From Thomas Jefferson to P. & C. Roche, 17 May 1805
To P. & C. Roche
Washington May 17. 05.
By a catalogue of yours published in Philadelphia, I percieve that you have the following books which I will ask the favor of you to send me, to wit
Connaissance des tems pour l’année 1806. avec les additions.
Leçons d’histoire par Volney. 2. v. 8vo.
Voyage d’Antenor en Grece. 3. v. 8vo.
Diccionario portatil Español-Ingles & Ingles-Español. por Gattel, 2. v. 16o.
should you also have the Connaissance des tems for the present year 1805. it will be acceptable. I observe you have Montucla complete. should you have the additional part by de la Lande to dispose of separately, I shall be glad of it. I already possess the original work of Montucla in 2. vols 4to. & want only the Additions.
If these books are well wrapped in strong paper, fortified by bits of paste-board on the exterior, and delivered at the Stage office addressed to me at this place, they will come safely. the cost shall be remitted as soon as made known to me. Accept my salutations & respects.
Th: Jefferson
PoC (MHi); at foot of text: “Messrs. P. & C. Roche”; endorsed by TJ.
Brothers and partners Peter (Pierre) and Christian Roche were French booksellers, with a shop and circulating library at 53 Walnut Street and later at 40 South Fourth Street in Philadelphia. TJ became a regular customer from 1805 to 1807. By 17 May 1809, the Roches frères had settled in New Orleans and opened a store selling foreign-language books (Aurora, 21 May 1805; Relfs Philadelphia Gazette, 26 July 1806; John M. Goudeau, “Booksellers and Printers in New Orleans, 1764-1885,” Journal of Library History, 5 [1970], 9; , 2:1155, 1177, 1206, 1214; , 4:72n, 80).
Voyage d’Antenor en Grece: Voyages d’Antenor en Grèce et en Asie, avec des notions sur l’Égypte was translated by Étienne François de Lantier ( No. 4331).
Diccionario: Claude Marie Gattel published the pocket dictionary, Nuevo diccionario portatil, Español é Ingles, in Paris in 1803 (same, No. 4813).
Jean Étienne Montucla died in 1799 during the printing of the third volume of his Histoire des mathématiques. His friend Joseph Jérôme Le Français de Lalande edited and completed the third and fourth volumes, which were published in Paris in 1802 (same, No. 3694).