“ his hands three months. I sent to Barrois the very day of my return to let him know that justice to Stockdale did not permit me to defer sending him the plate any longer: yet I would wait 5. days, at the end of which he must deliver me the plate whether his maps were done or not. I received no answer, but waited 10. days. I then sent for the plate. the answer was he was not at home. I sent again the next day. answer he was not at home. I sent the third day. not at home. I then ordered the messenger to go back & wait till he should come home. this produced an answer of two lines ‘qu’il alloit soigner son ouvrier.’ I wrote him word in return to deliver the plate instantly. this I think was on a Saturday or Sunday. he told the messenger he would let me have it the thursday following. I took patience, & sent on the Friday, but telling the messenger if he refused to deliver it, to inform him I would be plagued no more with sending messages, but would apply to the police. he then delivered it & I sent it off immediately to London. he had kept it three months, of which three weeks was after my return. I think Sir you will be satisfied that justice to Stockdale, justice to myself who had passed my word for sending on the plate, and sensibility to the shuffling conduct of Barrois, permitted me to act no otherwise.--but no matter. let his ill behavior make no odds between you me. [sic] it will affect your interest, & that suffices to determine me to order back the plate as soon as Stockdale has done with it. he will not require more days than Barrois months. so that it will be here before you can want it. but it must never go into Barrois’ hands again nor of any person depending on him or under his orders. the workman who struck off the 250 for me seems to have been diligent enough. either he or any other workman you please of that description shall have it to strike what number you wish. I forgot to observe in it’s proper place, that when I was in the midst of my difficulties I did myself the honor of calling on you, as well to have that of asking after your health on my return, as of asking your assistance to obtain the plate--unluckily you were gone to Versailles, so I was obliged to proceed as well as I could. it is no excuse for Barrois to say he could not get his Imprimeur to proceed. he should have applied to another. but as to you it shall be set to rights in the manner I have before stated. accept my regret that you were in the hands of so undeserving a workman, & one who placed me under the necessity of interrupting a work which interested you. be assured at the same time of the sincerity of those sentiments of esteem & respect with which I have the honor to be Dear Sir your most obedient & most humble servant. ”

A number of letters, dated and undated, from the Abbé Morellet to Jefferson on the subject of his translation of the Notes are in the Jefferson Papers in the Library of Congress. Jefferson’s letter of July 2 was probably in answer to a letter from Morellet dated only Mardi: “le detail dans lequel vous aves l’extrème complaisance d’entrer me demontre avec la derniere evidence que vous aves poussé la patience et la bonté jusqu’où elles pouvoient aller et que Barrois est coupable non seulement d’une negligence et d’une paresse impardonnable mais d’une injustice dont je suis fort blessé en se plaignant lorsqu’il n’a que des excuses à faire lui même et des torts les plus graves du monde je suis moi même bien honteux d’avoir pensé un moment d’après lui que votre domestique l’avoit traité durement et de vous avoir presenté cette espece de plainte si injuste et si mal placée. je vous prie d’oublier la faiblesse que j’ai eüe de croire aux propos du libraire qui est d’ailleurs un honnête homme mais qui est aussi l’homme le plus negligent si j’avois eu le moindre notion de ce qui se passoit et des delais qu’on mettoit à vous satisfaire soyes sur que la planche vous eut ete rendue et envoyée à Londres il y a six semaines. mais un billet de Barrois a été pour moi la premiere nouvelle de tout cela. Si vous aves la bonté de nous faire ravoir la planche après que Mr. Stockdale en auroit fait usage je la remettrai moi même à un imprimeur et elle ne rentrera jamais dans les mains d’un homme si horriblement negligent. je suis vraiment au desespoir du desagrement et de l’embarras que je vous ai causé bien malgré moi . . .”

Stockdale replied to Jefferson’s letter of July 1 on July 10: “I received your favor of July the 1 ^st together with the Plate, safe, by your Messenger; it has been a ”