These are eighteen letters that mostly concern Indian linguistics. Regarding Zeisberger's Onondaga grammar and dictionary; Heckewelder's writings on the Indians; publications; question of whether or not any of the Lenape can pronounce the letter "r."

The commission of the Institut de France was charged with offering a prize on linguistics, under the will of Count Volney. Formerly, this essay was thought to have been by Baron Nicolas Massias (1764-1848), who won the Volney prize in 1828. However, the note that the volume was shipped from New York precludes that.

There are notes on the colonial history of Pennsylvania, with emphasis on William Penn and his family, the Society of Friends, James Logan, and the charters granted by Penn, with some notes on the study of languages and definition of words.

The Thomas Jefferson papers contain a large number of correspondence both to and from Jefferson, as well as various other material related to American Revolutionary War and Early Republic. Includes correspondence with Patrick Henry, Charles Willson Peale, Richard Henry Lee, Horatio Gates, David Rittenhouse, Robert Patterson