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
by the possibility that he might find their ultimatum, and the advantage
of relieving the mind of Congress from all suspense by possessing them of
this ultimatum. The peace of Spain, too, being concluded, it is to be seen
whether their interference can weigh as money. It has done so at Morocco.
But Algiers is a fiercer power.
I have the honor to be, with sentiments of the highest respect and esteem,
Sir, your most obedient, and most humble servant.
TO MR. WYTHE.
PARIS, August 13, 1786.
DEAR SIR.--Your favors of January the 10th and February the 10th, came to
hand on the 20th and 23d of May. I availed myself of the first opportunity
which occurred, by a gentleman going to England, of sending to Mr. Joddrel
a copy of the Notes on our country, with a line informing him, that it
was you who had emboldened me to take that liberty. Madison, no doubt,
informed you of the reason why I had sent only a single copy to Virginia.
Being assured by him, that they will not do the harm I had apprehended,
but on the contrary, may do some good, I propose to send thither the
copies remaining on hand, which are fewer than I had intended. But, of the
numerous corrections they need, there are one or two so essential, that I
must have them made, by printing a few new leaves, and substituting them
for the old. This will be done while they are engraving a map which I have
constructed, of the country from Albemarle sound to Lake Erie, and which
will be inserted in the book. A bad French translation which is getting
out here, will probably oblige me to publish the original more freely;
which it did not deserve, nor did I intend. Your wishes, which are laws to
me, will justify my destining a copy for you, otherwise I should as soon
have thought of sending you a horn-book; for there is no truth in it which
is not familiar to you, and its errors I should hardly have proposed to
treat you with.
Immediately on the receipt of your letter, I wrote to a correspondent
at Florence to inquire after the family of Tagliaferro, as you desired.
I received his answer two days ago, a copy of which I now enclose.
The original shall be sent by some other occasion. I will have the
copper-plate immediately engraved. This may be ready within a few days,
but the probability is, that I shall be long getting an opportunity of
sending it to you, as these rarely occur. You do not mention the size
of the plate, but presuming it is intended for labels for the inside of
books, I shall have it made of a proper size for that. I shall omit the
word _agisos_, according to the license you allow me, because I think the
beauty of a motto is, to condense such matter in as few words as possible.
The word omitted will be supplied by every reader.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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