; tell the latter I feed on the hopes of seeing her one day at
Paris. My friendly respects wait also on your father; and on yourself,
assurances of the esteem and consideration with which I have the honor
to be, Dear Sir, your most obedient and most humble servant,

Th: Jefferson.

LETTER LXIX.--TO THE DELEGATES OF RHODE ISLAND, July 22,1787

TO THE DELEGATES OF RHODE ISLAND.

Paris, July 22,1787.

Gentlemen,

I was honored, in the month of January last, with a letter from the
honorable the Delegates of Rhode Island in Congress, enclosing a letter
from the corporation of Rhode Island College to his Most Christian
Majesty, and some other papers. I was then in the hurry of a preparation
for a journey into the south of France, and therefore unable, at that
moment, to make the inquiries which the object of the letter rendered
necessary. As soon as I returned, which was in the last month, I
turned my attention to that object, which was the establishment of a
professorship of the French language in the College, and the obtaining
a collection of the best French authors, with the aid of the King.
That neither the College nor myself might be compromitted uselessly, I
thought it necessary to sound, previously, those who were able to inform
me what would be the success of the application. I was assured, so as to
leave no doubt, that it would not be complied with; that there had
never been an instance of the King's granting such a demand in a foreign
country, and that they would be cautious of setting the precedent: that
in this moment, too, they were embarrassed with the difficult operation
of putting down all establishments of their own, which could possibly be
dispensed with, in order to bring their expenditures down to the level
of their receipts. Upon such information I was satisfied, that it was
most prudent not to deliver the letter, and spare to both parties the
disagreeableness of giving and receiving a denial. The King did give
to two colleges in America copies of the works printing in the public
press. But were this to be obtained for the College of Rhode Island,
it would extend only to a volume or two of Buffon's works, still to
be printed, Manilius's Astronomicon, and one or two other works in the
press, which are of no consequence. I did not think this an object for
the College worth being pressed. I beg the favor of you, gentlemen,
to assure the corporation, that no endeavors of mine should have been
s