Original sheep rebacked and repaired, with new end papers. With the Library of Congress 1815 bookplate in each volume. Initialled by Jefferson at sigs. I and T in both volumes.

Presentation copy from the author. On October 18, 1804, Abiel Holmes wrote to Jefferson from Cambridge (N. Eng.): “Knowing your taste for history, I take the liberty to offer you one or two historical tracts, composed for the Historical Society, and published in their Collections.

"I have, for several years, been collecting and arranging materials for a Chronological History of America, and have, at length, ventured to offer Proposals for publishing a work, under the title of American Annals. It will be comprized in two octavo volumes, and is intended to embrace the primary articles of American history, from the first discovery of the country to the present time.”

Jefferson replied from Washington on December 7: “ Your letter of Oct. 18. was recieved on the 5th of Nov. with the tracts you were so good as to send me & for which I pray you to accept my thanks. I learn with pleasure that you are undertaking a Chronological history of America. such a work fully executed will be precious to the man of business. the first of that kind attempted in Europe was by the President Henault who in 2. vols 12 ^mo. gave the history of France, chronologically stated with a minuteness & accuracy not to be surpassed. his example has been followed by others so that we now have a similar history of almost every country in Europe, antient & modern; & his plan was so perfect that it has been improved by none of them. Fresnoy in his Chronological tablets of history varied the plan a little, but not advantageously. I presume the work you contemplate is of the character of these. my occupations will not allow me to be of use to you even where I might find opportunities of being so. for early materials the immense collections of Rymer, Rushworth & Thurloe will of course offer much: and m ( ^~r ) Hazard’s in our own country. the Memoires de l’Amerique in 4. v. 4 ^to. published about the beginning of the war of 1755. contain much. there is an old 4 ^to. volume published many years ago in England, called the American Library containing as well as I recollect nothing but the titles of books or papers respecting America.

" The American & British Chronicle 8 ^vo. London. gives all the events of our revolutionary war with exact dates from 1773. May 10. to July 16. 1783 well executed.

" The Chronologist of the French revolutionary war. 12 ^mo. Lond. 1797. gives the events of that war with minute dates.

" Hardie’s American Remembrancer. 12 ^mo. Philadã 1795. may furnish something.

" the American library & the American & British chronicle are rare. should you not be able to procure them you shall be welcome to the loan of them from my library. as to the American treaties since the revolution there is a compleat collection of them bound up with the laws of the US . . . ”