remark. The early 19th century has no emoticons to designate "just kidding."

Science, religion, and politics are mixed in this age of enlightenment. Judge Cooper, along with Joseph Priestley and others, lives in Philadelphia now because the politico-religious climate in England was hostile to their ideas. Several years ago, angry mobs burned Dr. Priestley's house in a full-scale riot. It's a bit safer to hold dissenting and progressive ideas in this new country.

june 4, 1810 (mon.)

Mr. Jefferson is always looking for ways to improve the new country he declared independent in 1776, especially in agriculture. One of his many ongoing projects is raising Merino sheep, a breed known for its fine wool. His friend, James Madison (currently in Washington, D.C. serving as President), is working with him on this scheme. Joseph Dougherty is getting a ram and a ewe for each of them from a shipment William Jarvis sent from Portugal, sending the animals from Alexandria. The plan is to breed them, and then to distribute rams for free around Virginia, thus making the usually expensive animals available for farmers to start their own flocks.