Jefferson’s copy was sent to him by Thomas Brand Hollis, the friend and heir of Thomas Hollis, who wrote from London on April 17, 1787: “I request the favor of your benevolent acceptance of the memoirs of the late excellent Thomas Hollis, who was a friend to the rights of America & of mankind in general. How would he have rejoiced to have seen these days “Tyranny defeated & the seeds of freedom planted in another world for which he could scarcely have hoped” tho to which he was in no small degree instrumental by dispersing the best of books on the most interesting subjects.

"an encouragement for others to do the like. may they obtain a place in your library which I shall esteem an honor.

"a translation of the History of the Hospital of St Elizabeth just published waits on you. in which are many singular notes & circumstances.”

Jefferson replied from Paris on July 2, 1787: “ On my return from a tour through the Southern parts of France & Northern of Italy, I found here the present of books you had been so kind as to send me. I should value them highly for their intrinsic merit, but much more as coming from you . . . ”

Francis Blackburne, 1705-1787, archdeacon of Cleveland, was the father in law of John Disney, the compiler of the Index.

Thomas Hollis, 1720-1774, the republican, was born in London, and was the great-nephew of the first benefactor of that name to Harvard College. These Memoirs contain a complete account of the benefactions to Harvard by various members of the Hollis family, and other New England matter; a bibliography of the first editions of the works of John Milton, and other valuable source material. The engraved head of Hollis is set in a column on a plinth, the latter with Britannia at the side, the former with the owl, daggers and cap of liberty with which Hollis was wont to decorate the bindings of his books.