To George Washington from John Jones, 23 January 1795
From John Jones
Grafton Street Dublin [Ireland] Jany 23d 1795
John Jones, Sole Proprietor of the Sentimental and Masonic Magazine, impressed with that Respect and Veneration Justly incited by so great and estimable a Charecter as his Excellency President George Washington; Solicits his acceptance of the Five Volumes now published of that work; (which is much approved, of particularly by the Brethren of this Kingdom,) fondly flattering himself a Perusal of them at some Period, may be a Relaxation from weighty and momentious Business.1
The Sixth Volume, to which will be prefixed a Portrait of the President, executed by an Irish Artist, in an elegant manner; the Proprietor intends dedicating to his Excellency; and humbly hopes that that Liberty will not be deemed too presumptuous.
AL, DLC:GW.
John Jones was a Dublin bookseller.
1. Jones published thirty-eight issues (six volumes plus two issues of the seventh) of the Sentimental and Masonic Magazine from July 1792 to August 1795. GW replied to Jones on 10 July: “I have been favored with your note of the 23d of Jany—accompanied by five Vols. of the Sentimental & Masonic Magazine. For this mark of your obliging attention to me I entreat you to accept my best thanks. I shall, I am persuaded, find much pleasure in reading them whenever circumstances will afford me more leisure than I at present have, for gratifications of this sort” (ALS, DSC; LB, DLC:GW). The volumes remained in GW’s library at his death (, 495).