Thomas Jefferson Papers
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To Thomas Jefferson from Philippe Reibelt, 10 January 1805

From Philippe Reibelt

Baltimore 10e Janv. 1805

Monsieur le President!

J’ai l’honneur de repondre a votre billet du 9, qui m’a ete remis hier Soir—

1.) Je n’ai pas trouvè au Stage les objets, que Vous me renvoyez, Savoir: la Gravure repres. fred. II.—le Manuel du Museum &c. et Aldini—Mais ils ariveront certainement.

2) Les Annales du Musèe des Arts p. Landon, que Vous avez pris, et çe Manuel du Museum—me paroissent deux Ouvrages differens—le dernier donnant la Collection de la Gallerie çentrale, le premier les Nouvelles Apparitions seulement.—Mais le Cours de peinture p. Filhol, que Vous me renvoyez dans les 2 Caisses et çe Manuel traitent, a ce que je pense, le meme Sujet—cependant d’une Manière differente.

3) Je n’ai pas en çe moment: Palladio’s Architecture—mais je l’aurois tres probablement, et je Vous l’enverrai incessament

4) Tout ce, que je possede encore de reste sur cette partie, c’est: Piranesi, dont le prix est, 13 Gourdes 80 Cents que j’ai fait remettre au Stage a Votre Adresse

5) l’envie de vendre, n’est certainement, qu’un Objet tres secondaire des envoies, que j’ai pris la libertè de Vous faire jusqu’ici, et que je continuerai de faire—je n’ai jamais eû et je n’aurois jamais l’ame d’un Negociant.

6) Vous ne me marquez pas, Si Vous avez recû la Continuation des Annales du Museè des Arts p. Landon Savoir: Tomes 4 et 5 pr. le dernier exclus. les Livraisons 14 a 18:/ que je Vous ai adressè le 26 Decembre.— j’espere, que Oui.

7) Il y a dans les 2 Caisses, que Vous me renvoyez, differens objets pretieux—commandès par des Messieurs d’ici, qui me pressent fortement de les avoir—S’il n’y a pas de probabilitè, que le Capitane, au quel Vous les avez fait remettre, puisse partir dans peu, je Vous prierai instamment, afin que je puisse satisfaire a çes Messieurs—de vouloir bien les faire reprendre et remettre au Stage, qui n’ayant a pressant presque pas des Voÿageurs, ne refusera pas de s’en charger.

Je Vous prie d’agreer mes profonds respects

Reibelt

Editors’ Translation

Baltimore, 10 Jan. 1805

Mister President!

I have the honor of responding to your note of the 9th, which was delivered to me last night.

1) I did not find on the stage the objects you sent back to me, namely the engraving of Frederick II, the Manuel du Museum, and Aldini. But they will surely arrive.

2) Landon’s Annales du Musée des Arts, which you took, and the Manuel du Museum seem to be two different works. The latter depicts the collection of the central gallery; the former only the new offerings. But the Cours de peinture by Filhol that you are returning in the two cases and this Manuel seem to me to treat the same subject, albeit in different ways.

3) I do not have Palladio’s Architecture at the moment, but I will undoubtedly receive one and will send it as soon as I have it.

4) All that remains in this domain is Piranesi, which costs $13.80. I have sent it to you by the stage.

5) Assuredly, the desire to sell is but an ancillary motive for the packages I have taken the liberty of sending and will continue to send you. I have never had the soul of a businessman and never will.

6) You did not indicate whether you received the sequel to Landon’s Annales du Musée des Arts, namely volumes 4 and 5. They were omitted from shipments 14 to 18 which I sent on 26 Dec. I hope so.

7) In the two cases you are returning to me there are various precious objects ordered by local gentlemen who are impatient to have them. If the captain to whom you entrusted the boxes is not likely to leave soon, can you please retrieve and send them by coach so I can accommodate these clients? The coach driver will not refuse since there are almost no passengers right now.

Please accept my profound respect.

Reibelt

RC (DLC); endorsed by TJ as received 13 Jan. and so recorded in SJL.

TJ had previously tried, without apparent success, to obtain architectural drawings by Giovanni Battista Piranesi. Reibelt sent him a 1748 Italian edition of Varie vedute di Roma antica e moderna (Sowerby, description begins E. Millicent Sowerby, comp., Catalogue of the Library of Thomas Jefferson, Washington, D.C., 1952-59, 5 vols. description ends No. 4197; Vol. 19:578-9; Vol. 20:647).

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