To Thomas Jefferson from Philippe Reibelt, 6 May 1805
From Philippe Reibelt
Baltimore le 6 Mai 1805.
Monsieur le President!
Votre Lettre de hier m’a ete remise aujourdhui.
1) J’ecrirais incessament pour ce, qui Vous manque des Oiseux de Buffon in 4to. &. reliè tel, que Vous le designez, a la Maison a Paris.
2) Vos desirs sont des Ordres pour Moi—les 2 Ouvrages en question sont donc pleinement a Votre disposition, quoique je les avois destines pour ma propre bibliotheque.
3) Vous me demandez, si je recus Votre Lettre du 29 Avril! je dois Vous repondre negativement—parceque je n’ai—depuis Votre retour a la Ville federale—recu de votre main respectable, qu’une Lettre du 30 Avril, et une autre du 2 Mai.
4) Mr. le Secretaire de la Marine m’a envoyè l’argent pour les Livres, que Vous aviez pris pour les differens Departement de l’etat—
5) Mais je n’ai pas encore recu le Volume des Oeuvres de Plutarque en Question.
Je Vous prie d’agreer mes hommages les plus profonds et Sinceres.
Reibelt
P.S.
J’ose Vous repeter ma demande pour la Patente originale de la terre du Gen. Koscïuszko, qui se trouve encore dans les Mains du Colonel Armstrong.
Ayant pû disposer un des Messieurs d’içi, qui avoit achetè le Manuel du Mus. fr. de me retroçeder son Exemplaire—et venant de le recevoir—Il partira avec cette Lettre çi à Votre Adresse.
Editors’ Translation
Baltimore, 6 May 1805
Mister President!
Your letter of yesterday was delivered today.
1) I shall immediately ask the Paris office for the volumes of Buffon’s Oiseaux that you do not have, in quarto and with the binding you specified.
2) Your wish is my command. The two works in question are thus fully at your disposal, although I had intended them for my own library.
3) You ask whether I received your letter of 29 Apr. I must reply no. Since your return to the federal city, I have received but one letter in your illustrious hand, dated 30 Apr., and a second dated 2 May.
4) The secretary of the navy paid me for the books you ordered for the various government bureaus.
5) I have not yet received the volume of Plutarch’s works in question.
Please accept my deepest and most sincere regards.
Reibelt
P.S.
I dare renew my request for General Kosciuszko’s original land grant, which is still in Colonel Armstrong’s hands.
I was able to convince one of the gentlemen here who had bought the Manuel du muséum français to cede his copy. Having just received it, I am sending it along with this letter to your address.
RC (MHi); above signature: “Le Depot de Levr. Sch. et Comp. a Paris”; note by TJ at foot of first page: “May. 9. 1805. inclosed him the original patent and plat” (see TJ to Reibelt, 10 May); endorsed by TJ as received 8 May and so recorded in SJL.