From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Smith Barton, 1 March 1800
To Benjamin Smith Barton
Mar. 1. 1800.
Th: Jefferson presents his compliments to Dr. Barton. he is just now beginning to copy the Indian vocabularies lent him by Dr. Barton; but finds it necessary to know previously whether some of them may not already have been entered in the Vocabularies of Th:J. lent to Dr. B. he will therefore thank him for them, & if Dr. B. has not made the uses of them which he wished, they shall be speedily sent back to him, with his own.
RC (PHi); addressed: “Dr. Barton.” Not recorded in SJL.
For Barton’s request to see TJ’s vocabularies of Native American languages and his offer to lend his lists to TJ, see Barton’s letter of 26 Oct. 1798.
On 13 Mch. 1800 TJ wrote Barton the following brief note: “Th: Jefferson returns Dr. Barton’s vocabularies with many thanks for the use of them. he also sends his own, which Dr. Barton was not done with. friendly salutations” (RC in PHi, addressed: “Dr. Barton”; not recorded in SJL).