“ that work? I was glad to associate M ^r. Madison in considering the question, & we both conclude that D ^r. Currie having sold out his subscription is clear of it, & that the purchaser buys his right with all it’s chances. we suppose it to resemble other cases of joint enterprise, where partners sell out, others buy in, and the purchaser, through ever so many degrees, stands in the shoes of the original partner whom he represents. the printing of a book is a joint enterprise of the subscribers, & the printer is their agent. this is so well understood in Paris, and these transfers of subscriptions with all their rights so well ascertained, that D ^r. Currie could not there maintain an action against the printer when it should be once understood that he had sold out. I recurred to your letter to me of Apr. 26. 1787. wherein you mention your acquisition of the right (D ^r. Currie never mentioned it in any of his letters) the words of your letter are ‘D ^r. Currie our mutual friend has been so obliging as to give up to me the new edñ of the Encyclopedie for which I am to furnish him &c.’ I am not without hopes I may be able to relieve you from it, as I think it probable I may meet with a purchaser here. it will give me great pleasure to serve you in this or any other way. but I believe you must inform me how many livraisons you have, for on searching, I do not find my acc ^t. of them against D ^r. Currie, from whence I presume I gave it in to him. In the mean time I will put into the first order I give for books from Paris the 2 ^d. part of your Tome 3 ^d. of Arts & Mistiers. I would observe also that you are now free to continue to take any of the particular dictionaries you chuse, without taking the others . . . ”

[The copy of this letter in the Library of Congress is not in Jefferson’s hand.]

Hay replied to this from Richmond on February 18, 1791: “Your Determination respecting the Encyclopédie in Which M ^r. Madison concurs with you, is perfectly satisfactory to me, & the more so, as you so obligingly offer your Services to dispose of it in Philadelphia. As I now consider myself bound to pay Doct ^r. Currie the Value of the original Subscription in standard English Books, perhaps you will be able to swap the Encyclopédie with some of the Booksellers, for such Books as the Doct ^r. may chuse. In this View, I shall call on the Doct ^r. for a List of the Books he wants & enclose it to you. As I know well you have very little Time to devote to private Correspondence, I must beg pardon for troubling you with this Business. Permit me, Sir to inform you, that I would be happy to have it my Power [ sic -- Ed. ] to serve you, & to assure you that I am with great Esteem & Respect . . . P. S. The Account of the Livraisons & Doct ^r. Currie’s List are enclosed.”

On May 16 Jefferson wrote to Hay from Philadelphia: “ I have this morning had a conversation with M ^r. Dobson a bookseller on the subject of your Encyclopedie. I told him if he would dispose of it at such an advance as he sells his own books at, so that you might get something like first cost for first cost you would take it in books. he thinks it possible and will endeavor to dispose of it. he thinks the chance would be better if the books were here. yet I doubt whether it is certain enough to go to the expence of sending them before a purchaser offers.--I cannot help supposing you might find a purchaser in Virginia, on your assuring them that I will have the remainder imported for them (they advancing the money) which I will cheerfully do. I will also be still on the look out for a purchaser myself. I am this moment setting out on a long journey, & can therefore only add assurances of the sincere esteem with which I am Dear Sir . . . ”

Jefferson continued to subscribe to the Encyclopédie after his return to the United States, and ordered copies from Froullé, Pougens and other dealers.

In 1805 he requested Reibelt of Baltimore to import the work for him. In a letter dated June 24 of that year he wrote to Reibelt from Washington: “ . . . I am one of the original subscribers to the Encyclopedie Methodique par Pancoucke, & have recieved as far as the 67 ^th. livraison inclusive and compleat. but the trouble of remitting small sums of money to Paris has been the reason of my recieving the Livraisons at very long intervals. would it be convenient for you to import the 68 ^th. & subsequent livraisons for me as they come out, or rather once a year, or so often as you have importations for your book-store. I shall be ”