Papers of John Adams, volume 21
I beg leave to ask your acceptance of the inclosed
packet, for the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. It contains two
Volumes, both of which are curious. The one a Welch
Dictionary, sent me from Pembroke-Shire, by my friend Dr. Harries, some time ago, and containing the
Ancient Language of Britain. Its Use, as a Book of reference for
Philologists and Antiquaries, will probably be more 53 extensive in such a Library as the
Academy possess than in that of an individual. I therefore took the liberty
to forward it.— The other is Lauder’s Essay on
Miltons Imitation of the Moderns in his Paradise Lost; a most
singular work and which on account of the inparalelled forgeries it
contains, has damned the Author’s Name to everlasting Infamy.1 This may not be unworthy the
Perusal of those Gentlemen who study the Writings of the English Epic Poet.
On that account I ventured to send this along too.
I have the Honor to be with high Respect, your Excellency’s very humble servant
lL Mitchill
RC (MBA:American Academy, Letters, 1780–1791);
internal address: “His Excellency John Adams Esqr”; endorsed: “Dr Mitchell’s Letter / recd 9. Novr. 1791.”
Mitchill (1764–1831), of Hempstead, N.Y., University
of Edinburgh 1786, was a professor of chemistry, botany, and natural
history at Columbia College from 1792 to 1801 (
Biog. Dir.
Cong.
).
He sent copies of Thomas Richards, Antiquæ Linguæ Britannicæ Thesaurus: Being a
British, or Welsh-English Dictionary, Bristol, Eng., 1753; and
William Lauder, An Essay on Milton’s Use and
Imitation of the Moderns, in His Paradise Lost, London,
1750.