“ you my history as it comes out. The notes of the first volume though necessary to strangers are well known to Americans who have been in public stations. I flatter myself the second volume which you will next receive will be more worthy your attention than the first. It contains the brilliant campaigns of 1780 & 1781 . . . M. De Marbois has flattered me with an assurance that the work would be acceptable in France & that a translation of it would be desired. He transmits copies of it with a view to this to the Chevalier De Chastellux. Should an European edition and a translation be thought advisable I have taken the liberty of suggesting a few alterations & hints. I leave this matter wholly to yourself & M. Marbois’ correspondent to determine. Perhaps you will not be so well able to decide on it till you see the whole text which I hope you will by the next packet. If there is any merit in the work it is in the chapters that are now striking off. Whatsoever you shall do in the matter shall meet my approbation. If a translation is thought proper you shall not in any event lose by it: if it is not I shall have the pleasure of furnishing you with the reading of the first copy of my work that crossed the Atlantic. I shall be absent from Congress till the latter end of October. I have obtained the honor of Col Monroe to transmit to you the succeeding chapters by the next packets.”

On August 31 Jefferson wrote to Ramsay: “ I am honoured with your two letters of June 15. & July 13. and am to thank you for the sheets of your history sent therewith. I am much pleased to see a commencement of those special histories of the late revolution which must be written first before a good general one can be expected. I shall be more pleased to see the remaining parts as well executed as this which sets the example . . . on the receipt of your first letter I applied to a bookseller to see what could be done towards translating & printing it here. after various enquiries I found that the translation and the printing 1000. copies being deducted would leave about 40. guineas for the author to be received as the work sold. I was by no means satisfied with this price, but the bookseller observed that as it would be only a translation, it would be impossible to hinder other translations from being made, which might come into competition on the sale. on the receipt of your second letter, I wrote immediately to the Marquis de Chastellux . . . I have received no answer which makes me fear he is on his tour of inspection. I am therefore distressed what to do. for while I hope from his counsels that means of procuring a better translation & perhaps better terms too might be found, I fear on the other hand that a delay may permit some other translation to get the start & so defeat our prospects altogether . . . ”

Jefferson made enquiries as to the cost of publishing a translation, and October 12 wrote to Ramsay: “ The m( ^~r ) Fitzhughs the bearers of this letter being on the point of setting out, I have only time to inform you that after trying many booksellers and receiving a variety of propositions the best offer is of 900 livres for your book, paiable 12 months after the printing of it here shall be completed. the M. de Chastellux thinks it best to accept of this, I shall therefore do it this day. I should have been pleased to have obtained terms somewhat more like reason, but it could not be done. being only a translation, others have a right to translate also & to sell in competition with the first . . . ”

On December 10 Ramsay sent Jefferson a copy of the English edition, with one for the Marquis de La Fayette: “When I left this city last August I directed my printer to furnish Mr. Monroe with the sheets of my book from time to time that they might be sent to you by the packets. Mr. Monroe soon after left Congress & transferred the business to Mr. Hardy. His much lamented death prevented his execution of the business. On my return here in November I could not find satisfactory information of what had been sent to you; but the printer informed me that you must have received up to page 305 of Vol. 2d. I now send you the remainder. The work was finished on the 7th inst . . . I shall direct him [Charles Dilly, to whom Ramsay had sent 1600 copies] to deliver to your order two complete copies & I beg the favor of your acceptance of one & that ”