years, while Europe has been in constant volcanic eruption. I
again, my friend, repeat my joy that you have escaped the overwhelming
torrent of its lava.

At the end of my present term, of which two years are yet to come, I
propose to retire from public life, and to close my days on my patrimony
of Monticello, in the bosom of my family. I have hitherto enjoyed
uniform health; but the weight of public business begins to be too heavy
for me, and I long for the enjoyments of rural life, among my books, my
farms, and my family. Having performed my _quadragena stipendia_, I
am entitled to my discharge, and should be sorry, indeed, that others
should be sooner sensible than myself when I ought to ask it. I have,
therefore, requested my fellow-citizens to think of a successor for
me, to whom I shall deliver the public concerns with greater joy than I
received them. I have the consolation too of having added nothing to my
private fortune, during my public service, and of retiring with hands
as clean as they are empty. Pardon me these egoisms, which, if ever
excusable, are so when writing to a friend to whom our concerns are
not uninteresting. I shall always be glad to hear of your health and
happiness, and having been out of the way of hearing of any of our
cotemporaries of the _corps diplomatique_ at Paris, any details of their
subsequent history, which you will favor me with, will be thankfully
received. I pray you to make my friendly respects acceptable to Madame
la Comtesse Diodati, to assure M. Tronchin of my continued esteem,
and to accept yourself my affectionate salutations, and assurances of
constant attachment and respect.

Th: Jefferson.

LETTER XLII.--TO MR. BOWDOIN, April 2, 1807

TO MR. BOWDOIN.

Washington, April 2, 1807.

Dear Sir,

I wrote you on the 10th of July last; but neither your letter of October
the 20th nor that of November the 15th mentioning the receipt of it, I
fear it has miscarried. I therefore now enclose a duplicate. As that was
to go under cover of the Secretary of State's despatches by any vessel
going from our distant ports, I retained the polygraph therein mentioned
for a safer conveyance. None such has occurred till now, that the United
States' armed brig the Wasp, on her way to the Mediterranean is to touch
at Falmouth, with despatches for our ministers at London, and at Brest,
with others for yourself and General Armstrong.

You heard in due time from London of the signat