Leadership

to make my friend suppose that the passages he quoted must not be considered as sufficient to undo the public opinion of you. I heard much afterwards of these same passages, & two or three others. A twelvemonth after this, that is the last winter 1783–1784, Mr. Marbois shewed me the book itself. I never was so astonished. I found it the most flattering account of America that had ever been written. I found indeed the passages which had been quoted; & what was remarkable was that there were in the whole book but about eight of these which could give offence to any body, and that the malice and curiosity of the world had immediately fished out these from those who were possessed of the book, had got verbal and literal possession of them, knew not one word else of what was in it, but formed a general opinion that the whole was like this, a collection of personal strictures and satyre”. Jefferson helpfully suggests the outright removal of certain portions of text in Chastellux’s work that will smooth over some of the perceived slights of America, especially the passages containing unflattering observations on American women, and then proposes translating the work for exposure to American readers: “I observed to Monsr. Marbois that it was much to be wished that you would let us strike out these passages, and translate and publish the work. He thought with me that it would be very pleasing to the Americans and valuable to yourself as far as their opinions can interest you. He said he would write to you on the subject, I was to do the same; but my appointment to come here prevented my doing it. I do not know that you have any occasion to set any value on the opinions of my countrymen. But you must allow myself to do it. It is irksome to us to have your worth mistaken; and it is much our wish to set it in its just point of view. This would be done effectually by translating and publishing the book, having first struck out the passages which gave offence and which were of the least importance of any in it. A preface might admit the former existence of such passages, justify their insertion in what was intended for the eye of a dozen friends only, & equally justify their omission when the work is offered to the public. Perhaps you would permit to be added a translation of your letter to Mr. Madison on the probable influence of the revolution on our manners and laws, a work which I have read with great

pleasure and wish it could be given to my countrymen. Be so good as to reflect on these things and let them be the subject of our next conversation. I have given you the detail historically as the circumstances happened, believing you would thence form a better judgement of them. I am with very great esteem, dr Sir, your friend & sevt TH: Jefferson”. When Chastellux published the complete edition of his travels in 1786, the author took on board Jefferson’s suggestions and greatly softened the tone of (or deleted) the offending passages, most of which concerned his observations of American women, including a passage describing Philip Schuyler’s wife, Catherine Van Rensselaer. The Voyage – which includes descriptions of Jefferson and Monticello – is considered Chastellux’s most popular and enduring work, prized among historians for his observations of American society and culture at the close of the American Revolution; Howes calls it “the first trustworthy record of life in the United States” (Howes, C–324). An English-language edition was published in London in 1787, without Jefferson’s input; no American edition was published until 1827. Quarto bifolium (226 × 185 mm), 58 lines in Jefferson’s hand across three pages, integral address on terminal page, wax seal still present. Housed in custom red cloth chemise within red quarter morocco box. Blind stamp of the Chastellux Archives in upper margin of first page. Original mailing folds, a few minor marginal tears, including paper loss from opening of the wax seal since repaired. In excellent, clean condition. ¶ Published in The Papers of Thomas Jefferson , vol. VII, 1953, pp. 580–3. £110,000 [159181] 56 JESUS CHRIST – THOMAS A KEMPIS. De imitatione Christi. Antwerp: Ex Officina Plantiniana, Apud Balthasarem Moretum, & Viduam Ioannis Moreti, & Io. Meursium, 1626 christ as spiritual leader An attractive copy, in the original Latin, of the Imitation of Christ , the supreme Catholic popular devotional work, presenting Christ as a spiritual leader, a model on which to imitate one’s own life

LEADERSHIP

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