To Thomas Jefferson from Thomas Paine, 18 August 1787
From Thomas Paine
Sunday Augt. 18th1
Dear Sir
I am much obliged to you for the Book you are so kind to send me. The second part of your letter, concerning taking my picture, I must feel as an honor done to me, not as a favour asked of me, but in this as in other matters I am at the disposal of your friendship.
The Committee have among themselves finally agreed on their report which I saw this morning. It will be read in the Academy on Wednesday. The report goes pretty fully to support the principles of the Construction with their reasons for that opinion. Your’s Affectionately,
Thomas Paine
RC (DLC); endorsed. Not recorded in SJL.
TJ’s letter concerning taking my picture, which evidently accompanied a copy of the Stockdale edition of Notes on Virginia (the Book), has not been found and is not recorded in SJL. The Committee of the Académie des Sciences did not read its report on Paine’s plan for an iron bridge until Wednesday, 29 Aug. 1787; the reading may have been postponed from Wednesday, 22 Aug., the date that Paine seems to have had in mind. On Paine’s picture, see Trumbull to TJ, 19 Dec. 1788; TJ to Trumbull, 12 Jan. 1789.
1. Thus in MS; Paine erred in writing the date, for Sunday fell on the 19th.