This and the following pamphlet were sent to Jefferson by the author, who wrote from Philadelphia on November 14, 1807: “The obtruding the inclosed pieces upon your attention may justly be thought to require an apology. Learning in a late conversation with D ^r. Rush that your sentiments on the subjects to which they relate were, generally, in unison with them, I thought it might not be disagreeable to you to be informed of an attempt now made (or rather revived) to bring them into more general notice & render them the subjects of enquiry in this place.

"I was, in the earlier part of my life, a pupil of the venerable Priestley, and came over with a large family to this country in the same year he did & from motives somewhat similar tho rather of a civil than a religious nature . . .”

Jefferson replied from Washington on November 18: “ Th: Jefferson presents his compliments to m( ^~ r) Eddowes and his thanks for the two pamphlets he has been so kind as to send him. he has read them with so much satisfaction that he has desired m ( ^~ r) Dobson to forward him the successive discourses as they shall come out, and also the new translation of the New testament announced in page 22. this latter work is particularly interesting as he has always been persuaded that the different translations of that book have been warped in particular passages to the tenets of the church of which the translator has been a member. he has recieved great pleasure from some of the writings of his venerable friend Doct ^r. Priestley, on these subjects, and is sensible, from the specimen sent, that he shall do the same as to the discourses now promised. ”

The letter to Thomas Dobson was written by Jefferson on the same day, November 18: “ In a discourse on Unitarian principles, sent me by m( ^~ r) Eddowes of your city, & edited by yourself, I percieve that others are to be delivered on the same subject successively through the winter. the object of the present letter is to ask the favor of you to forward me a copy of them as they appear, & with the last, a note of the amount which shall be remitted you; to which I should be glad to have added a translation of the New testament, announced page 22. of the first discourse, whenever it comes out . . . ”

The announcement on page 22 reads as follows: it is farther announced, that a translation of the New Testament, in which the errors of that at present in common use will be noted and avoided, is preparing for speedy publication.

For Jefferson’s copy of this New Testament, see no. 1489.

Ralph Eddowes, 1751-1833, emigrated to America in 1794, and became one of the earliest lay ministers of the First Unitarian Society of Philadelphia.

See the note to the previous entry. Thomas Dobson sent to Jefferson on January 20, 1809, “ four succeeding number of the Unitarian pieces and tracts published in this city” [Philadelphia]. The price was fifty cents which Jefferson paid on February 6.