From Thomas Jefferson to William Stokes, 11 June 1793
To William Stokes
June 11. 93.
Th: Jefferson presents his compliments to Mr. Stokes, and begs leave, should he persevere in his proposition of going to France, to give him letters to some of his friends there: tho’ he thinks the plan will deserve consideration. He returns many thanks to Mr. Stokes for his inaugural dissertation, and for the flattering notice he has been pleased to prefix, respecting himself and for which he feels himself entirely indebted to Mr. Stokes’s partiality. The subject of the dissertation, one of the most interesting in human affairs, is treated in a manner particularly interesting and ingenious.
PrC (DLC); on same sheet as PrC of TJ to William Thornton of this date. Tr (DLC); 19th-century copy; on same sheet as Tr of TJ to Thornton of this date.
William Stokes, a Virginian, received A.B. and M.D. degrees from the University of Pennsylvania in 1791 and 1793, respectively. His inaugural dissertation was dedicated to Dr. William Shippen and TJ (General Alumni Catalogue of The University of Pennsylvania 1922 [Philadelphia?, 1922], 11, 482; William Stokes, Tentamen Medicum Inaugurale, quœ dam de Asphyxia … [Philadelphia, 1793]). See No. 942.