Thomas Jefferson Papers

To Thomas Jefferson from Thomas Brand Hollis, 17 April 1787

From Thomas Brand Hollis

Chesterfield Street April 17th. 1787.

Dear Sir

I request the favor of your benevolent acceptance of the memoirs of the late excellent Thomas Hollis, who was a friend to the rights of America and of mankind in general. How would he have rejoiced to have seen these days “Tyranny defeated and the seeds of freedom planted in another world for which he could scarcely have hoped,” tho to which he was in no small degree instrumental by dispersing the best of books on the most interesting subjects.

An encouragement for others to do the like. May they obtain a place in your library which I shall esteem an honor.

A translation of the History of the Hospital of St. Elizabeth just published waits on you, in which are many singular notes and circumstances.

I am Dear Sir with great esteem your most humble Sert.,

T. Brand Hollis

RC (DLC); endorsed. Recorded in SJL as received 25 May 1787 at Bordeaux. The two volumes of Memoirs of Thomas Hollis, edited by Francis Blackburne, and privately printed, London, 1780, were not forwarded to Bordeaux by Short (or Petit), but were retained in Paris (see TJ to Hollis, 2 July 1787; Sowerby, description begins Catalogue of the Library of Thomas Jefferson, compiled with annotations by E. Millicent Sowerby, Washington, 1952–53 description ends No. 389).

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