[meteorite-list] Thomas Jefferson on meteorites

From: Jeffrey Shallit <elvis_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon Mar 21 13:24:57 2005
Message-ID: <200503151535.j2FFZDE14337_at_graceland.math.uwaterloo.ca>

This may be old hat to the meteorite experts on this list, but perhaps
it will interest someone.

According to many books, Thomas Jefferson supposedly said about the 1807
fall at Weston, Connecticut,

        "I would rather believe that two Yankee professors would lie
        than believe that stones would fall from heaven."

For example, this quotation was given by Nininger in his book, _Find a
Falling Star_.

Nevertheless, there appears to be no evidence that Jefferson actually
ever said this. (I'd be happy to hear from anyone if they have any
evidence.) Jefferson did, however, make the following remark:

http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin/ot2www-foley?specfile=/texts/english/jefferson/foley/public/JefCycl.o2w&act=surround&offset=5986430&tag=5174.+METEORIC+STONES,+Origin.+--+&query=meteor&id=JCE5174

(sorry for the long url; this is from the Jefferson Cyclopedia which
a Jefferson Scholar pointed out to me as a good reference.)

5174. METEORIC STONES, Origin.

[With respect] to the stone in your possession, supposed meteoric, its
descent from the atmosphere presents so much difficulty as to require
careful examination. But I do not know that the most effectual
examination could be made by the members of the national Legislature,
to whom you have thought of exhibiting it. [* * *] I should think that
an inquiry by some of our scientific societies, [* * *] would be likely
to be directed [* * *] with such knowledge of the subject, as would
inspire a general confidence. We certainly are not to deny whatever we
cannot account for. A thousand phenomena present themselves daily which
we cannot explain, but where facts are suggested, bearing no analogy
with the laws of nature as yet known to us, their verity needs proofs
proportioned to their difficulty. A cautious mind will weigh well the
opposition of the phenomenon to everything hitherto observed, the
strength of the testimony by which it is supported, and the errors and
misconceptions to which even our senses are liable. It may be very
difficult to explain how the stone you possess came into the position
in which it was found, but is it easier to explain how it got into the
clouds from whence it is supposed to have fallen? The actual fact,
however, is the thing to be established, and this I hope will be done
by those whose situations and qualifications enable them to do it. --

TITLE: To Daniel Salmon.
EDITION: Washington ed. v, 245.
PLACE: Washington
DATE: 1808

This quotation is typical Jefferson: skeptical, inquiring, and wanting
the phenomenon to be better studied. If only there were more Jeffersons
in politics these days...

Jeffrey Shallit
Received on Tue 15 Mar 2005 10:35:13 AM PST