12mo. 168 leaves, in sixes; the engraved portrait frontispiece missing from this copy.
Rebound in half red morocco by the Library of Congress. Initialled by Jefferson at sig. I and T.
Author’s presentation copy to Jefferson to whom he wrote from New York on September 1, 1802 (endorsed by Jefferson
rec
d. Dec. 19.
): “I send you a copy of the Second Edition of my Principles of Nature[.] I beg that you would accept of it as a mark of that
profound Respect which I entertain for premient talants and Virtue . . . I know that the Book which I send you contains nothing
new to you and furnishes only an evideance of sincere attachment to you and the Principles for which you have contended.”
See Wood, John:
A Full Exposition of the Clintonian Faction
, No. 3280.
Elihu Palmer, 1764-1806, deist and founder of deistical societies in New York and other cities, of which this work was the textbook for
a number of years. The preface to the first edition, reprinted in the second, is dated May 1 of the same year, 1802.
[1290]
J. 54
Lettre de Trasibule a Leucippe. par Freret.
4
to.
M.S.
1815 Catalogue, page 57. no. 132, as above.
FRERET,
Nicolas.
Lettre de Trasibule a Leucippe. Ouvrage critique, historique, metaphisique &c. Ou l’on nie la verité de toutes les Religions.--l’existence
de Dieu, et l’immortalité de l’ame. Par M
r. Freret Secretaire perpetuel de l’Academie des Inscriptions et belles lettres. Mort en 1746.
Sm. folio. Manuscript written in an extremely neat hand on 155 leaves (title and 307 numbered pages), of watermarked paper,
measuring 10 by 7¼ inches, long lines, 16 to a full page, the title written in red and black within red and black ruled borders,
the caption on the first page of text in red and black, pages ruled in red throughout.
Original French mottled calf, gilt back, r.e. With the 1815 Library of Congress bookplate.
From the library of Benjamin Franklin. A gift from
N. G. Dufief, the bookseller, to Jefferson. On October 22, 1801, Dufief wrote to Jefferson: “. . . J’ai ajouté depuis peu à ma Collection la portion de la Bibliotheque du Dr. B. Franklin leguée par lui à son petit fils
Temple Franklin. Sans l’entousiasme de nos Concitoyens a faire l’acquisition de ses livres J’aurois accompli mon dessein de vous en envoyer
le catalogue manuscript; mais en ayant une fois annoncé la vente dans les papiers publics il ne m’a pas été possible de me
me refuser a l’empressement general à se les procurer--Il s’est trouvé parmi ces livres la fameuse lettre de
Trasibule à
Leucippe en Manuscript. peut être plus correcte & plus complète que les Editions imprimées ce dont je n’ai pu m’assurer n’en ayant
aucune pour en faire la comparaison. J’ai pensé que vous me feriez l’honneur de l’accepter; ce la m’a enhardi a mettre cet
ouvrage parmi vos livres . . .”
On November 1 Jefferson wrote to Dufief as to the other books mentioned in his letter, and added: “
. . . accept my thanks for the lettre de Trasybule a Leucippe . . .”
Nicolas Freret, 1688-1749 (not 1746 as on the title-page above), French scholar and critic. The first printed edition of this work appeared
in London, undated, circa 1768. The authorship is now disputed, and the book is ascribed to Freret, Holbach and others.
[1291]
55
Le Bon sens.
12
mo.
1815 Catalogue, page 58, unnumbered [Le Bon Sens, 12mo, Diderot] oeuvres.
[HOLBACH,
Paul Heinrich Dietrich, Baron d’.]
Le Bon-Sens ou idées naturelles opposées aux idées surnaturelles . . . A
