Jefferson Quotes & Family Letters

I have this moment recd your letter. What an excellent plan has been entirely defeated! of course it is of no avail to mourn now, but it seems to me unaccountable that having been compelled by his necessities to sell the books J. did not take the only steps in his power to make them produce something!—I feel so deeply upon this subject that I will say nothing more, but I say too much. I think you have done wisely in purchasing the more valuable ones for sale here. as for myself I am greatly obliged for the pains you have taken on my acct—those that I particularly value I find have been secured in great part, and some others have been purchased which I presume contain his notes, and this is sufficient to make me desirous to have them. a few which have been bought for me I possess already—in Sismondi’s Republics, & Milicia, and others wh. if without his notes I should not be so anxious to claim—but these are few—and if you send me the prices I can put them into the sale here and buy an equal amount of other books, to wit—can sell Henault—and buy Heyne’s Virgil—&c. I would recommend you to send them on immediately—and I will make a sale by auction of the pictures which are on hand, and of the books at the same time—and something may be obtained in this way—but they should come at once! The mode of forwarding the books to Washington has been unfortunate—catalogues were not recd here until the 25 Feby and the National Intelligencer had mentioned that the sale was to take place on that day—consequently Gentlemen who had been inquiring for books for a month or more, were unable to get them, and made no effort to order purchases—Ticknor would have bought all the Saxon books, and other gentlemen all the agricultural works, including Michaux &c great was their disappointment to learn afterwards that the sale had not taken place until the 3d & 4th March!—mais—mon cher—quelle inconcevable—! to send books to be sold to members of Congress at Washington when those members had already left the city! but I will say no more, unless to ask you to get me a list of those books which are now for sale at P. Thompson’s, or in the hands of individuals in Washington—

You speak of your silence—I have been wholly at a loss to explain it—but presumed you had been hurried and occupied—; possibly canvassing for an auditorship, or something else! The General seems to have made root & branch work!—I am afraid he will be found wholly unacquainted with the great interests of the country, and that his administration will want dignity—and he become the tool of abler men—Calhoun, or Van Buren! I disbelieve in his power to make any reform—but am glad that Adams has been ejected—an unworthy reviler of the best men of his native state.

Dr Wells returned full of acknowledgements for your kindness—and Miss Stearns has I am sure found every attention at your hands—: do tell me when you write if any thing ever passed between you and Clay! did you make him the proper acknowledgements?—

please send on the books as soon as possible—if there is no packet at Washington, send them to Baltimore—