Thomas Jefferson to George Alexander Otis, 8 July 1820
To George Alexander Otis
Monticello July 8. 20.
Sir
I thank you for De Pradt’s book on the Congress of Aix la Chapelle. it is a work I had never seen, and had much wished to see. altho’ his style has too much of Amphibology to be suited to the sober precision of Politics, yet we gather from him great outlines, and profound views of the new constitution of Europe, and of it’s probable consequences. these are things we should understand to know how to keep clear of them.
I am glad to find that the excellent history of Botta is, at length translated. the merit of this work has been too long unknown with us. he has had the faculty of sifting the truth of facts from our own histories, with great judgment, of suppressing details which do not make a part of the general history, and of enlivening the whole with the constant glow of his holy enthusiasm for the liberty & independance of nations. neutral as an historian should be in the relation of facts he is never neutral in his feelings, nor in the warm expression of them, on the triumphs and reverses of the conflicting parties, and of his honest sympathies with that engaged in the better cause. another merit is in the accuracy of his narrative of those portions of the same war which passed in other quarters of the globe, and especially on the ocean. we must thank him too for having brought within the compass of 3. vols. every thing we wish to know of that war, and in a style so engaging that we cannot lay the book down. he had been so kind as to send me a copy of his work, of which I shall manifest my acknolegement by sending him your volumes as they come out. My original being lent out, I have no means of collating it with the translation; but see no cause to doubt exactness. with my request to become a subscriber to your work be pleased to accept the assurance of my great respect.
Th: Jefferson
RC (Raab Collection, Ardmore, Pa., 2006); addressed: “Mr George A. Otis Philadelphia”; frank torn; postmarked Milton, 11 July. PoC (DLC); edge trimmed. Printed in Philadelphia National Gazette and Literary Register, 19 July 1820, and elsewhere; with editor’s introductory comment that “It will be read with interest on account not only of the real importance of its subject, but of its happy style of expression and its vigorous tone of patriotic feeling so stimulative and exemplary in the composition of one seasoned by temperate, comprehensive philosophy, advanced far beyond the common term of human life, and long abstracted from active politics.”
Index Entries
- Aix-la-Chapelle, Congress of (1818) search
- American Revolution; books on search
- books; on American Revolution search
- books; on history search
- books; on politics search
- Botta, Carlo Giuseppe Guglielmo; History of the War of the Independence of the United States of America (trans. G. A. Otis) search
- Botta, Carlo Giuseppe Guglielmo; Storia della Guerra dell’ Independenza degli Stati Uniti d’America search
- Europe after the Congress of Aix-la-Chapelle. Forming the Sequel to the Congress of Vienna (D. D. de Pradt; trans. G. A. Otis) search
- History of the War of the Independence of the United States of America (C. G. G. Botta; trans. G. A. Otis) search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Books & Library; loans books search
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- Jefferson, Thomas; Opinions on; C. G. G. Botta’sStoria della Guerra dell’ Independenza search
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- Otis, George Alexander; letters to search
- Otis, George Alexander; translatesEurope after the Congress of Aix-la-Chapelle (D. D. de Pradt) search
- Otis, George Alexander; translatesHistory of the War of the Independence of the United States of America (C. G. G. Botta) search
- Pradt, Dominique Dufour, baron de; Europe after the Congress of Aix-la-Chapelle. Forming the Sequel to the Congress of Vienna (trans. G. A. Otis) search
- Storia della Guerra dell’ Independenza degli Stati Uniti d’America (C. G. G. Botta) search
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