Thomas Jefferson Papers

Thomas Jefferson to William F. Gray, 4 April 1819, with Jefferson’s Note

To William F. Gray, with Jefferson’s Note

Monticello Apr. 4. 19.

Sir

I have duly recieved your favor of Mar. 20. and the books came to hand a few days ago, shewing by their package they were securely stowed, but by the carelessness of the driver sadly injured, being soaked with rain to the lowest tier of the box. I now inclose you an order on Richmond which I hope can be made use of with you. to the 37.25 for the books sent I have added 6.D. for the Portfolio by guess, and would have added for Bowditch’s book also, which had been requested some time ago, but that I did not know what it’s price would be, and indeed feared you had forgotten it. the commencement of our University is deferred by the necessity of applying all it’s funds to building accomodations for the Professors and students previous to recieving them. I salute you with esteem & respect.

Th: Jefferson

[Notation by TJ:]

Apr. 7. desired him to send

Smith’s Longinus Gr. Eng.

Neilson’s Greek exercises

PoC (DLC); on verso of reused address cover to TJ; adjacent to signature: “Mr Wm F. Gray”; endorsed by TJ. Enclosure not found.

Gray’s favor of mar. 20 to TJ was actually dated 25 Mar. 1819. TJ’s book order of apr. 7 has not been found and is not recorded in SJL.

Index Entries

  • books; binding of for TJ search
  • books; on criticism (literary) search
  • books; school textbooks search
  • Bowditch, Nathaniel; The New American Practical Navigator search
  • criticism (literary); books on search
  • Dionysius Longinus On the Sublime (“Longinus”; trans. W. Smith) search
  • education; textbooks search
  • Gray, William Fairfax; binds books for TJ search
  • Gray, William Fairfax; letters to search
  • Gray, William Fairfax; letters to accounted for search
  • Gray, William Fairfax; TJ orders books from search
  • Gray, William Fairfax; TJ pays search
  • Greek Exercises, in Syntax, Ellipsis, Dialects, Prosody, and Metaphrasis (W. Neilson) search
  • Greek language; study of search
  • Greek language; works in search
  • Jefferson, Thomas; Books and Library; binding of books search
  • Jefferson, Thomas; Books and Library; orders books search
  • Jefferson, Thomas; Books and Library; receives works search
  • navigation; study of search
  • Neilson, William; Greek Exercises, in Syntax, Ellipsis, Dialects, Prosody, and Metaphrasis search
  • Port Folio; bound for TJ search
  • schools and colleges; textbooks for search
  • Smith, William (1711–87); translatesDionysius Longinus On the Sublime (“Longinus”) search
  • The New American Practical Navigator (N. Bowditch) search
  • Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; dormitory rooms search
  • Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; pavilions search
  • Virginia, University of; Establishment; opening of search
  • weather; rain search
  • “Longinus” (Greek critic); Dionysius Longinus On the Sublime (trans. W. Smith) search