Thomas Jefferson Papers

Honoré Julien to Thomas Jefferson, 11 September 1818

From Honoré Julien

Washington Septembre 11th 1818

Monsieur

je vous Ecrit ce peu de Lignes que je Desire qui Vous trouve en Bonne Santé …. ainsi que La famille de Mr et Mdm Randolph.—

vous Récevré par Le Courié une Boite Contenant un fromage Suisse ordinairement on Le mange Rápée Sur des tartines de Beur—il-i-à des Lentille Si vous jugé apropos de Les Semer Ce Doit Etre a La fin de mars ou au Commencement Davril La nouvelle Lune—Dans une tere pauvre et Legere Si vous voulé quell produise dans de Bonne tere il ne produise pas. il i a aussi des pois D’espagne—que jait Recolté moi mesme. il faut qui Soit Semé dans de Bonne tere—

je vous Desire La continuatio[n] dune parfaite Santé—et Suis—avec Respect et Consideration.—Votre obeissan[t] Serviteur

honoré julien

Editors’ Translation

Washington September 11th 1818

Sir

I write these few lines, which I hope will find you in good health …. as well as Mr. and Mrs. Randolph’s family.—

You will receive by mail a box containing a Swiss cheese. It is usually eaten grated on buttered slices of bread. There are some lentils. If you think it proper to plant them, you must do so at the end of March or beginning of April, at the new moon, in poor and light soil, if you want them to be productive. In good soil they will not. There are also some Spanish peas that I picked myself. They must be planted in good soil—

I wish you the continuation of perfect health and am, with respect and consideration, your obedient servant

honoré julien

RC (DLC); edge trimmed; ellipsis in original; endorsed by TJ as received 18 Sept. 1818 and so recorded in SJL. RC (DLC); address cover only; with PoC of TJ to Samuel Knox, 11 Dec. 1818, on verso; addressed: “Thomas Jefferson Esqre Monticello”; franked; postmarked Washington, 12 Sept. Translation by Dr. Roland H. Simon.

Index Entries

  • bread; eaten with cheese search
  • cheese; Swiss search
  • food; bread search
  • food; cheese search
  • French language; letters in, from; H. Julien search
  • Julien, Honoré; letters from search
  • Julien, Honoré; sends gifts to TJ search
  • lentils; sent to TJ search
  • peas; Spanish search
  • Randolph, Martha Jefferson (Patsy; TJ’s daughter; Thomas Mann Randolph’s wife); greetings sent to search
  • Randolph, Thomas Mann (1768–1828) (TJ’s son-in-law; Martha Jefferson Randolph’s husband); greetings sent to search
  • seeds; lentil search
  • seeds; pea search
  • seeds; sent to TJ search