To Thomas Jefferson from James Humphreys, 17 February 1805
From James Humphreys
[before 18 Feb. 1805]
The liberty I have taken of addressing to your Excellency the within proposals for Edwards’s W. Indies and for Johnson’s Dictionary, I trust will not be considered as too intrusive. On a former occasion, proposing to publish Edwards’s West Indies, I was honoured with your Excellency’s Signature to my subscription list—The third Volume being then not published I declined pursuing it. Being now in possession of the whole work, I have again issued proposals for it, and shall think myself flattered by your Excellency’s patronage and approbation of it as well as that of the Dictionary.
With sincere Respect I am, Your Excellency’s Most obedt. and most Humble Servt
James Humphreys
RC (DLC); undated; at foot of text: “His Excellency T. Jefferson President United States, America”; endorsed by TJ as received 18 Feb. 1805 and so recorded in SJL. Enclosures not found, but see below.
James Humphreys (1747-1810) was a Philadelphia printer and bookseller with a bookstore at Second and Walnut Streets. From 1775 to 1778, he was printer of the Pennsylvania Ledger (, 2:940; Poulson’s American Daily Advertiser, 20 Feb. 1805, 3 Feb. 1810; New York Commercial Advertiser, 5 Feb. 1810).
Johnson’s Dictionary: Humphreys proposed to publish by subscription an embellished, engraved edition of Samuel Johnson’s Dictionary of the English Language, with a Life of the Author by J. Aiken, M.D. (Relfs Philadelphia Gazette, 14 Feb.).
former occasion: Humphreys had issued proposals for the publication of an edition of History, Civil and Commercial of the British Colonies in the West Indies written by Bryan Edwards and originally published in London in 1793. Although first advertised by Humphreys in quarto form, a three-volume octavo edition became the proposed format. In May 1800, Humphreys announced that subscriptions “not being sufficiently full to enable him to commence the publication immediately,” he would delay publication while he extended his subscription campaign. He published the first volume in Philadelphia in June 1805 and included TJ as the first name in a list of subscribers appended to a fourth volume (Philadelphia Gazette of the United States, 22 May 1800; Charleston South-Carolina State Gazette and Timothy’s Daily Advertiser, 16 July 1800; Poulson’s American Daily Advertiser, 7 June 1805; No. 4153).