To Thomas Jefferson from Nicolas Gouin Dufief, 4 March 1802
From Nicolas Gouin Dufief
à Philadelphie. Le 4. Mars. 1802. au
milieu des rejouissances & des
acclamations d’une multitude de Citoyens
Monsieur,
Aussitôt la reception de votre lettre j’ai mis à part pour vous la chimie de Chaptal en 3. V.: 8o. Je me suis ensuite occupé à chercher l’édition de l’Odyssée que vous souhaitez. Il paroit que c’est un ouvrage rare du moins à Philada. puisque plusieurs jours d’une recherche active se sont écoulés sans pouvoir en découvrir un seul exemplaire—si, une tres belle Edon. du même ouvrage par les Foulis, en 2 Vs. In folio, pouvoit vous convenir au defaut de l’autre1 faites-le moi savoir. Le prix en sera de huit dollars—cet ouvrage fesoit partie de la Collection des classiques du Dr Franklin
Je publierai sous peu de jours Le catalogue des livres que j’ai reçus tout recemment de France: il vous sera envoyé dès qu’il paroitra
J’ai l’honneur d’etre, Monsieur, avec tous les sentimens Qui vous sont dus à tant de titres Votre trés devoué serviteur
N. G. Dufief
Editors’ Translation
Philadelphia. 4 March 1802.
in the midst of the rejoicing and the cheers
of a multitude of citizens
Sir,
Immediately upon receipt of your letter, I put aside for you Chaptal’s Chemistry in 3 vols. octavo. I then set about looking for the edition of The Odyssey that you desire. It seems that it is a rare work, at least in Philadelphia, since several days of active research have gone by without being able to discover a single copy. If a very fine edition of the same work by the Foulis, in two vols., in folio, could suit you in place of the other, let me know. Its price will be eight dollars. This work was part of the classics collection of Dr. Franklin.
I shall publish within a few days the catalogue of the books that I received recently from France; it will be sent to you as soon as it comes out.
I have the honor to be, Sir, with all the sentiments that are your due for so many reasons, your very devoted servant
N. G. Dufief
RC (DLC); endorsed by TJ as received 8 Mch. 1802 and so recorded in SJL.
ACCLAMATIONS D’UNE MULTITUDE: on 4 Mch., the Philadelphia Militia Legion commanded by John Shee paraded through the city’s streets to mark the anniversary of TJ’s inauguration. According to the Aurora, the legion’s companies dispersed after the parade “to enjoy themselves in that social manner, and partake of those pleasures which the exertions of republicans in combating a host of internal foes, abetted by external influence, so well entitle them to.” The city’s Tammany Society held a Native-American-themed event in their “great wigwam.” Led by their “chiefs,” the members then divided into 13 “tribes,” representing the original states, and marched to the State House (Independence Hall), where they viewed the militia parade and “joined the procession.” The Republican Volunteers, a cavalry troop commanded by Congressman William Jones, convened at the Swan on Race Street. They toasted, among other things: the president; the anniversary of the “day of our regeneration”; the “repeal of the midnight judiciary—May we soon be relieved from those who would never have reached the bench, if they had been of good behavior”; a repeal of internal taxes; and a “revision of the naturalization law.” Democratic Republicans also celebrated the day in Boston (Aurora, 4, 5, 6 Mch.; Philadelphia Gazette, 4 Mch.; Boston Mercury and New-England Palladium, 5 Mch.).
VOTRE LETTRE: TJ to Dufief, 19 Feb.
The work by Jean Antoine CHAPTAL was Élémens de Chymie. Dufief obtained the three-volume third edition, published in Paris in 1796, for TJ ( No. 831).
ÉDITION DE L’ODYSSÉE: TJ wanted the Foulis duodecimo edition of Homer’s Odyssey in Greek and Latin. He already owned a copy of the two-volume folio edition in Greek by the same publisher that Dufief offered him from Franklin’s library (, Nos. 4267, 4270; Vol. 10:165, 201, 417; TJ to Dufief, 19 Feb.)