Philippe Reibelt to Thomas Jefferson, 24 July 1805
From Philippe Reibelt
Baltimore le 24 Juill. 1805.
Monsieur!
Ayant appris, que Vous avez un petit fils, qui possede toute Votre affection paternelle, qui sans doute etudie, ou etudiéra notre langue Commune, celle Latine,—je Vous prie, de vouloir bien accepter pour lui, et lui offrir de ma part—le Virgile çijoint sortant de ma bibliotheque particul.—
Comme Vous ne m’avez pas indiquè le domicile des Messieurs Divers et Randolph, dont parle Votre graçieux billet du 13—je prend la libertè, de joindre des Lettres pour l’un et l’autre, et de Vous prier, de vouloir bien les leur faire parvenir.
Je compte, de pouvoir m’absenter d’içi vers la fin d’Aout ou le Commencement de Septembre, et par consequent de Vous presenter mes hommages a Monticello avant votre retour a Federal City.
La plante de Quarantino Chez Mr. Du Catel, qui a etè au Commencement mal plaçèe, de la infirme, ensuite transplantè, et par tout çela retardée—pousse enfin un petit epis, de manière, qu’elle nous fournira des Graines.
Connaissez Vous la rave a l’huile de Chine—Raphanus Sativus Chinensis Oleiferus?—qu’on cultive depuis 1788 aux environs de Maÿence, et depuis 1787 en Italie, et qui, donne dans les Champs—aux environs de Milan Çinq Rubbi, d’huile par perche, et aux environs de Turin, Vingt Cinq Rubbi par Giornata (la Giornata du Piemont contient un peu au dessus de 24000 □ pieds de Paris, le Rubbo près de 19 Livres de Paris) dont la premiére expression (le Mechanisme quoique simple est çependant particulier) est non seulement fort saine, mais aussi comme assaissonement tres Agreable, et en même tems plus propre a bruler, que l’huile d’Olives, parcequ’il n’en faut, que la Moitiè, tandis qu’elle donne autant de Clarté, et moins de Vapeur.
Daignez agreer gracieusement l’assertion sincere de la plus intime Veneration.
Reibelt
Editors’ Translation
Baltimore, 24 July 1805
Sir!
I hear you have a grandson on whom you shower your paternal affection. Since he is undoubtedly learning, or will learn, our common language, Latin, I ask you to please accept the enclosed Virgil from my personal library and give it to him on my behalf.
Since you did not indicate the addresses of Messrs. Divers and Randolph, mentioned in your kind letter of the 13th, I take the liberty of enclosing letters for each of them and asking you to be kind enough to forward them.
I expect to be able to leave here toward the end of August or the beginning of September and thus pay my respects to you in Monticello before your return to the federal city.
Mr. Ducatel’s quarantino plant, which was badly placed from the beginning and thus sickly, then transplanted and consequently delayed, has finally produced a small ear, so it will provide us with seeds.
Are you familiar with the Chinese radish—Raphanus sativus chinensis oleiferus—that has been grown since 1788 around Mainz and 1787 in Italy, and that, in the fields around Milan, produces five rubbi of oil per perch, and around Turin 25 rubbi per giornata? (A Piedmont giornata contains a little less than 24,000 Parisian square feet; the rubbio is approximately 19 Parisian pounds.) The first press (the mechanism although simple is nevertheless distinct) is both very healthful and very pleasant as a seasoning. It is also more appropriate than olive oil for cooking, since it produces equal clarity and less smoke with only half the amount.
Graciously accept, I beg you, the sincere expression of my deepest admiration.
Reibelt
RC (DLC); endorsed by TJ as received 2 Aug. and so recorded in SJL. Enclosures not found.
Rubbi were northern Italian units of either weight or volume. A rubbio of oil weighed 47½ English pounds. A Giornata was a unit of surface area slightly less than one acre (C. W. Rördansz, European Commerce; or, Complete Mercantile Guide to the Continent of Europe [Boston, 1819], 484; F. W. Clarke, Weights, Measures, and Money, of All Nations [New York, 1875], 67, 100).