贝壳电子书 > 英文原著电子书 > part17 >

第14章

part17-第14章

小说: part17 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!




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

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的