Thomas Jefferson’s Notes on John H. Thomas’s Edition of Coke on Littleton, [ca. 4 January 1824]
Notes on John H. Thomas’s Edition of Coke on Littleton
[ca. 4 Jan. 1824]
Since the date of this letter a most important and valuable edition has been published of Coke’s 1st institute. the editor, Thomas, has analysed the whole work, and recomposed it’s matter in the order of Blackstone’s Commentaries, not omitting a sentence of Lord Coke’s text, nor inserting one not his. in Notes, under the text, he has given the modern decisions relating to the same subjects; rendering it thus as methodical, lucid, easy and agreeable to the reader, as Blackstone, and more precise and profound. it can now be no longer doubted that this is the very best elementary work for a beginner in the study of the Law. it is not, I suppose, to be had in this state, and questionable if in the North, as yet: and it is dear, costing in England 4. Guineas, or 19.D. to which add the duty here on imported books, which, on the 3. vols 8vo is something more than 3.D. or 1.D. the 8vo volume. this is a tax on learned readers to support printers for the readers of ‘the Delicate distress’ and ‘the Wild Irish boy.’
MS (DLC: TJ Papers, 219:39219); written entirely in TJ’s hand on one side of a small slip; undated; attached with sealing wax to foot of first page of PoC of TJ to Dabney C. Terrell, 26 Feb. 1821, verso blank except for “Jan. 2. 24.” in TJ’s hand, canceled. Tr (MHi; incorporated into Tr of TJ to Terrell, 26 Feb. 1821). Tr (NjP: Thomas Jefferson Collection; incorporated into Tr of TJ to Terrell, 26 Feb. 1821). Tr (ViU: TJP; incorporated into partial Tr in Nicholas P. Trist’s hand of TJ to Terrell, 26 Feb. 1821, misdated 26 Feb. 1824). Tr (ViU: Jefferson Family Correspondence; incorporated into partial Tr in Trist’s hand of TJ to Terrell, 26 Feb. 1821; endorsed by Joseph Coolidge: “Thomas’s systematic arrangement of Coke upon Lyttleton”). Enclosed in TJ to Thomas Mann Randolph, 4 Jan. 1824.
this letter: TJ to Terrell, 26 Feb. 1821. The important and valuable edition was John H. Thomas, A Systematic Arrangement of Lord Coke’s First Institute of the Laws of England, 3 vols. (London, 1818; TJ’s Retirement Library Catalogue, p. 76 [MS in DLC: TJ Papers, ser. 7]).
the delicate distress dealt with the issues of female independence and marital fidelity, emphasizing the experience of newly married women. It was written by Elizabeth Griffith and published with The Gordian Knot, a work by her husband, Richard Griffith, in Two Novels. In Letters. By the Authors of Henry and Frances. in Four Volumes (Dublin, 1769). the wild irish boy was a three-volume gothic novel by Charles R. Maturin published in London in 1808.
Index Entries
- A Systematic Arrangement of Lord Coke’s First Institute of the Laws of England (J. H. Thomas) search
- Blackstone, William; Commentaries on the Laws of England search
- books; novels search
- books; price of search
- Coke, Sir Edward; A Systematic Arrangement of Lord Coke’s First Institute of the Laws of England (J. H. Thomas) search
- Commentaries on the Laws of England (W. Blackstone) search
- Griffith, Elizabeth; Two Novels. In Letters. By the Authors of Henry and Frances search
- Griffith, Richard; Two Novels. In Letters. By the Authors of Henry and Frances search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Books & Library; recommends books search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Writings; Notes on John H. Thomas’s Edition of Coke on Littleton search
- law; books on search
- Maturin, Charles Robert; The Wild Irish Boy search
- taxes; on books search
- The Wild Irish Boy (C. R. Maturin) search
- Thomas, John Henry; A Systematic Arrangement of Lord Coke’s First Institute of the Laws of England search
- Two Novels. In Letters. By the Authors of Henry and Frances (E. Griffith and R. Griffith) search