“ you would do me the honor of presenting the other to the Marquis de La Fayette in my name . . . I am sorry for the trouble I give you but hope for your indulgence. I have not hitherto been favored with the reception of any letter that informed me of your having received the sheets which I sent you by the monthly packets.”

On January 26, 1786, Jefferson wrote to Ramsey: “ The letter I did myself the honour of writing you on the 12 ^th. of Oct. will have informed you what I had ultimately done on the subject of your book. your’s of Dec. 10. is just received. I am very sorry to find that your printer is so much deceived as to the parts of the work which have come to my hands. they are exactly as follows.

Vol. I. pa. 1........................ 328.

329........................ to the end.

Vol. 2. pa v........................ xx.

1........................ 24.

25....................... 144.

305....................... 440.

545....................... 574.

" by this you will perceive the chasms in the 2 ^d. volume. I am not uneasy about that from 440. to 545. because you say you will send it. but as it is supposed we have received the one from 144. to 305. I fear we stand no other chance of getting that than the copies you have been so good as to instruct Dillon [sic] to send, for which be pleased to accept my thanks. I will immediately write to Dillon to forward these as I think it probable he may have received them . . . ”

This was acknowledged by Ramsay on May 3, in a letter which contained a review of Jefferson’s Notes on Virginia .

On July 9, 1786, Jefferson wrote to William Stephens Smith in London concerning the French translation, and the publication of an English edition: “ To return to business (for I am never tempted to pray but when a warm feeling for my friends comes athwart my heart) they tell me that they are about altering D ^r. Ramsay’s book in London in order to accomodate it to the English palate & pride. I hope this will not be done without the consent of the author, & I do not believe that will be obtained. if the booksellers of London are afraid to sell it I think it can be sold here. even the English themselves will apply for it here. it is very much esteemed by those who have read it. the French translation will be out in a short time. there is no gutting in that. all Europe will read the English transactions in America, as they really happened. to what purpose then hoodwink themselves? like the foolish Ostrich who when it has hid it’s head, thinks it’s body cannot be seen. I will beg the favor of you to prevail on m ( ^~r ) Dilly to send me 50. copies by the Diligence. we shall see by the sale of these what further number we may call for. I will undertake to justify this to the author. they must come unbound. it will be necessary at the same time to put into some of the English papers the following advertisement.

" ‘The bookseller, to whom D ^r. Ramsay’s history of the revolution of S. Carolina was addressed for sale, having been advised that the executing that commission would expose him to the actions of certain persons whose conduct in America, as therein represented, is not in their favor, the public are hereby notified that they may be furnished with the said work either in the original English, or well translated into French, by writing to Froullé, libraire au quai des Augustins à Paris, & franking their letters. an opportunity of sending it to London occurs every week by the Dilligence.’ send me a paper or two with this advertisement in it. ”

The following day Jefferson wrote to Ramsay explaining the situation: “ the translation & printing go on slowly. I do not think they are half finished. the Marquis de Chastellux thinks it well translated. the circumstance which renders the delay more interesting to you is that the twelvemonth’s credit which the bookseller has for the money to be paid you, counts from the time of publication. I had no idea that the interval between the commencement & completion of the work would have been so long. Dilly being afraid to sell your book in London, and D ^r. Bancroft informing me he was about to gut it in order to accomodate it to the English pride & palate, I have written to Col ^o. Smith to endeavor to prevent it’s being done till your consent can be obtained. it has been read in the original in it’s present state, by many here, & is highly esteemed. ”