His letter to Mr. Pritchard, the bookseller in Richmond[,] was dated the same day, December 6: “
A circumstance which shall be explained induces me to recall to your recollection an old acquaintance and customer while you
lived in Philadelphia. I subscribed to m
(
~
r)
s Lydia R. Baily of Philadelphia for 2. copies of Freneau’s poems which she was about to print. by some mistake, 10. copies
were sent. they were addressed thro’ the President of the US. whose business probably prevented their being immediately forwarded,
and mine has for some time prevented my attending to them. on apprising m
(
~
r)
s Bailey of the mistake she desired I would return them to Philadelphia. desirous of having them sold for her if I can, I
have thought it better to forward them to you with a request that you will hold either them or their proceeds, if you can
sell them, subject to her order. if you can be so good as to drop her a line, asking her instructions you will oblige me .
. .
”
This correspondence took place after the publication of the book, in which Jefferson, whose name is placed immediately below
that of the President, James Madison, at the head of the subscription list, is credited with ten copies. Jefferson’s name
is followed by the Library of Congress committee, which subscribed for two copies.
[4438]
59
M
rs. Warren’s poems.
12
mo.
1815 Catalogue, page 142, no. 37, as above.
WARREN,
Mercy Otis.
Poems, Dramatic and Miscellaneous. By Mrs. M. Warren . . . Printed at
Boston: by
I. Thomas and
E. T. Andrews,
mdccxc
. [1790.]
PS858 .W8 1790
First Edition. 12mo, 126 leaves.
Sabin 101486.
Wegelin 417.
Jefferson’s copy was sent to him by the author, to whom he wrote from Philadelphia on November 25, 1790: “
On my return to this place I receive the honour of your letter of Sep. 23. together with the volume which accompanied it; for which be pleased to accept my grateful thanks. a multiplicity
of business has as yet permitted me to dip but a little into it; but yet sufficiently to foresee that it will soothe some
of my moments of rest from drudgery, & will add another illustrious name to the roll of female worthies, made for the ornament
as well as vindication of their sex. I see in it too, and with peculiar pleasure, a demonstration the more (and that in behalf
of the most amiable moiety of society) of the illiberality of that hypothesis which has supposed a degeneracy even of the
human race on this side the Atlantic. I beg you to accept the homage of those sentiments of respect & esteem with which I
have the honor to be Madam your most obedient & most humble serv
t
.”
Mercy Otis Warren, 1728-1814, historian, poet and dramatist, dedicated this book to George Washington, President of the United States of America
from Plymouth, Massachusetts, on March 20, 1790. For another work by Mrs. Warren, see no. 508.
[4439]
60
Phyllis Whateley’s poems.
12
mo.
1815 Catalogue, page 142, no. 39, as above.
WHEATLEY,
Phillis.
Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral. By Phillis Wheatley, Negro Servant to Mr. John Wheatley, of Boston, in New England.
London: Printed for
A. Bell, Bookseller; and sold by Messrs.
Cox and Berry, King-Street,
Boston,
m dcc lxxiii
. [1773.]
PS866 .W5 1773
First Edition. Sm. 4to. 64 leaves, engraved portrait frontispiece, publisher’s advertisement on the last page.
Sabin 103136.
Wegelin 432.
Jefferson referred to Phillis Wheatley in the
Notes on Virginia
(reference from the first ed[i]tion) page 257:
. . . Misery is often the parent of the most affecting touches in
