PARIS, August 2, 1787.
DEAR SIR,--My last was of June the 20th. Yours, received since that
date, are of May the 15th, and June the 6th. In mine I acknowledged the
receipt of the paccan nuts which came sealed up. I have reason to
believe those in the box have arrived at L'Orient. By the Mary, Captain
Howland, lately sailed from Havre to New York, I shipped three boxes of
books, one marked J. M. for yourself, one marked B. F. for Dr.
Franklin, and one marked W. H. for William Hay in Richmond. I have
taken the liberty of addressing them all to you, as you will see by the
enclosed bill of lading, in hopes you would be so good as to forward
the other two. You will have opportunities of calling on the gentlemen
for the freight, etc. In yours you will find the books noted in the
account, inclosed herewith. You have now Mabby's works complete, except
that on Poland, which I have never been able to get, but shall not
cease to search for. Some other volumes are wanting, too, to complete
your collection of Chronologies. The fourth volume of D'Albon was lost
by the bookbinder, and I have not yet been able to get one to replace
it. I shall continue to try. The Mémoires sur les droits et impositions
en Europe, (cited by Smith,) was a scarce and excessively dear book.
They are now reprinting it. I think it will be in three or four
quartos, of from nine to twelve livres a volume. When it is finished, I
shall take a copy for you. Amelot's travels into China, I can learn
nothing of. I put among the books sent you two somewhat voluminous, and
the object of which will need explanation; these are the Tableau de
Paris and L'espion Anglois. The former is truly a picture of private
manners in Paris, but presented on the dark side, and a little darkened
moreover. But there is so much truth in its groundwork, that it will be
well worth your reading. You will then know Paris (and probably the
other large cities of Europe) as well as if you had been there for
years. L'espion Anglois is no caricature. It will give you a just idea
of the wheels by which the machine of government is worked here. There
are in it also many interesting details of the last war, which, in
general, may be relied on. It may be considered as the small history of
great events. I am in hopes, when you shall have read them, you will
not think I have misspent your money for them. My method for making out
this assortment was, to revise the list of my own purchases since the
invoice of 1785, and to select such as I had found worth your having.
Besides this, I have casually met with and purchased some few curious
and cheap things.
I must trouble you on behalf of a Mr. Thomas Burke, at Loughburke, near
Loughrea, in Ireland, whose brother, James Burke, is supposed to have
died in 1785, on his passage from Jamaica, or St. Eustatius to New
York. His property on board the vessel is understood to have come to
the hands of alderman Groom at New York. The enclosed copy of a letter
to him, will more fully explain it. A particular friend of mine here
applies to me for information, which I must ask the favor of you to
procure, and forward to me.
Writing news to others, much pressed in time, and making this letter
one of private business, I did not intend to have said anything to you
on political subjects. But I must press one subject. Mr. Adams informs
me he has borrowed money in Holland, which, if confirmed by Congress,
will enable them to pay, not only the interest due here to the foreign
officers, but the principal. Let me beseech you to reflect on the
expediency of transferring this debt to Holland. All our other debts in
Europe do not injure our reputation so much as this. These gentlemen
have connections both in and out of office, and these again their
connections, so that our default on this article is further known, more
blamed, and excites worst dispositions against us, than you can
conceive. If you think as I do, pray try to procure an order for paying
off their capital. Mr. Adams adds, that if any certain tax is provided
for the payment of interest, Congress may borrow enough in Holland to
pay off their whole debts in France, both public and private, to the
crown, to the Farmers, and to Beaumarchais. Surely it will be better to
transfer these debts to Holland. So critical is the state of that
country, that I imagine the moneyed men of it would be glad to place
their money in foreign countries, and that Mr. Adams could borrow there
for us, without a certain tax for the interest, and saving our faith
too, by previous explanations on that subject. This country is really
supposed on the eve of a * * * *. Such a spirit has risen within a few
weeks, as could not have been believed. They see the great deficit in
their revenues, and the hopes of economy lessen daily. The parliament
refuse to register any act for a new tax, and require an Assembly of
the States. The object of this Assembly is evidently to give law to the
King, to fix a constitution, to limit expenses. These views are said to
gain upon the nation.[4]
* * * * * * * *
[4] The parts of this letter marked by asterisks, are in cypher
and unintelligible.
A final decision of some sort should be made on Beaumarchais' affairs.
I am, with sentiments of the most perfect esteem, dear Sir, your friend
and servant.