whom I beg you to present my thanks for his friendly attention and to let him know I shall use my best endeavors to be in time for the departure of his frigate. No circumstances of a private nature could induce me to hasten over the several obstacles to my departure more unremitting than the hope of having the Chevr de Chattelux as a companion in my voyage. A previous acquaintance with his worth & abilities had impressed me with an affection for him which under the then prospect of never seeing him again. was perhaps imprudent. I am with very sincere esteem Dr Sir your affectionate friend & humble servt. ADVERTISEMENT.' MONTICELLO Dec 15 1782. The Subscriber having occasion to be absent from the State for some time, has confided the care of his affairs to Francis Eppes, Esq., of Chesterfield, and Col. Nicholas Lewis, of Albermarle, to whom, therefore, he begs leave to refer all persons having business with him. THOMAS JEFFERSON. 1 From Haye's Virginia Gazette, Saturday, Dec. 28, 1782. See Autobiography, 1, 72. NOTES ON VIRGINIA. 1782. The wide reputation and high value that have been accorded to the Notes on Virginia for over one hundred years make any attempt to praise it at this day little less than a work of supererogation. Its frequent republication is alone testimony sufficient to prove its unusual merit. Aside from its intrinsic value, it is of interest, as Jefferson's most serious piece of book-making, and the one on which the larger part of his philosophical reputation was based during his lifetime. It was, also at the time of its production, a notable contribution to American scientific writing, and has been, perhaps, the most frequently reprinted book ever written in the United States south of Mason and Dixon's line. In 1781 the French ministry directed their American agent to gather certain information concerning the several States then forming the American union, for the use of the home government. The secretary of the French legation, Marbois, in pursuance of this instruction, drew up a series of questions, which were sent to leading men in the different States, who were presumed to be best competent to supply the needed answers. These questions produced from several of the States replies more or less adequate, a number of which have been since printed. On the recommendation of Joseph Jones, then a member of the continental congress, a set of queries was sent to Jefferson, then still governor of Virginia, who wrote to M. Barbé de Marbois, the secretary of the legation: RICHMOND Mar. 4th, 1781. "SIR,-I have been honoured with your letter of Feb. 5. Mr. Jones did put into my hands a paper containing sundry inquiries into the present state of Virginia which he informed me was from yourself, some of which I meant to do myself the honour of answering. Hitherto it has been in my power to collect a few materials only, which my present occupations disable me from completing. I mean however shortly to be in a condition which will leave me quite at leisure to take them up, when it shall be one of my first undertakings to give you as full information as I shall be able to do on such of the subjects as are within the sphere of my acquaintance. On some of them however I trust Mr. Jones will engage abler hands. Those in particular which relate to the commerce of the state-a subject with which I am totally unacquainted, and which is probably the most important in your plan." In the leisure that ensued after his resignation of office, and a physical injury received from a fall from his horse, he undertook this work. Instead of treating the questions in the superficial way that most of the other respondents deemed sufficient, he prepared an elaborate and careful reply. In his Autobiography (1, 85), he states: "I had always made it a practice whenever an opportunity occurred of obtaining any information of our country, which might be of use to me in any station public or private, to commit it to writing. These memoranda were on loose papers, bundled up without order, and difficult of recurrence when I had occasion for a particular one. I thought this a good occasion to embody their substance, which I did in the order of Mr. Marbois' queries, so as to answer his wish and to arrange them for my own use." Jefferson retained a copy of these Notes, and submitted them to several friends for correction and suggestion. In the following winter (1782-3) he "somewhat corrected and enlarged" them. He was asked for copies by his friends, and seems to have yielded in some cases, for he wrote Chastellux : AMPTHILL, Nov. 26, 1782. * * * "This will give me full leisure to communicate to you my answers to the queries of Monsr de Marbois." * * * As these demands multiplied, however, they grew beyond his power to gratify, and he decided to print an edition for private distribution. When he went to attend the continental congress in the winter of 1783-4, he made inquiries preparatory to this, but failed to carry out his purpose, for reasons recorded in a letter to Charles Thomson: PHILADEL, May 21, 1784. 