“ inclosing the proposal paper, respecting the poems.--I only wished your name to be placed at the head of the list, and did not wish you to be at the pains of collecting subscriptions, further than as any of your neighbours might choose to put down their names.--Indeed the whole subscription plan was set a going without my knowledge or approbation, last winter. But, as I found the matter had gone too far to be recalled, I thought it best to submit, in the present Edition, to the course and order of things as they are and must be--Sir, if there be any thing like happiness in this our state of existence, it will be such to me, when these two little Volumes reach you in August ensuing, if the sentiments in them, under the poetical Veil, amuse you but for a single hour.--This is the first Edition that I have in reality attended to, the other two having been published, in a strange way, from manuscripts left to the destiny of the winds, while I was wandering over gloomy seas, until embargoed by the necessity of the times, and now again, I fear, I am reverting to the folly of scribbling verses . . .”

On March 22 of the following year, 1810, Lydia Bailey, the printer, sent to Jefferson eleven copies of the books with the bill for ten copies, one being sent as a gift: “by this days mail stage I forward to you a box containing elevan copies Freneaus Poems directed to the care of James Madison President. you will please accept the copy bound in calf. also the pocket Almanac. I thank you for your very liberal subscription to the Poems.

"To Lydia R. Bailey

"To--10 copies Freneaus Poems at 2. Dollars p ^r$20.00”

“

“”

Jefferson replied to this on April 18: “ I have recieved the favor of your letter of Mar. 22. in which I think there must be some mistake in ascribing to me a subscription for ten copies of m( ^~ r) Freneau’s poems. certainly if I ever had subscribed for that number from any one, from principles of great esteem, it was as likely to be him as any one, for whom I have a very high esteem, of which I hope he can never entertain a doubt. but as I never did, to my recollection subscribe for more than two copies of any work, I conclude there must be an error in this instance. I must pray you therefore to re-examine your subscription papers and if you find I have annexed that number to my subscription, be so good as to favor me with another line of information & I shall fulfill the engagement. in the mean time accept the assurances of my respect. ”

On May 8, Lydia Bailey wrote: “I have received the favour of your letter of April 18 in which I regret the mistake relative to your subscription to Freneaus Poems. I have examined agreeable to your request the subscription papers and find your name for 10 Copies, but when compared with your letter the hand does not by any means corespond with that of yours. some person wanting principle must have taken the unwarentable liberty, and what object they could have in view I know not--If you think proper you will please returne the Poems to me, in the mean time accept the assurance of my highest respect.”

Jefferson’s next letter to Mrs. Bailey was dated from Monticello, December 6: “ The 10. copies of Freneau’s poems which were forwarded to me thro’ the President of the US. were a considerable time getting to me, and owing to my other occupations they have remained longer unattended to than ought to have been. your letter of May 8. desired me to return them to you. as this must be thro’ Richmond, where there would be a probability of disposing of them, I have forwarded the box to m ( ^~ r) Pritchard bookseller there, formerly of Philadelphia & probably known to you, with a request that he would hold them subject to your order, either for sale there, or to be forwarded to you in Philadelphia, & in the mean time not to omit any opportunity of selling them for your benefit. you will be so good therefore as to give him your instructions on this subject. the two copies I subscribed for shall be paid thro’ him, it being difficult to remit small fractional sums from this place to Philadelphia. Accept the assurances of my respect. ”