he captives: and
it is so long since Congress approved the loan, that the orders of the
treasury for the application of the money would have come, if they
had intended to send any. I wrote to them early on the subject, and
pointedly. I mentioned it to Mr. Jay also, merely that he might suggest
it to them. The payments to the foreign officers will await the same
formality.

I thank you for your attention to the case of Mrs. Burke. We have no
news of Doctor Franklin since July last, when he was very ill. Though
the silence of our letters on that subject is a proof that he is well,
yet there is an anxiety here among his friends. We have lately had three
books published, which are of great merit, in different lines. The
one is in seven volumes, octavo, by an Abbe Barthelemy, wherein he has
collected every subject of Grecian Literature, after a labor of thirty
years. It is called 'Les Voyages d'Anacharsis.' I have taken a copy for
you, because the whole impression was likely to be run off at once.
The second is a work on government, by the Marquis de Condorcet, two
volumes, octavo. I shall secure you a copy. The third are the works of
the King of Prussia, in sixteen volumes, octavo. These were a little
garbled at Berlin, before printed. The government lays its hands on
all which come here, and change some leaves. There is a genuine
edition published at Basle, where even the garblings of Berlin are
re-established. I doubt the possibility of getting a copy, so vigilant
is the government as to this work. I shall obtain you one, if it be
possible. As I write all the public news to Mr. Jay, I will not repeat
it to you. I have just received the Flora Caroliniana of Walter, a very
learned and good work. I am, with very sincere esteem and respect, Dear
Sir, your friend and servant,

Th: Jefferson.

LETTER CLXXIX.--TO JOHN JAY, January 14, 1789

TO JOHN JAY.

Sir,

Paris, January 14, 1789.

In my letter of the 11th, I have said nothing of the _Arret_ explanatory
of that of September the 28th, on the subject of whale-oils, which
my letter of November the 19th gave you reason to expect. Though this
explanatory _Arret_ has been passed so long ago as the 7th of December,
it has not been possible for me to obtain an authentic copy of it, till
last night. I now enclose that to you, with a copy of a letter to me
from Mr. Necker, on the subject. The reception of our oils in the mean
time, is provided for by an intermediate