Premiere Partie [-Seconde Partie, contenant la Description des Antiquités] . . . A
Amsterdam,
m. dcc. lxvii.
[1767.]
First Edition. 8vo. in fours. 2 parts in 1, 85 and 16 leaves including 2 half-titles, 1 full page and 8 folded engraved plates,
numbered, before letters, the last signed by Cl. Verdier,
delineavit et sculpsit; plate 5 is of the Maison Carrée.
Barbier II, 632.
Quérard V, 629.
Entered by Jefferson without price on his undated manuscript catalogue.
Jefferson visited Nîmes in 1787, but was familiar with the Maison Carrée before that. In a letter to James Madison dated from
Paris September 20, 1785, he wrote: “
. . . I received this summer a letter from Mess
rs. Buchanan & Hay as directors of the public buildings desiring I would have drawn for them plans of sundry buildings, & in
the first place of a Capitol . . . we took for our model what is called the Maison-quarrée of Nismes, one of the most beautiful,
if not the most beautiful & precious morsel of architecture left us by antiquity. it was built by Caius & Lucius Cæsar & repaired
by Louis XIV. and has the suffrage of all the judges of architecture who have seen it, as yeilding to no one of the beautiful
monuments of Greece, Rome, Palmyra & Balbec which late travellers have communicated to us. it is very simple, but it is noble
beyond expression, and would have done honour to our country as presenting to travellers a morsel of taste in our infancy
promising much for our maturer age. I have been much mortified with information which I received two days ago from Virginia
that the first brick of the Capitol would be laid within a few days. but surely the delay of this peice of a summer would
have been repaid by the savings in the plan preparing here, were we to value it’s other superiorities as nothing. but how
is a taste in this beautiful art to be formed in our countrymen, unless we avail ourselves of every occasion when public buildings
are to be erected, or presenting to them models for their study & imitation? pray try if you can effect the stopping of this
work. I have written also to E. R. on the subject . . .
”
The letter to Edmund Randolph was written on the same day: “
. . . I recieved some time ago a letter from Mess
rs. Hay & Buchanan as directors of the publick buildings desiring I would have plans drawn for our public buildings & in the
first place for the Capitol. I did not recieve their letter till within a month of the time they had fixed on for receiving
the drawings. nevertheless I engaged an excellent architect to comply with their desire. it has taken much time to accomodate
the External adopted, to the internal arrangement necessary for the three branches of government. however it is effected,
on a plan which with a great deal of beauty & convenience within, unites an external form on the most perfect model of antiquity
now existing. this is the Maison quarrée of Nismes built by Caius & Lucius Cæsar & repaired by Louis XIV. which in the opinion
of all who have seen it yeilds in beauty to no peice of architecture on earth. the gentlemen inclosed me a plan of which they
had thought. the one preparing here will be more convenient, give more room, & cost but two thirds of that: and as a peice
of architecture, doing honour to our country, will leave nothing to be desired. the plans will be ready soon. but two days
ago I received a letter from Virginia informing me the first brick of the Capitol would be laid within a few days. this mortifies
me extremely. the delay of this summer would have been amply repaid by the superiority & œconomy of the plan preparing here.
is it impossible to stop the work where it is? you will gain money by losing what is done, and general approbation indeed
of
[
sic
--
Ed.
]
occasioning a regret which will endure as long as your building does. how is a taste for a chaste & good style of building
to be formed in our countrymen unless we seize all occasions which the erection of public buildings offers, of presenting
to them models for their imitation? do, my dear Sir, exert your influence to stay the further progress of the work till you
can recieve these plans. you will only lose the price of laying what bricks are already laid, & of taking part of them asunder.
they will do again for the inner walls . . .
”
In his journey from Paris into the southern parts of France and of northern Italy in 1787, Jefferson visited Nîmes between
the 19th and the 23rd of March, on which day he left for Arles.
On March 20, Jefferson wrote from Nîmes to the Comtesse de Tessé:
