To Thomas Jefferson from John Paradise, 2 April 1790
From John Paradise
London April 2d. 1790.
Dear Sir
With pleasure I embrace the opportunity that my friend Count Andriani offers me of congratulating your excellency on your safe return to your native country. The unparalleled favours you have, ever since I have had the happiness of knowing you, so kindly conferred upon me and my family will to the very last moment of my life, be remembered by me with the deepest sense of gratitude; and you may rest assured, my dearest Sir, that I shall always be ready cheerfully to use the utmost exertion of my best services on every occasion wherein you may think it proper to command me. Many and very important events have happened in Europe since you left it; but as Count Andriani is thoroughly acquainted with them, I will refer you to him, who will, without any prejudice, fully satisfy you upon every particular, and whom I take the liberty to recommend to your excellency in the strongest terms, confident that you will find him in every respect worthy of those civilities which I know it is your delight to shew to men of merit. Nor will I trouble you at present with my own affairs, as by the next packet I shall be able to give you a more accurate account of them. Most sincerely, therefore, wishing you, and those true models of virtue and filial piety, your two amiable daughters, every felicity which this world can afford I remain with the greatest respect, My dearest Sir, Your most faithful friend, and most obliged humble servant,
John Paradise
RC (MHi); endorsed as received 9 June 1790 and so recorded in SJL.
On 5 Apr. 1790 Mrs. Paradise wrote TJ saying that her husband’s letter of introduction of Count Andriani—“a learned amiable Nobleman … worthy of every attention”—would make one unnecessary from her. She then referred to her “Three very long” letters, repeated some of their substance, and added: “I have the great pleasure to acquaint you that Mr. Paradise is in perfect health and continues in every respect perfectly regular. Indeed the Change is so great in that Gentleman that I am astonished and, I have every reason to be certain it will continue. … Since you left Europe, My Daughter has lost both her Children. But in Febry. last, she presented the Count with a Son, when the Count wrote, She was well. My wordly happiness, and prosperity, is in your hands. … I forgot to request you would take the trouble to introduce the Count Andriani by letter to our Friends in Virginia &c. &c. &c.” (RC in DLC, misdated 5 Mch. 1790; recorded in SJL as dated “Mar. 5 (prob. for Apr. 5)” and as received 9 June 1790; Mrs. Paradise also enclosed a triplicate of the Portuguese diplomatic list. See her letter of 2 Mch. 1790). Andriani was also introduced by Dr. Richard Price to John Adams, and was described as “a respectable Nobleman from Milan … a friend to the liberties of mankind.” Price added that he had also written to other friends in America about Andriani; it is plausible to assume that one of these introductions must have been addressed to TJ but no such letter seems to have survived (Price to Adams, 21 Mch. 1790; MHi). See also Rutledge to TJ 25 Mch. 1790.