'My matter in the printing way is dropped. Aitken had formerly told me that he would print it for £4 a sheet. He now asks £5 10s, which raises the price from £48 to £66; but what was a more effectual and insuparable bar was that he could not complete it under three weeks, a time I could not wait for it. Dunlap happened to be out of town, so I relinquished the plan. Perhaps I may have a few copies struck off in Paris if there be an English Printer. If I do you shall assuredly have one. I shall take the liberty of adding some of your notes-those which were mendatory merely will have their effect on the body of the work.” Jefferson carried the MS therefore with him to France when he was sent as commissioner. Its condition at that time is described in a letter to Hogendorp, written some months after : PARIS, Oct. 13 1785. "The condition in which you first saw them [the Notes] would prove to you how hastily they had been originally written; as you may remember the numerous insertions I had made in them from time to time, when I could find a moment for turning to them from other occupations.” Jefferson reached Paris August 6, 1784, and seems to have at once placed the MS of his Notes in the hands of a printer, for he records on Sept. 13, in his note book: "Pd. M. La Marche in part for sheets 1176 f." and under Oct. 15 enters in the same : Two hundred copies were printed. "Pd. M. La Marche balance for sheets 69 f." This edition of the Notes was anonymous. Jefferson wrote to Carmichael, of this edition: PARIS Dec 26, 1786 "My Notes on Virginia having been hastily written, need abundance of corrections. Two or three of these are so material that I am reprinting a few leaves to substitute for the old. As soon as these shall be ready, I will beg your acceptance of a copy. I shall be proud to be permitted to send a copy also to the Count de Campomanes, as a tribute to his science & his virtues." As here indicated, the author distributed a few copies, as presents to friends, each one bearing a presentation note in Jefferson's writing, requesting that it should be considered as a private communication. Two of these inscriptions, are here reproduced as types, in facsimile. Another was as follows: "Th. Jefferson begs the Marquis de LaFayette's acceptance of a copy of these Notes. The circumstances under which they were written, and the talents of the writer, will account for their errors and defects. The original was sent to Mr de Marbois in December 1781. The desire of a friend to possess some of the details they contained occasioned him to revise them in the subsequent winter. The vices however of their original composition were such as to forbid material amendment. He now has a few copies printed with a design of offering them to some of his friends, and to some estimable characters beyond that line. A copy is presented to the Marquis de LaFayette whose services to the American Union in general, and to that member of it particularly which is the subject of these Notes and in that precise point of time too to which they relate, entitle him to this offering. To these considerations the writer hopes he may be permitted to add his own personal friendship and esteem for the Marquis. Unwilling to expose these sheets to the public eye the writer begs the favor of the Marquis to put them into the hands of no person on whose care and fidelity he cannot rely to guard them against publication." Jefferson's reasons for not publishing the work, and for taking such pains to guard it from being printed, are given in a letter to Chastellux : PARIS June 7. 1785. "DEAR SIR, I have been honoured with the receipt of your letter of the 2d instant, and am to thank you, as I do sincerely for the partiality with which you th: Jetterson Lenny had a four cques of these Notes pinted to offer to some of his friend & to some other extemable chemetus beyond that line, begs no Barclay's acceptance of a copy. unwelling to expose then to the public eye, he asks the favor of Mr. Barclay to put them into the hands of whose care I fidelity he cannot rely them against publication. no person on to guard a In Jetterson begs Doot. Priceis acceptance of a copy of these notes . The circumstances under which they were written, with the talents of the writer will account, for their errors & defies. The original was sent to prons de Marboes in Decemb. 1781. being asked for a copy by. friend who wished to possess some of the details they contain he revised them in the subsequent winter. the vices however of their orginal composition were such as forbed material amendment he now has a few copies printed with a design of offering them to some of his friends, and to some other estimable charachers beyond that line. a copy is presented to Doolt. Piee Testimony of the respect which the writer them to the public as a bears him. unwilling to expose eye, he asks the favor of Do dr. Price to put them into the hands of no person on whore care & fidelity de cannot rely to guard them against publication Written by the Author on the Fly-Leaves of Two Presentation Copies of the Original French Edition of Jefferson's Notes on Virginia. |