Jacob L. Kesteloot to Thomas Jefferson, 6 November 1809
From Jacob L. Kesteloot
La hayé le 6 Novembre 1809
Monsieur!
J’ai l’honneur de vous offrir, par l’occasion de Mr Troost, ún exemplaire du discours Sur les progrès des Sciences, lettres et arts depuis 1789, (Première partie); Ouvrage au qúel j’ai ajouté quelques notes.
Je m’estimerais heureux, S’il vous plaisait, Monsieur, de considérer cet offre, comme úne faible marque [de] la haute considération avec la quelle [j’ai l’] honneur d’être.
J. L. Kesteloot
P.S. J’espère trouver une occasion favorable pour Envoyer le 2. Vol. dès qu’il sortira de la presse.
Editors’ Translation
The Hague 6 November 1809
Sir!
I have the honor of offering you, by means of an opportunity presented by Mr. Troost, a copy of Discours sur les progrès des sciences, lettres et arts depuis 1789 (Part One); a work to which I have added several notes.
I would deem myself happy if it pleased you, Sir, to consider this offering as a feeble token [of] the high esteem with which [I have the] honor of being.
J. L. Kesteloot
P.S. I hope to find a favorable opportunity for sending the second volume as soon as it leaves the press.
RC (MWA); mutilated; at head of text: “à Mr Jefferson”; endorsed by TJ. Recorded in SJL as received 1 Sept. 1818. Translation by Dr. Amy Ogden. Enclosure: Kesteloot, ed., Discours sur les progrès des sciences, lettres et arts, depuis MDCCLXXXIX jusqu’à ce jour; ou Compte Rendu par l’Institut de France a S. M. l’Empereur et Roi (The Hague, 1809; , 13 [no. 831]). Enclosed in Gerard Troost to TJ, 21 July 1818.
Jacob Lodewijk Kesteloot (1778–1857) received an M.D. from the University of Leiden in 1800 and established himself at Rotterdam. Active in the European scientific and literary community, he had translated medical treatises on vaccination and yellow fever before publishing the enclosed overview of recent intellectual developments. Kesteloot was named professor of medicine at the University of Ghent in 1817 (Académie Royale des sciences, des lettres, et des beaux-arts de Belgique, Biographie Nationale [1866–1944], 10:696–705; Abraham J. van der Aa and others, Biographisch Woordenboek der Nederlanden [1852–78, repr. 1969], 4:43–4).
Index Entries
- Discours sur les progrès des sciences (Kesteloot) search
- French language; letters in, from; J. L. Kesteloot search
- Kesteloot, Jacob Lodewijk; Discours sur les progrès des sciences search
- Kesteloot, Jacob Lodewijk; identified search
- Kesteloot, Jacob Lodewijk; letters from search
- Troost, Gerard; forwards publication to TJ search