Thomas Jefferson Papers

Nicolas G. Dufief to Thomas Jefferson, 7 January 1817

From Nicolas G. Dufief

A Philade ce 7 de Janvier 1817

Monsieur,

J’ai déjà eu l’honneur de vous adresser le nautical almanach pour 1817, la connaissance des temps pour 1817 & 18, 2 vols. & un petit dictionnaire Italien & anglais qui vous Sera passé a 2.50. Je n’ai pu vous procurer un format entre celui-ci & l’en 4to dont nous avons plusieurs exemplaires. Il m’a été impossible de trouver “Enfield’s history of Philosophy” ni une bible du format que vous demandez. Le papier ci-Inclus vous donnera une idée d’une dont les dimensions approchent le plus de celui que vous m’avez envoyé, Je puis vous en adresser une autre mais Sans apocryphe & dont la grandeur correspond presque à votre mesure. Je vous ai crédité de 50dls 50cts. Les billets de Richmond gagnant un pour Cent Sur notre place. Aussitôt que j’aurai fini l’envoi des ouvrages que j’ai pu avoir, Je vous enverrai le compte & tiendrai à votre disposition la balance Qui vous Sera due.

Je Suis avec le plus profond respect votre très-dévoué Serviteur

N. G. Dufief

Editors’ Translation

Philadelphia 7 January 1817

Sir,

I have already had the honor of sending you the nautical almanac for 1817, the Connaissance des Temps for 1817 and 1818, 2 volumes, and a small Italian-English dictionary, which will be sent to you for $2.50. I was unable to procure for you a size between this one and a quarto, of which we have several copies. I could not find either “Enfield’s history of Philosophy” or a Bible in the format you requested. The enclosed paper will give you an idea of one with dimensions most similar to that which you sent me. I can address another one to you, albeit without the apocrypha, whose size almost corresponds with what you want. I have credited you with $50.50. Richmond banknotes are valued one percent more here. As soon as I finish mailing the works I was able to obtain, I will dispatch the account to you and hold the balance due you at your disposal.

I am with the most profound respect your very devoted servant

N. G. Dufief

RC (DLC); endorsed by TJ as received 12 Jan. 1817 and so recorded in SJL. Translation by Dr. Genevieve Moene. Enclosure not found.

The nautical almanach was by Edmund M. Blunt (TJ to Dufief, 24 Jan. 1817). Giuspanio Graglia’s petit dictionnaire italien & anglais was printed regularly under different titles from the 1780s on. This copy cost TJ $2.50 (account enclosed in Dufief to TJ, 30 Jan. 1817).

Index Entries

  • almanacs, nautical; TJ purchases search
  • astronomy; books on search
  • banks; currency issued by search
  • Bible; TJ acquires copies of search
  • Blunt, Edmund March; Blunt’s Edition of the Nautical Almanac, and Astronomical Ephemeris, for the year 1817 search
  • books; dictionaries search
  • books; on astronomy search
  • books; on ethics search
  • books; on moral philosophy search
  • books; sent by N. G. Dufief search
  • Connaissance des Temps: ou, des Mouvements célestes à l’usage des astronomes et des navigateurs search
  • currency; paper search
  • Dufief, Nicolas Gouin; account with TJ search
  • Dufief, Nicolas Gouin; letters from search
  • Dufief, Nicolas Gouin; TJ orders books from search
  • Enfield, William; The History of Philosophy search
  • ethics; books on search
  • French language; letters in, from; N. G. Dufief search
  • Graglia, Giuspanio; Italian-English dictionary of search
  • Italian language; dictionaries of search
  • Jefferson, Thomas; Books & Library; orders books search
  • Jefferson, Thomas; Books & Library; works sent to search
  • Jefferson, Thomas; Business & Financial Affairs; account with N. G. Dufief search
  • moral philosophy; works on search
  • The History of Philosophy (W. Enfield) search
  • The Nautical Almanac and Astronomical Ephemeris (E. M. Blunt); sent to TJ search