part17-第14章
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defending their American possessions。
You once gave me a copy of the journal of your campaign in
Virginia; in 1781; which I must have lent to some one of the
undertakers to write the history of the revolutionary war; and forgot
to reclaim。 I conclude this; because it is no longer among my
papers; which I have very diligently searched for it; but in vain。
An author of real ability is now writing that part of the history of
Virginia。 He does it in my neighborhood; and I lay open to him all
my papers。 But I possess none; nor has he any; which can enable him
to do justice to your faithful and able services in that campaign。
If you could be so good as to send me another copy; by the very first
vessel bound to any port in the United States; it might be here in
time; for although he expects to begin to print within a month or
two; yet you know the delays of these undertakings。 At any rate it
might be got in as a supplement。 The old Count Rochambeau gave me
also his _memoire_ of the operations at York; which is gone in the
same way; and I have no means of applying to his family for it。
Perhaps you could render them as well as us; the service of procuring
another copy。
I learn; with real sorrow; the deaths of Monsieur and Madame de
Tesse。 They made an interesting part in the idle reveries in which I
have sometimes indulged myself; of seeing all my friends of Paris
once more; for a month or two; a thing impossible; which; however; I
never permitted myself to despair of。 The regrets; however; of
seventy…three at the loss of friends; may be the less; as the time is
shorter within which we are to meet again; according to the creed of
our education。
This letter will be handed you by Mr。 Ticknor; a young
gentleman of Boston; of great erudition; indefatigable industry; and
preparation for a life of distinction in his own country。 He passed
a few days with me here; brought high recommendations from Mr。 Adams
and others; and appeared in every respect to merit them。 He is well
worthy of those attentions which you so kindly bestow on our
countrymen; and for those he may receive I shall join him in
acknowledging personal obligations。
I salute you with assurances of my constant and affectionate
friendship and respect。
P。 S。 February 26th。 My letter had not yet been sealed; when I
received news of our peace。 I am glad of it; and especially that we
closed our war with the eclat of the action at New Orleans。 But I
consider it as an armistice only; because no security is provided
against the impressment of our seamen。 While this is unsettled we
are in hostility of mind with England; although actual deeds of arms
may be suspended by a truce。 If she thinks the exercise of this
outrage is worth eternal war; eternal war it must be; or
extermination of the one or the other party。 The first act of
impressment she commits on an American; will be answered by reprisal;
or by a declaration of war here; and the interval must be merely a
state of preparation for it。 In this we have much to do; in further
fortifying our seaport towns; providing military stores; classing and
disciplining our militia; arranging our financial system; and above
all; pushing our domestic manufactures; which have taken such root as
never again can be shaken。 Once more; God bless you。
LIBRARY CLASSIFICATION
_To George Watterston_
_Monticello; May 7; 1815_
SIR; I have duly received your favor of April 26th; in which
you are pleased to ask my opinion on the subject of the arrangement
of libraries。 I shall communicate with pleasure what occurs to me on
it。 Two methods offer themselves; the one alphabetical; the other
according to the subject of the book。 The former is very
unsatisfactory; because of the medley it presents to the mind; the
difficulty sometimes of recalling an author's name; and the greater
difficulty; where the name is not given; of selecting the word in the
title; which shall determine its alphabetical place。 The arrangement
according to subject is far preferable; although sometimes presenting
difficulty also; for it is often doubtful to what particular subject
a book should be ascribed。 This is remarkably the case with books of
travels; which often blend together the geography; natural history;
civil history; agriculture; manufactures; commerce; arts;
occupations; manners; &c。; of a country; so as to render it difficult
to say to which they chiefly relate。 Others again; are polygraphical
in their nature; as Encyclopedias; magazines; etc。 Yet on the whole
I have preferred arrangement according to subject; because of the
peculiar satisfaction; when we wish to consider a particular one; of
seeing at a glance the books which have been written on it; and
selecting those from which we effect most readily the information we
seek。 On this principle the arrangement of my library was formed;
and I took the basis of its distribution from Lord Bacon's table of
science; modifying it to the changes in scientific pursuits which
have taken place since his time; and to the greater or less extent of
reading in the science which I proposed to myself。 Thus the law
having been my profession; and politics the occupation to which the
circumstances of the times in which I have lived called my particular
attention; my provision of books in these lines; and in those most
nearly connected with them was more copious; and required in
particular instances subdivisions into sections and paragraphs; while
other subjects of which general views only were contemplated are
thrown into masses。 A physician or theologist would have modified
differently; the chapters; sections; and paragraphs of a library
adapted to their particular pursuits。
You will receive my library arranged very perfectly in the
order observed in the catalogue; which I have sent with it。 In
placing the books on their shelves; I have generally; but not always;
collocated distinctly the folios; quarto; octavo; and duodecimo;
placing with the last all smaller sizes。 On every book is a label;
indicating the chapter of the catalogue to which it belongs; and the
other it holds among those of the same format。 So that; although the
numbers seem confused on the catalogue; they are consecutive on the
volumes as they stand on their shelves; and indicate at once the
place they occupy there。 Mr。 Milligan in packing them has preserved
their arrangement so exactly; in their respective presses; that on
setting the presses up on end; he will be able readily to replace
them in the order corresponding with the catalogue; and thus save you
the immense labor which their rearrangement would otherwise require。
To give to my catalogue the convenience of the alphabetical
arrangement I have made at the end an alphabet of authors' names and
have noted the chapter or chapters; in which the name will be found;
where it occurs several times in the same chapter; it is indicated;
by one or more perpendicular scores; thus according to the number of
times it will be found in the chapter。 Where a book bears no
author's name; I have selected in its title some leading word for
denoting it alphabetically。 This member of the catalogue would be
more perfect if; instead of the score; the number on the book were
particularly noted。 This could not be done when I made the
catalogue; because no label of numbers had then been put on the
books。 That alteration can now be readily made; and would add
greatly to the convenient use of the catalogue。 I gave to Mr。
Milligan a note of three folio volumes of the laws of Virginia
belonging to the library; which being in known hands; will be
certainly recovered; and shall be forwarded to you。 One is a MS。
volume from which a printed copy is now preparing for publication。
This statement me