To George Washington from Abraham Small and John Thompson, 14 April 1796
From Abraham Small and John Thompson
Philadelphia April 14, 1796
s⟨ir⟩
We hope we do not take an unpardonable Liberty by endeavouring to get the proposals herewith enclosed, into your hands for perusal.1
If you, Sir, will have the Goodness to look them through, they will fully explain the motives which have guided us, and the views we have in the completion of our Undertaking.
We are conscious of having made a successful effort to raise the most useful of all the Arts, to the same summit of excellence in America—from which she has in Europe long drawn forth general admiration.
Whilst we are endeavouring to bring to perfection that Art from which mankind derive all they know—which has ever been the Guardian of Liberty, nothing can be more natural than our Wish that the name of Washington, should be first among our Patrons.
Our Prayer is, that your Excellency will look at so much of our performance as we have finished—we hope it will then speak for itself. We, are with the utmost Deference, Your Excellency’s Most humble servants
Abrm Small
John Thompson
LS, DLC:GW.
Abraham Small (1765–1829) and John Thompson (d. 1805) were Philadelphia printers.
1. The enclosed proposals have not been identified, but their subject is evident from an advertisement placed in Philadelphia newspapers later in April. The version rendered in the Aurora General Advertiser for 22 April reads: “SPECIMEN OF Elegant Printing. JOHN THOMPSON & ABR. SMALL … inform those who admire, and would wish to encourage any improvement in those Arts which are an ornament to a State; that after much expence and great attention, they have printed for public inspection, the First Number of their HIGHLY FINISHED Hot-Pressed Bible, Which they believe to be the most beautiful production of its nature, hitherto seen.
“Similar Works in Europe have for some years been liberally patronized—they have had an honourable place in the Libraries of Men of Taste: The present production is an attempt to show, that in America, Works CAN be executed, in every respect equal to the efforts of Trans-Atlantic genius. …
“It claims patronage as being wholly American—the paper, by far the best ever used here for printing, is made within a few miles of this city—the types, which are truly beautiful, are also American—and the whole apparatus, for Hot-Pressing, has been procured from different parts of the Union:—It is also the cheapest HOT-PRESSED BIBLE ever printed in any country. …
“It is proposed to deliver the whole in Forty Numbers, at One-Half Dollar each—one of which will be completed every two weeks.”
For the completed project, see The Holy Bible, containing The Old and New Testaments: Together with the Apocrypha; Translated out of the Original Tongues … (Philadelphia, 1798).