From Thomas Jefferson to Nicolas Gouin Dufief, 1 November 1801
To Nicolas Gouin Dufief
Washington Nov. 1. 1801.
Sir
Among the books mentioned in the letter of Oct. 22. with which you favored me is one only which I would wish to acquire: it is the Parliamentary history 24. vols 8vo. price 30. D. should it not be disposed of before you recieve this I will thank you to send it. perhaps the vessel may still be not departed which was to bring the others.—I have the Dictionnaire des hommes Marquans. judging of it’s merit by turning to the characters I personally know, it is the work of a zealous partizan of the ancien regime. still it is useful to possess. the busts you are pleased to propose to me are not within the line of my acquisitions. accept my thanks for the lettre de Trasybule a Leucippe, and my best wishes for your health & happiness.
Th: Jefferson
PrC (DLC); at foot of text: “M. du Fief”; endorsed by TJ in ink on verso.
Dufief wrote TJ a brief letter on 13 Nov., stating that on the 12th he put on board the sloop Highland, bound for Alexandria and Georgetown, the 24–volume parliamentary history, addressed to John Barnes for TJ. Dufief hoped that the shipment would arrive without damage, expressed his wishes for TJ’s good health, and offered assurances of his respectful devotion. In endorsing the letter, TJ noted other books that he wanted, an edition of Homer’s Odyssey by the Foulis publishing firm and a work on chemistry by Jean Antoine Chaptal. TJ conveyed those requests to the bookseller in February 1802 (RC in DLC, in French, at head of text: “Le Président des Etats Unis,” endorsed by TJ as received 16 Nov. and so recorded in SJL, also endorsed by TJ: “Homer. Od. Foul. 12mo. Chymie de Chaptal”; , Nos. 831, 4270; TJ to Dufief, 19 Feb. 1802).