The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 2 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and PrivateJefferson, Thomas
History
The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 2 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and Private
Jefferson, Thomas
United States -- Politics and government -- 1775-1783; United States -- Politics and government -- 1783-1865
DEAR SIR,--My last was of June the 20th. Yours, received since that date,
are of May the 15th, and June the 6th. In mine I acknowledged the receipt
of the paccan nuts which came sealed up. I have reason to believe those
in the box have arrived at L'Orient. By the Mary, Captain Howland, lately
sailed from Havre to New York, I shipped three boxes of books, one marked
J. M. for yourself, one marked B. F. for Dr. Franklin, and one marked W.
H. for William Hay in Richmond. I have taken the liberty of addressing
them all to you, as you will see by the enclosed bill of lading, in
hopes you would be so good as to forward the other two. You will have
opportunities of calling on the gentlemen for the freight, &c. In yours
you will find the books noted in the account, inclosed herewith. You have
now Mabby's works complete, except that on Poland, which I have never
been able to get, but shall not cease to search for. Some other volumes
are wanting too, to complete your collection of Chronologies. The fourth
volume of D'Albon was lost by the bookbinder, and I have not yet been
able to get one to replace it. I shall continue to try. The Memoires sur
les droits et impositions en Europe, (cited by Smith,) was a scarce and
excessively dear book. They are now reprinting it. I think it will be in
three or four quartos, of from nine to twelve livres a volume. When it is
finished, I shall take a copy for you. Amelot's travels into China, I can
learn nothing of. I put among the books sent you two somewhat voluminous,
and the object of which will need explanation; these are the Tableau
de Paris and L'espion Anglois. The former is truly a picture of private
manners in Paris, but presented on the dark side, and a little darkened
moreover. But there is so much truth in its ground-work, that it will
be well worth your reading. You will then know Paris (and probably the
other large cities of Europe) as well as if you had been there for years.
L'espion Anglois is no caricature. It will give you a just idea of the
wheels by which the machine of government is worked here. There are in
it also many interesting details of the last war, which, in general, may
be relied on. It may be considered as the small history of great events.
I am in hopes, when you shall have read them, you will not think I have
misspent your money for them. My method for making out this assortment
was, to revise the list of my own purchases since the invoice of 1785,
and to select such as I had found worth your having. Besides this, I have
casually met with and purchased some few curious and cheap things.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account