William Cobbett, dated from Botley, July 23, 1812. A marginal note in ink is cut into.
Sent to Jefferson by James Ronaldson who wrote from Philadelphia on October 1, 1812: “I have just received per the Brilliant from London Cobbets paper of Aug
t 8--sent me by M
r Bearley as it contains a very interesting paper on American affairs I have taken the liberty of sending it to you--I have
a few other of this extraordinary mans Political register now out amongst my friends which I could collect and send if you
are interested to see them, while in America he was the strong approver of every thing done in Britain now he is in Britain
he appears equally ardent in support of the U S but this goes for little, for comparatively speaking few Englishmen ever see
his paper . . .”
Jefferson replied from Monticello on October 11: “
. . . I thank you for Cobbet’s paper. it will probably arrive by our next post. he is the only man in England who seems to
know any thing about us: but his prophecies, like those of Cassandra, are fated not to be believed. we must fight them into
a knolege of us. their arms I fear not . . .
”
William Cobbett, 1762-1835, essayist and politician, began Cobbett’s Weekly Political Register in January 1802 and continued it until his
death.
[3420]
J. 341
Not in the Manuscript Catalogue.
1815 Catalogue, page 102. no. 310, Personal Pamphlets, 2 v 8vo.
Twenty-two pamphlets, numbered 19, bound together in one volume, 8vo., calf. Several deal with Aaron Burr’s trial, with General
Wilkinson’s affairs and other matters of the same period.
JA36 .P8 Vol. 105
One of the two volumes called for by the Library of Congress 1815 catalogue was either not delivered to Congress in 1815,
or disappeared at an early date. The working copy of the 1815 catalogue is annotated in ink,
1 vol. missing, and one volume is included in the list of books missing from the Congressional Library made at a later date.
The volumes were originally bound for Jefferson by Milligan in February 1809.
On February 25, 1823, in a letter to John Adams, Jefferson wrote: “
. . . at the end of every year, I generally sorted all my pamphlets and had them bound according to their subjects. one of
these volumes consisted of personal altercations between individuals, and calumnies on each other. this was lettered on the
back ‘Personalities,’ and is now in the library of Congress . . .
”
The volume now has labels on the back lettered
Political /
Pamphlets /
vol. 105.
1.
Rab & Jane. A Legendary Tale, (and True.) By Peter Pindar’s Cousin Pindar . . . [?
Natchez:]
September, 1805.
First Edition. 12mo. 14 leaves including the last blank. In verse.
Not in Halkett and Laing.
Not in Sabin.
McMurtrie 33 (this copy only with the title-page reproduced).
Not in Wegelin.
Sent to Jefferson anonymously by the author from Greenville, Mississippi Territory, on September 23, 1805: “I have not the vanity to think the enclosed trifle can afford you
great pleasure--or the diffidence of my own powers to suppose it incapable of affording you any:--I think you would peruse with
some interest any thing which resembled a production of genius coming from this uncultured and sequestered quarter, though
even inferior in merit, if such could be to my poor tale. But as mine is more than
poetically a tale of truth, and its principal personage being one over whose official conduct it is part of your extensive duty to keep
a scrutinizing eye, it was thought proper, though with no design of injuring any human creature, that you should see the bantling
“Rab & Jane.” . . .”
The scene is in the
Town of Washington, alias Quid-Town.
[3421]
