“ York depuis un mois, si la Navigation de notre rivière n’eut été interceptée par les Glaces . . .”
The books were sent on February 26, 10 vol. petit format, broché, price $6.00.
In a letter to Thomas Law, written from Poplar Forest on June 13, 1814, Jefferson quoted a passage from
De l’Esprit: “
. . . so Helvetius, one of the best men on earth, and the most ingenious advocate of this principle, after defining ‘interest’
to mean, not merely that which is pecuniary, but whatever may procure us pleasure or withdraw us from pain,
[
de l’Esprit. 2. 1.]
says [
ib. 2. 2]
‘the humane man is he to whom the sight of misfortune is insupportable and who, to rescue himself from this spectacle, is
forced to succour the unfortunate object’ . . .
”
Claude Adrien Helvétius, 1715-1771, French philosopher. The first edition of De l’Esprit, the only one of his works published in his lifetime, was
burned by the public executioner. The first edition of De l’Homme appeared in 1772. Jefferson’s “
petit format” purchases were usually for his Poplar Forest library.
The set of the Oeuvres de Helvétius in petit format mentioned in the notes was bound for Jefferson in calf, gilt, by John March, on May 11, 1803, cost $6.25. (Huntington Library.)
Thomas Law, 1756-1834, the son of the Bishop of Carlisle, was born in Cambridge, England, He came to the United States in 1794 and eventually settled in Washington, D. C. He was the author of pamphlets in his own name and over the pseudonym Homo.
[1242]
J. 6
Malbranche de la recherche de la verité.
2. v.
12
mo.
1815 Catalogue, page 58. no. 26, as above.
[MALEBRANCHE,
Nicolas.]
De La Recherche de la Verité. Où l’on traitte de la Nature de l’Esprit de l’homme, & de l’usage qu’il en doit faire pour éviter
l’erreur dans les Sciences.
Quatriéme Edition reveuë, & augmentée de plusieurs Eclaircissemens. Tome Premier [-Second].
A
Amsterdam: chez
Henry Desbordes,
1688.
B1893 .R3
2 vol. 12mo. Vol. I, 270 leaves; vol. II, 298 leaves,
Catalogue des Livres on the last two leaves; plates and diagrams in both volumes.
Barbier IV, col. 17.
Quérard V, 461.
Rebound in half red morocco by the Library of Congress in 1904, original marbled edges retained. Initialled by Jefferson at
sig. I and T.
By Nicolas Malebranche written in ink on the first title.
Entered on Jefferson’s undated manuscript catalogue, with the price,
1/6.
Nicolas Malebranche, 1638-1715, French philosopher of the Cartesian school.
[1243]
J. 7
Stewart’s Elements of the Philosophy of the human mind.
4
to.
[gift of the author.
1815 Catalogue, page 59. no. 131, Stewart’s elements of the philosophy of the Human Mind, 1st vol. 4to.
STEWART,
Dugald.
Elements of the Philosophy of the Human Mind. By Dugald Stewart, F.R.S. Edin. Professor of moral Philosophy in the University of Edinburgh.
London: Printed for
A. Strahan, and
T. Cadell . . . and
W. Creech,
Edinburgh.
m dcc xcii
. [1792.]
B1553 .E3
First Edition. 4to. 291 leaves.
Original calf, scorched on the back. Initialled by Jefferson at sig. I and T. In Chapter III,
On Conception, the word
On has been changed in ink to
Of in the Index on page x, and in the chapter heading on page 132. With the Library of Congress 1815 bookplate.
Jefferson’s first copy of this book (probably not this one, see below) was a gift from the author, who wrote from the College
of Edinburgh, 1 October, 1792: “The Book which accompanies this letter is the only performance which I have yet ventured to publish. I hope you will do me
the Honour to give it a place in your Library, and that you will accept of it as a mark of my grateful recollection ”
