Elzevir editions, also known as the Républiques, were small-format books published in Leyden beginning in 1625 by Bonaventura and Abraham Elzevier, members of a renowned family of Dutch publishers. Written in Latin and published in vigesimo-quarto (24mo), the books concerned different polities, mostly European. Some were based on earlier works, while others were commissioned for the series. Similar books were published in Amsterdam around the same time by other publishers, and the series was widely imitated and copied, so Reibelt’s firm was likely selling a series based on the originals. Three of the works on TJ’s list, those associated with Arabia, Liège (Leudiens), and the area encompassing the counties of Namur, Hainaut, and Luxembourg, were published initially in Amsterdam. A work concerning Athens was published in Leyden, but under a different imprint. The others were Elzevir editions. Based on the abbreviated titles on his list, TJ was likely requesting some version of the following books: Arabia, seu Arabum vicinarumque gentium Orientalium leges, ritus, sacri et profani mores, instituta et historia; Ioannis Leonis Africani Africæ Descriptio by Leo Africanus; Respublica Bohemiæ by Pavel Stránský; Gallia, sive de Francorum regis dominiis et opibus commentarius by Johannes de Laet; Respublica et status imperii Romano-Germanici; Respublica et status regni Hungariæ; De Leodiensi republica; Respublica Namurcensis, Hannoniæ, et Lutsenburgensis; Persia, seu regni Persici status, variaque itinera in atque per Persiam by de Laet; Guillelmi Postelli de Republica, seu Magistratibus Atheniensium liber by Guillaume Postel; and Græcorum respublicæ by Ubbo Emmius (Alphonse Willems, Les Elzevier: Histoire et annales typographiques [Brussels, 1880], 66, 92-3, 96, 100-2; David W. Davies, The World of the Elseviers, 1580-1712 [The Hague, 1954], 61-3; J. A. F. Bekkers, ed., Correspondence of John Morris with Johannes de Laet [1634-1649] [Assen, 1970], 226-7).

TJ was seeking different small-format versions of the New testament for his own project, which he eventually titled “The Life and Morals of Jesus” (EG description begins Dickinson W. Adams and Ruth W. Lester, eds., Jefferson’s Extracts from the Gospels, Princeton, 1983, The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Second Series description ends , 30-1; TJ to Mathew Carey, 3 Feb.).