To Thomas Jefferson from David Brown, 7 September 1802
From David Brown
Philadelphia, September 7, 1802
Sir,
From the encouragement that literature has invariably received from you, I am encouraged to solicit the honor of your name to the inclosed Proposals—not doubting, but what a people daily increasing in learning (if given) will follow the example,—as being made by the Guardian of their country.
I have the honor to be, Sir, your excellency’s most obedient, and most humble servant,
David Brown.
RC (MHi); at foot of text: “To the hon. T. Jefferson President of U.S. Sept. 7, 1802”; endorsed by TJ as received 16 Sep. and so recorded in SJL. Enclosures not found, but see below.
The author of the above letter may have been the same David Brown of Philadelphia who, in June 1802, began advertising a proposal to publish by subscription a five-volume set of John Wesley’s A Compendium of Natural Philosophy. The printer pledged to publish a volume every three months at a cost of $1.40 per volume, with a list of subscribers to appear in the final volume. Work would commence once the project met with “sufficient encouragement” (Savannah Georgia Gazette, 24 June 1802; Newark, N.J., Centinel of Freedom, 14 Sep. 1802).