To Thomas Jefferson from John Banister, Jr., 19 September 1785
From John Banister, Jr.
Avignon, 19 Sep. 1785. Acknowledges receipt two days before of TJ’s letter of 16 Aug.; advises that letters be directed to the care of “Mr. Teste banquier expeditionaire en cour de Rome Avignon.” Since his last letter to TJ, he has suffered a very severe attack of “the ague and fever which together with the disorder in my bowels reduced me as low as it was possible”; he has no illusions concerning the rapidity or permanence of his recovery. He expects to remain at Avignon for the winter “more from a dislike … to changing place at present than from the satisfaction I enjoy in my situation.” Asks TJ’s advice regarding “the best seminary of Education at this time in Europe for the elevation of Youth”; his father hopes to send over his other son in the spring; from what he has heard, “Geneva is the most eligible.”
RC (MHi); 4 p.; endorsed; at foot of text there is a slip attached with a variant address in TJ’s hand: “Bannister chez Monsr. Deleutre Apothecaire place du change.” TJ’s record in SJL of receipt of this letter on 25 Sep. 1785 includes the address furnished by Banister in the letter. The differing address on the slip contains on its verso what appears to be the beginning of a letter from TJ: “Votre lettre de l’11me. Octobre ma chere Mad[ame]”; this letter of 11 Oct. [1785?] from TJ’s unidentified correspondent has not been found, nor has his reply, if completed, been identified.