First Edition. 8vo. in fours. 123 leaves, 2 folded plates.
Sabin 38294.
Bitting, page 265.
Jefferson’s copy was a gift from the author.
The book is dedicated to
His Excellency Thomas Jefferson, Esq. President of the United States of America, the dedication dated from Bristol (Pennsylvania) May 25, 1804.
Concerning his work and the dedication, Krafft first wrote to Jefferson from Bristol on April 24, 1804: “. . . For three years last past I have been diligently employed in experimenting (under weighty expence) principally on subjects
immediately interesting to my Country such as that of our Domestic Distilleries &c. facts proved, and final results from which
I have the strongest Conviction must ultimately tend to facilitate the rising interests of Community. These together with
the general system of Domestic Distillery I have arranged in the form of an 8
o. volume of about 400 pages entitled The American Distiller, of the first part of which the enclosed are proof sheets (as
a sample) . . . May I claim your Exc
ys
permission to dedicate this work to you, as a safeguard against its falling into the general wreck of oblivion which the Discountenance
of envy may wish to consign it . . .”
Jefferson replied from Monticello on April 29: “
I have recieved your letter of the 24
th. and therein the expression of a desire which is acceptable inasmuch as it is a manifestation of your dispositions towards
me. I see too with great satisfaction every example of bending science to the useful purposes of life. hitherto Chemistry
has scarcely deigned to look to the occupations of domestic life. when she shall have made intelligible to the ordinary householder
the philosophy of making bread, butter, cheese, soap, beer, cyder, wine, vinegar &c. these daily comforts will keep us ever
mindful of our obligations to her. the art of distilling which you propose to explain, besides it’s household uses, is valuable
to the agriculturalist, as it enables him to put his superfluous grain into a form which will bear long transportation to
markets to which the raw material could never get . . .
”
On May 11 Krafft sent to Jefferson for his approval a copy of the dedication “
which will be put to press on the 1st of June next (
the whole work being finished except the plates)
.
Your silence on that head untill that period will be construed favorably . . .”
On December 21, Jefferson wrote to thank Krafft for sending him a copy: “
Th: Jefferson presents his compliments to m(
~
r)
Krafft and his thanks for the volume on distilling which he has been so kind as to send him. he owes him particular acknolegements
for the obliging terms in his dedication: but is sensible that the book possesses, in it’s own merits, the best of all titles
to the public esteem.
”
Michael Krafft, b. c. 1775, of Bristol, Pennsylvania, was, according to a statement in his letter to Jefferson, 29 years of age in 1804. He also explained that he had no pecuniary interest in the sale of the work.
[1208]
1
Art de faire le vin par Maupin.
12
mo.
1815 Catalogue, page 54, unnumbered. [Art de faire le Vin, par Maupin, 12mo in Ch. 7, No. 11]
For this title see no. 818.
No. 11 in chapter 7 is
Traite de la vigne de Bidet et Duhamel
, 2 v 12mo, and not Maupin’s work which is no. 50 in the 1815 Catalogue.
2
Art de faire le vin par Cossigny.
8
vo.
1815 Catalogue, page 54. no. 80, as above.
CHARPENTIER
de COSSIGNY, Joseph François.
Observations sur “L’art de faire le vin” par Mr. J. A. Chaptal . . . Par J. F. Charpentier Cossigny.
Paris: Imprimerie de
Gagnard,
1807.
First Edition. 8vo. 62 leaves; no copy was seen for collation.
Not in Quérard.
Simone, page 18.
Jefferson’s copy was bound by Milligan on April 30, 1808, cost 50 cents.
For a note on Charpentier de Cossigny, see no. 1202 above. For Chaptal’s work, see no. 787.
[1209]
