go so far as to lose sight of the features, and
finer lineaments of the face and body. A statue is not made like a
mountain, to be seen at a great distance. To perceive those minuter
circumstances which constitute its beauty, you must be near it, and,
in that case, it should be so little above the size of the life, as to
appear actually of that size, from your point of view. I should not,
therefore, fear to propose, that the one intended by Congress should be
considerably smaller than any of those to be seen here; as I think it
will be more beautiful, and also cheaper. I have troubled you with these
observations, as they have been suggested to me from an actual sight of
works of this kind, and I supposed they might assist you in making up
your minds on this subject. In making a contract with Monsieur Houdon it
would not be proper to advance money, but as his disbursements and labor
advance. As it is a work of many years, this will render the expense
insensible. The pedestrian statue of marble, is to take three years; the
equestrian, of course, would take much more. Therefore the sooner it is
begun, the better.

I am, with sentiments of the highest respect, Gentlemen,

your most obedient

and most humble servant,

Th: Jefferson.

LETTER LXXV.--TO JOHN JAY, July 12,1785

TO JOHN JAY.

Paris, July 12,1785.

Sir,

My last letter to you was dated the 17th of June. The present serves to
cover some papers put into my hands by Captain Paul Jones. They respect
an ancient matter, which is shortly this.

While Captain Jones was hovering on the coast of England, in the
year 1779, a British pilot, John Jackson by name, came on board him,
supposing him to be British. Captain Jones found it convenient to detain
him as a pilot, and, in the action with the Serapis, which ensued, this
man lost his arm. It is thought that this gives him a just claim to the
same allowance with others, who have met with the like misfortune in
the service of the United States. Congress alone being competent to this
application, it is my duty to present the case to their consideration;
which I beg leave to do through you.

Dr. Franklin will be able to give you so perfect a state of all
transactions relative to his particular office in France, as well as to
the subjects included in our general commission, that it is unnecessary
for me to enter on them. His departure, with the separate situation of
Mr. Adams and myself, will render it dif