To James Madison from John Vaughan, 15 November 1815
From John Vaughan
Philad. 15 Nov. 1815
D SIR
Mr Ticknor who has in charge the purchase of Books for Mr Jefferson in Europe & M Everitt, selectd for a friend of their’s in Boston a Number of Valuable Books of the Best Editions, rarely met with in America. Their friend a Bookseller & man of Letters means to Sell these at Public Sale on 20 Dec in Boston. I will not apologize for the liberty I have taken in Sending a Catalogue,1 meaning to render a public Service; I do it however with the more pleasure as it gives me the opportunity2 the truth with which I am D sir Your friend & servt.
Jn Vaughan
RC (DLC). Docketed by JM.
1. Vaughan evidently enclosed a copy of Francis Amory’s copiously annotated auction catalogue entitled Books, Rare, Curious, Elegant and Valuable, in the Departments of the Classicks, Civil Law, History, Criticism, Belles Lettres and Theology, for Sale at Auction, in Boston, 20 December, 1815 (Boston, 1815; 33855).
2. Vaughan apparently omitted several words here.